1. What happens in chapter one? Describe the atmosphere and mood in this chapter.
2. What glimpses of poverty and desperation do we get in this chapter?
3. Who do you think will be the protagonists in this book?
4. What do you think of Jurgis’s maxim, “I will work harder”? Do you think this is a good solution?
2. What glimpses of poverty and desperation do we get in this chapter?
ReplyDeleteYou do get into the head of the bride during the wedding that she has been worrying about the bills and talking about how people cheat them for what little they have. You also have them talking about the tradition of how people put money in the hat to help pay for the wedding and people were trying to skate out of helping fit the bill. You also have the small bit talking about how she was trying to get out of work the day after her wedding but can't, and she can't afford to not show up the next day.
1. What happens in chapter one? Describe the atmosphere and mood in this chapter.
ReplyDelete2. What glimpses of poverty and desperation do we get in this chapter?
3. Who do you think will be the protagonists in this book?
4. What do you think of Jurgis’s maxim, “I will work harder”? Do you think this is a good solution?
The wedding between Ona and Jurgis is taking place and the background of Lithuanian culture is being presented to the reader. The mood of the chapter is an anxious one, the preparation and expense of the wedding and ceremony there after is stressful for the family members, especially Marija.
The glimpse of desperation and poverty is evident in the description of the vast expenses compared to wages for the majority of those who either attend or are part of the wedding itself. The inability for Ona or Jurgis to take a holiday after their own wedding for fear of losing their jobs as well as the cost of the party compared to a years wage for most of the guests proves the level of poverty and desperation.
The protagonists appear to be Jurgis, Ona, and Teta Elzbieta.
Jurgis’s desire to work harder as an answer for all their problems is all he has ever known as a means to improve in life. If he needed more money he would work harder and longer hours in Lithuania so it should be the answer in America as well. He is convinced that America is honest and he has ample opportunity to prove himself as an excellent worker and be rewarded monetarily. This solution is considerably flawed because the industry of America during that time was significantly unfair and hard work did not guarantee job security or monetary reward.
4. What do you think of Jurgis’s maxim, “I will work harder”? Do you think this is a good solution?
DeleteHas any of you read George Orwell's Animal Farm? The big bull says that all the time. I wonder if this was on purpose--Orwell was paying tribute to Sinclair?? Thoughts?
wrong on my part, Boxer was a HORSE (not a bull)--sorry. They send him away to the glue factory at the end and buy whiskey with the money. Damn pigs.
DeleteFrom Wikipedia:
ReplyDeleteHe has been described as "faithful and strong";[1] he believes any problem can be solved if he works harder.[2] His constant slogan, "I will work harder", may be a reference to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, in which Jurgis, an overworked and mistreated worker, has the same slogan.
and we all know wikipedia isn't ever wrong!
1. What happens in chapter one? Describe the atmosphere and mood in this chapter.
DeleteI love the party description--at the beginning at least. Very "Irishy" to me :-)
1. What happens in chapter one? Describe the atmosphere and mood in this chapter.
ReplyDeleteThe story begins with the celebration of the wedding of Jurgis and Ona. The wedding takes place in Chicago and the people involved in the wedding are Lithuanian. The author tells the reader a little bit about the traditions of a Lithuanian wedding. A wedding seems to contain happiness therefore this is the mood that is present, but will change to gloom because of finances. Everyone ate delicious food and had alcohol for the night, which leaves many drunk. Everyone in the slums of Packingtown is invited, and they are supposed to pay tribute to the family.
2. What glimpses of poverty and desperation do we get in this chapter?In the middle of the festivities, a crisis occurs when the family cannot raise the money needed to pay for the wedding. This results in increased hardships and a darker mood for the family. The subject is now poverty as the majority of the people who attended the wedding were poor.
3. Who do you think will be the protagonists in this book?
I looked up the word protagonists and this is defined as the main character in literary work. The characters Jurgis and Ona will be the protagonists based on their relationship and how together they meet the challenge of being a poor immigrant in America.
4. What do you think of Jurgis’s maxim, “I will work harder”? Do you think this is a good solution?
Jurgis’ “I will work harder” is that he will do what needs to be done in the honor of his marriage in America. Jurgis is positive and sure that if he works hard he will earn every penny. In earning every penny, he feels he is gaining respect with Ona. It is a good solution because it is honest and builds character of a person.
What happens in chapter one- well it starts as this happy affair that nothing wrong could ever happen, the happy couple are shy the festivities are grand people are being invited off of the street but the people are dirty and don't pay anything and they start to see the truths of American life and how the old times in teh forests are not right for America.
ReplyDelete2. people not paying their share
4 i will work harder is not always good but for Jurgis he has no other choice, it is his way of moving up.