The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal. According to the United States Census Bureau in 2012, women earned approximately 77 cents for every dollar a man earned (Bassett 2013). Since its independence, all American leaders have been men. What do all these statements have in common? Male superiority. Since its founding, the United States of America has been a male-dominated society. Masculinity and male superiority have been demonstrated in various aspects of this nation's culture. Such areas include literature and history. Male dominance can be exemplified in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Kate Chopin's The Awakening, and Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. For many centuries, literature has been used to communicate various ideas and wisdom gained from experiences. The idea of ​​masculinity and male superiority can be best represented in The Awakening by Kate Chopin. The novel is set in a luxurious resort known as Grand Isle, located in New Orleans, during the mid-1800s. Edna Pontellier, one of the novel's main characters, struggles to find happiness, love, and freedom. Her attitude towards many aspects of life is very different from that of other married women around her. This novel is truly unique especially for the time period in which it was written. During this era, strict gender roles were enforced and women had many restrictions. Women's tasks were closely related to cooking, cleaning and caring. Edna Pontellier longed for independence. She has become depressed due to the monotonous, cookie-cutter society she has been forced to conform to. The plot of the novel focuses on Edna's journey to become an independent woman in this male-driven society... middle of paper... ..... .Overall, the value of American identity is found in literature such as The Awakening, A Streetcar Named Desire and The Great Gatsby. Several historical events such as the women's suffrage movements define America as a male-led nation. This little evidence provides an explanation of how men came to control much of the activity in the nation and its impact. Currently women are treated with more respect, have equal rights and can do many of the things men can do. However, large gender inequality still exists in many different aspects and will remain so because this nation has been dominated by men since its independence. History and literature are two aspects of our country's cultures that have demonstrated gender inequality and contributed over time to the strengthening of this male-dominated society.