Beginning of Essay
In "Preface to Leaves of Grass", Walt Whitman speaks of the "great poet" who realizes the beauty of truth and simplicity in life. This is achieved through indiidualism and a perspective that nothing in life is trivial. Individiualism is more than being a unique ....

Middle of Essay
.... to the fullest. One must take full advantage of his/her life by fulfilling every instinct and learning a lesson from every blunder. Most important, though, is that every person maintains some semblence of truth in all they say and do. This idea contrsts with the American dream presented in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby examines an American dream based around material wealth and social status. His/her wardrobe, occupation, and income determine the value of one's life. The idea is that a person work endlessly to accrue a substantial sum of money for which houses, cars, and happiness may be purchased. The three charact ....