I've been reading a few split-time novels recently, which led me to think about some of the themes I've encountered. Although this is a gross generalization, I've noticed that with most historical storylines, the characters often find themselves in situations where they have little choice in matters that affect their lives, namely around matrimony. For more contemporary storylines, I've seen characters end up making poor decisions that can be detrimental to their lives.
Either way, these scenarios bring forth much conflict, setting the stage for a story to be told. While it's not true that all historical plots involve coercion through external circumstances or pressure through internal forces like duty, it's notable that characters can end up being compelled to marry outside of love. Some of the common reasons I've come across include family persuasion, societal expectations, class differences, or economic needs. While it's an unfortunate situation for most characters, I find it fascinating to see how an author will deliver them from such arrangements.
On the other hand, most contemporary plots don't seem to be as tied to these obligations. Whether it's due to characters being on their own and independent from the influences of family members or the ability for women to work and earn their own income, such restraints don't seem to keep people bound to unsuitable partners any longer. As a result, a lot of plots appear to focus on people either making poor choices in their past or ending up in somewhat contrived scenarios where they feel the pressure to falsify relationship statuses or choices (e.g. fake dating, etc.).
While it would be decidedly boring to read a fictional story where nothing is wrong and the characters are not necessitated to grow in their character, I have wondered which case would be worse: to be where you are in life due to poor choices or because you had no choice or ability to exercise your will and voice. Both sound awful, quite frankly, but I'm amazed that despite the difficult settings that characters can find themselves in, there are many skilled authors who are able to turn things around throughout the course of the story.
It also makes me think of life and how God can redeem us from both types of choices. There are times when we can't do anything about our circumstances, such as when others sin against us and there is little recourse. At the same time, we are also guilty of making many poor choices that result in the consequences of sin. The best stories always point to how God rescues us from both types of choices, regardless of how they originate. Were it not for His saving grace, we would continue to find ourselves mired in unfortunate circumstances, whether we made the choice or others made it for us.
In reading books with this lens, I'm more mindful of how it can come down to believing that we know what is best. In the case of historical romances, when family members deem that they are the final authority, it can lead to much pain and damage. In contemporary novels, thinking that we can either live outside of God's boundaries or that we're the exception can take us down the road of harm and distance from Him.
Although conflict can't always be easily simplified into these categories, it helps me to think about how both poor choices and the lack of choice can produce similar outcomes: those of desperation, regret, and hurt caused to others. This is one of the reasons why I love Christian fiction as much as I do because it confronts these decisions head-on and provides the only means of dealing with remorse after the fact.
It's why clean fiction doesn't cut it for me when there isn't a long-lasting solution presented to feeling trapped or erring in judgement. If all we needed was to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, we would have no need of a God who lovingly intervenes and directs our course so that He can turn things around for good. Believing that this happens in real life makes me seek it out in stories, knowing that such change from God alone is possible.
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. - Psalm 40:1-3
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