You have two stories, and in both stories, the protagonists are immigrants who prospered when they immigrated to the land of opportunity. They had the ability a

You have two stories, and in both stories, the protagonists are immigrants who prospered when they immigrated to the land of opportunity. They had the ability and willingness, but just didn't have the opportunity. This is different from people who have been living in the land of opportunity for multiple generations. They have had the opportunity, so that is not the limiting factor. Often it is ability and/or willingness that are limiting factors. Nevertheless, such rags to riches stories can be found here too: Larry Ellison and Steve Jobs both grew up poor (and were both adopted) but became rich in a single generation.