Summary:
Essay describes the work entitled "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair.
During the early 1900s, big cities like Chicago and New York were blooming with new ways of making money, more job opportunities, and filling people's heads with ideas of a better life. This transformation brought many immigrants from many places around the world, mainly from Europe, to the United States. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle shows a great view of how an immigrant has to live, and what they have to do to survive.
The immigrants that came over to United States were mostly of low class, peasants and farmers with hope of finding a better life. Much like Jurgis who left the hardships of his country, Lithuania, to start a family with Ona. Also bringing along his elderly father Dede Antanas, Ona's uncle Jonas, cousin Marija, stepmother Elzbieta and her seven children. After he heard of a fellow Lithuanian who made a great living in Chicago.
Much like most immigrants of the time, rushing to America thinking they would be promised freedom and fortune. Unaware that the living conditions that America has in store for them. As factories where built a large amounts of immigrants will cluster themselves in overcrowded neighborhood known as slums. These places were usually not far from the factories.
The slums where a dark and gloomy place, "Down every side street they could see, it was the same--never a hill and never a hollow, but always the same endless vista of ugly and dirty little wooden buildings" (Sinclair 29). After the immigrants are introduced to their new hometown they are soon introduced to there new home. Houses were usually out of the question for then average immigrant because it was expensive and would leave them with little to no money. So they would have to start small and gain money. "To maximize their meager savings, they took the cheapest housing available--generally badly deteriorated tenements"(The Enduring Vision 612). Jurgis and his family had to live in these tenements and soon found out how crowded they were "There would be an average of half a dozen boarders to each room--sometimes there were thirteen or fourteen to one room. ... Very frequently a lodging house keeper would rent the same beds to double shifts of men." (Sinclair 31-2).
Although these immigrants are moving into and new country to gain a better life, they still keep their culture and shared it with others. "Although their new homes in tenements were crowded, immigrants often congregated elbow-to-elbow in hallways; left apartment doors open to visitors; and joked, sang, and played music to recreate the village intimacy remembered for their homelands"(The Enduring Vision 603). Much like with Jurgis and Ona who tried to make their wedding feast or Veselija the same as if they were still in Lithuania and inviting in whoever may stray by.
This is the complete article, containing 459 words
(approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).
