There's still a lot of space and range for individual living out here, and it shows in the people. They're not buttoned down. They're still experimenting with freedom. Beyond that, I wouldn't want to generalize too much. I think writers here often understand the virtues of the wild, virtues that are not restricted to the pleasure or displeasure the wild gives humans.
Space changes the form of expression, as does lack of space.
Perhaps the more restrictive the life, the more one lives in the mind. I am very frustrated with literature that is locked in the head, the endless repetitions of the novel about whether or not the world is real or figment. The Trade seems to be an almost naturalistic novel, and emphasizes the power of fate. I don't believe in fate. I do believe in the power of power and the power of circumstance.