PLOT
Where do Jurgis and Ona get married?
Saloon in Packingtown
Who is Jurgis Rudkus?
A Lithuanian immigrant who works in Chicago's meatpacking plants
What does the “veselija” symbolize in Chapter 1?
A tradition and community in the immigrant experience
What political system does Sinclair advocate?
Socialism
What did Sinclair reveal about meat production?
Meat was often made with spoiled or diseased animals
Why does Ona go to work despite just giving birth?
The family cannot affort to lose her wages
Who is Marija Berczynskas?
Ona's cousin who eventually turns to prostitution to support the family
What does the family’s house represent?
The American Dream and how it's a trap under capitalism
What act was passed partly because of this book?
Meat Inspection Act or the Pure Food and Drug Act
What happened to workers who got injured?
They were fired or forced into worse jobs
What happens to Jurgis after he attacks Connor?
He's arrested, convicted, and sent to prison
Who is Jack Duane?
A safebreaker who introduces Jurgis to more crime
What is the symbolism of meatpacking animals?
Workers being treated like animals in a machine
How is the legal system portrayed?
Corrupt, favors right and punishes poor
What was reused from the pickling rooms?
A chemical runoff and scraps were turned into food products
Why does Jurgis leave Chicago after Antanas dies?
He runs away and lives homeless in the countryside
Who is Judge Callahan?
A corrupt judge who ignores Jurgi's claims about Ona's assault
What does the "jungle" represent?
The survival-of-the-fittest capitalism and moral chaos
What role does child labor play in the story?
A necessity for survival that robs kids of childhood
In The Jungle, this disturbing substance was sometimes added to sausage to hide the smell of spoiled meat.
Borax
How does the novel end for Jurgis?
He joins the socialist movement and finds hope again
What happens to Antanas Rudkus (the baby)?
He drowns in a flooded street while Jurgis is at work
How does Sinclair use winter throughout the novel?
Symbolize hardship, death, and emotional coldness
How does Sinclair portray capitalism’s impact on the family?
Destroys family bonds, health, and morality
What happened when Jurgis returned home with $100?
He was tricked, beaten, arrested, and lost the money