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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is the family focused on in their life right now?

2. What does Jurgis do when there is a strike at his yard?

3. Why is Jurgis in prison?

4. How much further does Jurgis have to walk to get to the boarding house?

5. What are men all over joining in order to change their lives?

Short Essay Questions

1. After the family is evicted, where do they go to live?

2. Where does Jurgis next get a job at, that turns out to be a good position?

3. Is Jurgis successful in getting the rest of the family converted to socialism?

4. What does Jurgis learn about his family when he asks around?

5. What is the stroke of luck that Jurgis happens upon?

6. What is the senator talking about as Jurgis overhears a political meeting?

7. How is the midwife described to the reader?

8. When Jurgis gets out of the hospital, what does he do?

9. Where does the drunk young man take Jurgis?

10. What is the impassioned speech actually talking about in this chapter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrator of the story is Sinclair himself, which gives the story a different tone than most other novels. That said, how do you think Sinclair's narration has affected the story? What does this story say about Sinclair? Do you think the story could have been told more truthfully by Jurgis? What would have happened if the story had been told from the meat packer manager's point of view?

Essay Topic 2

Sinclair is also quick to point out how horrible the system of capitalism really is. In what ways does capitalism not work for the characters in the story? Are there any benefits to the capitalist way? How does Jurgis specifically become hurt by the capitalist system? Do you think Sinclair is right? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The idea of the union seems to be a good one for the workers, but does it ever help the workers? How? Why do you think the union fails in some of their efforts? Why do you think Jurgis ignores the call to strike? In today's world, unions seem to do more good, but do you think they are helpful to workers? Why or why not? In what ways can they harm the working environment?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 611 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample