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__**The Jungle**__ Upton Sinclair

A young Lithuanian couple, Jurgis Rudkus and Ona Lukoszaite, move to Chicago, Illinois in hope to seek the American Dream. Once they arrive there, they quickly find out that it's nowhere near the life they expected. Jurgis and many other of their relatives have to work hard jobs, basically sweatshops, in order to pay for the house they all live in. Jurgis' father's job is too tough for him and he is an old man, and the job eventually kills him. Jurgis and Ona have a son, who they name Antanas. later, Ona is raped by her boss, so Jurgis goes and beats him up. He ends up going to prison for a month for it and when he returns home, Ona is prematurely giving birth. Ona's fight to give birth kills her and the baby, putting Jurgis in terrible emotional pain, causing him to start drinking excessively. Jurgis' last motivation to keep on pushing through life is his son Antanas. Unfortunately, Antanas drowns and Jurgis gives up and becomes a beggar. A rich man gives him a 100 dollar bill, but when he goes to get change for it, a bartender steals his money. Jurgis attacks him and ends up in jail again. He meets a man named Jack Duane who he commits a few crimes with to make money. He works as a scab and makes a pretty good amount of money, but sees the man who raped his wife again and beats him up. once again, he is thrown behind bars. After he gets out, with basically nothing left to live for, he joins the socialist party, which helps start to turn his life around.
 * __Plot__**

I think that the authors main goal in the story was to show the evil of capitalism and how great socialism is. Also, the author really succeeds to show what life was like in big cities in that time era. Another main goal of the author was to show how tough life was for immigrants coming to America. They all dreamed of living the American Dream, but arrived to a rude awakening when finding out that it was just as bad or worse for them in America as their old country. Another main point that the author wanted to get across was the mistreatment of workers in those factories and the unsanitary, rotten, careless, meatpacking industry. The workers worked long hours, under terrible, dangerous working conditions, and were payed very little. this is also known as a sweatshop. One more goal of Upton Sinclair was to show how big cities at the time were basically like a jungle. It was every man for himself, and caused people to do wrong things to survive.
 * __Author's Goal__**

1. Jurgis and ona recently moved to America and live in Chicago. they have their wedding and Jurgis promises to get a good job to support them. prediction: he will find a job that is very tough but take it 2. the author discusses the characters backgrounds. Jurgis and Ona buy a small beat down house. jurgis promises to get a job. Prediction:the house has many problems and they have to move. 3. they get a tour of Packingtown. they find out that many animals are slaughtered each day for meat. prediction: he gets a job at the meat factory. 4. Jurgis starts his new job at the meat factory. they buy a new "rental" home to move to. they will pay off the cost by month. prediction: they cant pay the rent and are kicked out. 5. they settle into their new home. Jurgis' father gets a job in exchange for one third of his wage. prediction: he gets ill due to unsafe working conditions. 6. they learn that the deal on the house is a swindle and they most likely wont be able to pay it off. prediction: they are kicked out. 7. the winter comes and kills Jurgis' ill father. Jurgis continues to stay away from alchohol and be a good father. prediction:jurgis or ona get very ill 8. they enjoy going to tamoszius' hows because he is a good musician. Marija loses her job. Jurgis' hours are cut back. prediction:Jurgis loses his job. 9. Jurgis joins the union and attends meetings. he also starts to learn english. prediction: he starts making more money. 11. they all have to work even more, for less money. Marija puts her savings in the bank but has to wait in line for 2 days to get it out. prediction: the bank steals her money. 12. Jurgis badly injures his ankle and is unable to go to work. stanislovas gets frostbite and doesn't want to go to work but is forced to. [rediction: jurgis heals quickly and can return to work 13. Kristoforas, Teta Elzbietas youngest son dies from eating bad meat. Jurgis gets healthy and gets a bad job at the fertilizer mill. prediction: he gets poisoned from the fertilizer and becomes ill. 14. jurgis suffers drinking problems and he and one grow apart. antanas, their son, suffers some bad illnesses. prediction:their son dies from illness 15. Jurgis finds out that Onas boss, phil Conner, has been threatening and raping her. he goes to the factory and violently beats him. prediction: he loses his job and gets jumped 16. he is thrown in prison and has time to think about many things, but can't make money to support the family. prediction: he gets in fights in jail and has to stay longer 17. Jurgis becomes friends with his cellmate, Jack Duane. he is sentenced to 30 days in jail. prediction: they lose the house and start to starve. 18. jurgis is released from prison and walks 20 miles back to packingtown to find a different family living in his home. ona goes into premature labor and is hysterically screaming and crying. prediction: she dies while giving birth 19. jurgis frantically runs around to get help for Ona. while giving birth, the baby dies. She dies soon after. Prediction: jurgis commits suicide. 20. Jurgis stops drinking and decides to continue fighting through life for his son, Antanas. he gets a job at a factory but soon loses his job. prediction: phil conner gets him fired. 21. a nice, rich lady gets Jurgis a job at a mill. its far, so he only comes home on weekends but one weekend, he comes home to find out Antanas drown and died. prediction: he gives up and starts drinking a ton. 22. jurgis looks at his sons dead body and leaves without a word. he lives as a tramp on the countryside and works on farms. he makes a lot of money but spends it all on alchohol and women in one night. prediction: he moves back with his family 23. jurgis returns to Chicago and gets a job digging tunnels. however, he breaks his arm and spends two weeks in the hospital. prediction: he starves because he can' get a job. 24. Jurgis becomes a beggar and meets a rich man named Freddie Jones who invites him over for a meal and gives him a 100 dollar bill. prediction: he buys a small place to live with the money 25. jurgis tries to get change for his bill, but the bartender only gives him 95 cents back. jurgis attacks him and is put in jail again for 10 day. he meets Jack Duane again and they become partners in crime. prediction:he gets caught and arrested again 27. Jurgis goes back to being a beggar. someone he knows tells him where Marija is now and he goes to see her. he finds out that she has bcome a prostitute and is addicted to morphine. jurgis and Marija go to jail for a night. prediction: he moves in and lives with her but supports her. 28. they both are set free from jail. jurgis goes to a socialism political meeting and really enjoys and is inspired by the speech. prediction:he joins that group and attends all meetings 30. jurgis finds a very good job as a porter in a hotel. he becomes very passionate about socialism. prediction: he later becomes a leader of the socialists. 31. jurgis continues to contribute to the socialist party and is to detail the poor conditions under which meat is packed. socialism continues to change his life for the better. prediction:he lives pretty well for the rest of his life as a socialist.
 * __Chapter Analysis/Prediction__**

Some main technique that the author uses is talking about the meat factories. He gives in depth explanations about the unhealthy, unsanitary workplaces, and the very poor quality, disgusting meat that they make, which is not fit for human consumption. His descriptions in the book caused the president to pass the Pure Food Act and the Drug Act of 1906. He also uncovers the evil of capitalism and the positive effect socialism can have on society. Another thing he uncovers is that the American Dream does not exist. Immigrants who dream of coming to America and becoming rich need to realize that in reality, it's just as hard to find a job in America as their old country. It really lets the reader know what life was like in America during that time and how tough times were. One last thing he uncovers is the fact that living in big cities during that time was like living in a vicious Jungle.
 * __Connection to Muckraking Theme__**