CHAPTER 5
1. Describe the reality of this statement: “the zeal of the people, to see that his health and happiness were provided for.” (57)
2. What is the purpose of advertising today? How does it compare to the advertisements described on pages 57 and 58?
3. The family is learning about credit in America. Explain the system and how it compares to the process of making large
purchases in our country today.
4. How does Jurgis feel about his job? How does it compare to how the other men feel about their work?
5. How are unions explained to Jurgis? What is his perception of the unions?
6. Why is Antanas having difficulty getting a job?
7. Describe graft.
8. How does Tamoszius explain the pecking order of the industry to Jurgis?
9. How well is a good work ethic rewarded at the packing plants? How are the strong, hard-working employees treated?
10. What transformation is taking place in the family as they work and witness events around them? How is their “faith in
America” slowly being shattered?
9. How well is a good work ethic rewarded at the packing plants? How are the strong, hard-working employees treated?
ReplyDeleteThey are treated like dirt. The way they are rewarded? What reward? They are used and when the company is done with them they are tossed to the curb like they don't even matter as a human being. Some times when I read this I think of those big companies who needed a bail out and then turn around and fire loads of people. What good does that do? What good does it do for the people to know that this is how they will be treated? Their is going to be no loyalty among people.
2. What is the purpose of advertising today? How does it compare to the advertisements described on pages 57 and 58?
ReplyDeleteAdvertising´s aim is to convince the customer to buy a certain product no matter what. Advertising can sometimes even fool the buyer into buying a product because advertisers are always one-step ahead of the customers. Advertising in the text is deceiving because they are trying to sell you of what you think is a fantastic deal, but is not as fantastic as you think. They are taking advantage of an individual’s innocence.
5. How are unions explained to Jurgis? What is his perception of the unions?
ReplyDeleteThe unions are explained that they are a band of men fighting together for their rights. In explaining the rights, the other workers became mad at Jurgis and thought of him as a fool. As a man was trying to explain this and sign him up Jurgis did not want to part with his money while the worker became even more upset and lost his temper. Jurgis believed if he could do the work then everyone else should be able to also.
6. Why is Antanas having difficulty getting a job?
ReplyDeleteAs time progresses, jobs are harder and harder to find because of constant economic crisis. The most capable person out there is the one who will get the job, depending of the type of work. Employers look at physical or mental abilities and sometimes both. Antanas is at an age where his age works against him, employers seem to prefer energetic young men than experienced old men. The stereotype against older people is sometimes not fair.
9. How well is a good work ethic rewarded at the packing plants? How are the strong, hard-working employees treated?
ReplyDeleteJurgis works at a place where physical condition is vital for securing your place at the plant. Employees work very hard and sometimes their stamina is low therefore their work pace is lowered. The owners of the plant do not care about their employees and will replace them in order to gain a consent work pace. The employees, who cannot do the work and be consistent, are fired and replaced with another man who is willing to do the job.
10. What transformation is taking place in the family as they work and witness events around them? How is their “faith in America” slowly being shattered?
ReplyDeleteJurgis’ motivation begins to shatter because things are not working out the way he thought they would. Jurgis starts to see the things that people had told him when they first arrived were true. He realizes that America is not the perfect place he thought it was .The place he lives now is the real America and he has to deal with this now.
I think this is a pivotal chapter--where Jurgis' "pollyanna" notion that America is wonderful and all he has to do is work harder slowly starts to change. At the very beginning,he is amazed that they use all the animal--"how industrious, how resourceful"--and now he realizes "how filthy and how disgusting."
Delete4. Jurgis loves his job for the fact of having a job while others are miserable and hate everything, and i can't stress HATE enough for the others. I think they secretly laugh at Jurgis for his newness and how young he is in the business.
ReplyDelete3. The family is learning about credit in America. Explain the system and how it compares to the process of making large
ReplyDeletepurchases in our country today. If you can’t afford it now, buy it anyway and pay it back later! That is what they are learning about credit in America, however the accruing interest factor is not yet explained to them and they are unaware of the hidden fees. This compares greatly to American making purchases today because society will “buy now and pay later” but be unaware of the repercussions of accruing interest If they fail to pay in the allotted time.
4. How does Jurgis feel about his job? How does it compare to how the other men feel about their work? Jurgis is prideful in his work and is at first thankful even that this type of work takes all of his might as usually he is bored during work. He was amazed at the power and speed that the packing house was ran and mostly in awe of how it all worked, proud to be part of it. The other workers hate their jobs as they have been hardened by their work realizing the toll on their bodies, how they are immediately replaceable, the likelihood of getting hurt and losing their job, and finally that they are used and later thrown away.
5. How are unions explained to Jurgis? What is his perception of the unions? Jurgis considers Unions to be a nuisance and cannot understand why the men would want to slow down the pace other than that they are lazy and do not want to work hard. He does not understand the brevity of the pace and how it places the men in danger from injury to themselves and the eventual wearing out of their bodies.
6. Why is Antanas having difficulty getting a job? Antanas is unable to find a job because of his age, he is considered unusable and weak. He is in the midst of younger stronger unemployed men and they will be chosen over him because they are able to work harder and faster. Age discrimination.