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The Harsh Reality In The Jungle By Upton Sinclair

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The Harsh Reality Experiencing hardships will change people for the rest of their lives. It is easy to see in Chicago during the time of The Jungle. The people of Packingtown led hard lives; harder than one can imagine. In The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, Jurgis and his family suffer and experience hardships; some of the most traumatic hardships include the poor working conditions, the swindling of immigrants, and the death of family members. The poor working conditions are traumatic for Jurgis, his family, and many others just like them. Throughout the novel, Sinclair describes the working conditions in Packingtown. Going to work every day with such terrible conditions changed Jurgis and his family, and wore them down. It is not only an emotional …show more content…

One of the biggest things that affected Jurgis, his family, and many others, was the death of family members. “He had never dreamed how much he loved Ona, until now that she was gone; until now that he sat here, knowing that on the morrow they would take her away, and that he would never lay eyes upon her again-- never all the days of his life” (160). Not only does the grief of losing someone consume, but also, losing the money they earned is also hard. Being surrounded by sickness, hunger, and exhausting work all the time makes it hard to survive; especially for children and the elderly. “‘Are you sure that he is dead?’ he demanded. ‘Ai! ai!’ she wailed. ‘Yes; we had the doctor.’ Then Jurgis stood a few seconds, wavering. He did not shed a tear. He took one glance more at the blanket with the little form beneath it, and then turned suddenly to the ladder and climbed down again. A silence fell once more in the room as he entered. He went straight to the door, passed out, and started down the street” (176). Sometimes, children or older people would have to work to get money for the family to survive. Working in the terrible conditions would often lead to sickness and injuries. Then, when it was all too much to take, people would die. See Appendix B, a map of child mortality and foreign population in Packingtown. The family would also have to adjust to less money coming in, if that person worked. Lots of the deaths of family members were devastating to the rest of the family because they contributed lots to the income. Their family has to keep moving on and working, without even a day to grief, or take a

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