In what What Does It Mean to be American, James Baldwin is able to put forth his questioning of the state of American society versus European society. The specific passage that questions the state of writers in America as they focus to much on individualism and not society. Mr. Baldwin states “they do not describe society, and have no interest in it. They only describe individuals in opposition to it or isolated from it.” (141 Baldwin) America is plagued with the issue as Herbert Hoover said, “rugged individual” (Herbert Hoover) this is in our blood as a society and universally accepted. The writers focus on the issues and success of individuals, but not society. They focus on the “tragic fate of the isolated individual, at odds with her time
