Role Of Individualism In The Great Gatsby

Individualists often believes that humans are born with their unique status, therefore, based on their different successability, each of them could achieve their ultimate goal. However, for those who are not success enough, they will be eliminated by the society. The speaker of the source highly suggests the ideology of the individualism and would most strongly agree with a classical liberalism society. Classical liberalism is a political ideology that enhances civil liberties and political freedom, which will often tied with capitalism. Adam Smith, the father of economics suggested that government control stifled economic growth, self- interest would lead business firms to produce only those products that consumers wanted at the lowest possible cost. …show more content…
Capitalists like Smith would most agree with that the age of Roaring 20s was a great success in the American history, the nation’s total wealth more than doubled during this era; great freedom during this time arises many new ideologies toward a modern society. The success of the “new women”, the birth of “Mass Culture”, and the “Jazz Age” all benefited the society as a way to approach a brand new world. In the novel “The Great Gatsby”, Gatsby is a brave man who gain success from this capitalist society. However, this glorious mirage hidden the fact that the inequality between wealth and poor are dramatically increasing during this time. The “Valley of Ashes” in the novel represents the absolute poverty and hopelessness, “This is a valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-grey men, who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.”(pg.26, The Great