In today's society, the American dream is much more achievable than it was when the short stories “Winter Dreams” and “Story of an Hour” were published ”? written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Kate Chopin respectively. The idea of ​​the American Dream is alive and well in both of these works, however it has not always been accessible to the majority of the population. For some it was impossible. Today this American dream is achievable for most, if not all, American citizens. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In 1933, historian James Truslow Adams coined the phrase “The American Dream” as we all know it today. He described it as “that dream of a land in which life should be better, richer, and fuller for all, with opportunities for each according to ability or achievement” (404). This dream was not about money or being materially rich, but about a better quality of life and the opportunity for everyone to do so should be equal. This idea is well represented in Fitzgerald's “Winter Dreams” when Dexter takes the cards he is dealt and transforms his life into something he feels is as great, or even greater, than the people he observes. Although he was not born rich as many around him had been, he had a stable income and was an eligible bachelor. He had the opportunity to create a comfortable life for himself just like most others around him did. However, the new American dream was not achievable for everyone in America, as not everyone had the same opportunities as Dexter. During this time, the late 1920s and 1930s, segregation was in full swing. Minorities did not have the same opportunities and freedoms as whites; therefore, they could not fully live the American dream like Dexter did. Going back in time, in “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin the reader is transported on a roller coaster of human emotions. A young woman is seen first mourning the death of her husband and then slowly celebrating her newfound freedom. During this period, the realism movement had almost run its course; Chopin and many other women were facing a new era. During this time, in the late 1800s, women began to question the government and advocate for their right to vote and live with the same privileges as men. Segregation had also begun years earlier, in 1877. As Louise reflects on the news she has just received, Chopin explains, “There would be no one to live for her during those years to come; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will that could bend his into that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have the right to impose a private will on their fellow man” (Chopin, 2). What we can deduce from this is that she was tied to a man she did not truly love, perhaps to fulfill the expected role in her society. Women like her and minorities in America were not afforded equal opportunities. White, able-bodied men took priority and were more likely to achieve the American dream. Today, the American Dream as defined by James Truslow Adams is more attainable for all Americans than it was in the 1930s. When women gained the same rights as men in 1920 and segregation ended in the 1960s, more opportunities became available for women and minorities. According to one article, “American civil rights legislation of the 1960s became the basis for affirmative action – programs that increased opportunities for many black students and workers, as well as women,..