Perhaps no other aspect of American social thought and culture is as widely acknowledged and deeply felt as that of individualism. The moral primacy of the individual over the group is often presented as the cornerstone of democratic society.
Individualism is truly the cornerstone of American society.
From Plymouth Rock, to the spread west, to our rise to superpower status, individualism has been the driving ideal. The force of this ideal has made itself felt in American art as well, reflected most evidently in this century in film. Film comedies and dramas alike typically feature one or two characters encountering and overcoming a crisis. But in the film Matewan, writer and director John Sayles attempts to tell bigger stories. Sayles ignores traditional ideas of characterization and the constraints of Hollywood to tell stories of people acting collectively.