When it comes to the idea of the American dream, almost anyone would tell you that it is defined as a chance, a possibility, a potential. Existing as just opportunity, in order to achieve an important goal and live a successful life, the American dream acts as a guideline for our own choices and pathway of life that we choose to follow. Yet, everyone still has a personal definition of what success means to them. Success can be perceived to mean achievements in a career, fame in society, quality in work, essentially anything that showcases a sense of accomplishment and importance, no matter its different meaning to other people. These differences are what often separate individuals in their own pursuit of the American dream while affecting the people, friends and family alike, around them. Throughout the plays Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller and Fences by August Wilson, each of the two main characters have to deal with family conflicts concerning opportunities for success, as presented by the idea of the American dream. Both Willy Loman and Troy Maxson have their own belief of what American dream is truly defined as, but whenever they attempt to instill the same beliefs in their sons, they introduce and repeatedly worsen the problems of the already strained relationships between family members. The parents mean well and are attempting to positively impact the lives of their sons, yet each’s idea produces similar conflicts of each relationship that instead elicit more