1. What is Elzbieta’s attitude toward Socialism? Do you think her attitude or Jurgis’s is more representative of many of their
class? Explain.
2. What is Jurgis’s experience with his new job?
3. According to one orator, what is the process of economic evolution? How can this apply to the novel as a whole?
4. How has Jurgis changed since his days of working in the meat packing industry?
1. What is Elzbieta’s attitude toward Socialism? Do you think her attitude or Jurgis’s is more representative of many of their
ReplyDeleteclass? Explain. Elzbieta has also been hardened by the severe capitalist structure in Packingtown and does not see how Socialism could be at all possible as it would cause an uprising against the bosses and that will only lead to a family starving. She is thankful to just scrape by as Marija’s income is the most reliable since they were all employed at the meat packing plants. The majority of their class would agree with Elzbieta’s attitude toward Socialism because they too do not see how an uprising is at all possible with how crooked the entirety of Packingtown has become. Many are just trying to survive and would not want to jeopardize their jobs.
2. What is Jurgis’s experience with his new job? Jurgis finally has a steady job with decent pay, he is treated as a human being should and he becomes enlightened and educated in the process. He is finally in a positive environment where he can dream again, this time of something greater than he had ever envisioned possible. He is not only learning about the Socialist Party but also dedicating himself to become a better reader and more knowledgeable citizen. He is no longer acting as a criminal or “hoboing” it, so he feels better about himself and his prospect in life.
4. How has Jurgis changed since his days of working in the meat packing industry? He has changed entirely, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Jurgis has lived through starvation, poverty, cold, and desolate conditions. He is aware of the majority of life’s hardships from being impoverished to the death of his family. He begins thinking for himself and seeing through the guise of others, as a means to protect himself of their ploys and desire to take advantage of him as most did in Packinigtown. He is profoundly aware of the majority of the corruption within Packingtown realizing he and his family never really ever stood a chance. His heart has been forever changed as he experiences anguish over losing his family and during his days of “hoboing” it he loses himself as well, by deserting his family and becoming a criminal.
1. What is Elzbieta’s attitude toward Socialism? Do you think her attitude or Jurgis’s is more representative of many of their class? Explain.
ReplyDeleteJurgis visits with Elzbieta about socialism. She is happy to hear that he wishes to work and help support the family so; she agrees to attend socialist political meetings with him, but is unmoved about the situation. She is not interested in his politics but still tolerates him. Elzbieta only shows enough concern if Jurgis will bring home some money. Jurgis takes up the socialist cause and reads the newspaper to learn all about the political and economic systems of power in America. Jurgis is disappointed and frustrated when he cannot sway people to socialism. Socialism then becomes the basis of Jurgis' existence.
2. What is Jurgis’s experience with his new job?
ReplyDeleteHe loves it so much better. His boss treats him as an equal, he has a hard job but not a dangeres job, he is being educated while working, he speak his mind, he can think on what he either heard or read about the socialist movement, and he can still help take care of the family and be with them. I think that this new job helps him really find hisself respect again after so long being seen as a tool to be used and then tossed when no longer usable to them, the people he works with and for treat him as a human, that means a lot to him.
I was so glad to see that Jurgis could be happy and how he can speak of his past and openly. He can car for the family and try to put his life together.
Delete3. Life was a struggle for existence, and the strong overcame the weak, and in turn were overcome by the strongest. Those who lost in the struggle were generally exterminated; but now and then they had been known to save themselves by combination—which was a new and higher kind of strength. It was so that the gregarious animals had overcome the predaceous; it was so, in human history, that the people had mastered the kings. The workers were simply the citizens of industry, and the Socialist movement was the expression of their will to survive. The inevitability of the revolution depended upon this fact, that they had no choice but to unite or be exterminated; this fact, grim and inexorable, depended upon no human will, it was the law of the economic process
ReplyDelete