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The Struggle In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle

Decent Essays

Another immigrant named Jurgis, who also struggled from arduous labor in trying to make ends meet, is discussed by Sinclair in his novel “The Jungle”. A usual day of work for Jurgis at the fertilizer plant he worked at consisted of him becoming what seemed like “a mass of fertilizer from head to feet” (Sinclair 2) which made him appear as “a brown ghost at twilight” who was “the color of the building and of everything in it” (Sinclair 3). Despite the tough working conditions, Jurgis “stuck it out” because even though he had “splitting headaches” and shoveled “blinding clouds of dust,” he knew that being “a fertilizer man for life” would allow for him to help his family financially (Sinclair 3). The fact that Jurgis was so desperate to work …show more content…

The difficulties the worker in the “Child of the Romans” goes through at his job to make ends meet is heavily related to Jurgis’s situation in “The Jungle,” as they both had a hard time trying to get by financially despite the determination they put into their work. From seeing how the worker put in a “ten hours day’s work” (Sandburg 9) but only ate a “dry bread and bologna sandwich” (Sandburg 7) and Jurgis felt like he had to be “a fertilizer man for life” (Sinclair 3) to get by financially, it is clear to see how hardships present at someone’s job may make it difficult for someone to be able to succeed in America, as people like these two laborers could be stuck in a situation in which they are daunted by their work. Hence, even through embodying hard work and determination, the American dream could still be hard for people to obtain, as some hurdles present on the path to success might make it too burdensome for some people to succeed. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman by way of the setting and symbolism present in their stories, illustrated how societal factors such as the subordination of women, have contributed to making it difficult for some people to achieve the American dream. These …show more content…

Mallard, the protagonist in “The Story of an Hour” lost her husband, she began to feel a sense of relief and hope that she would finally be able to have the freedom to do what she wanted. Upon receiving the news of the death, Mrs. Mallard looked outside her house and started to notice a “delicious breath of rain” and multiple “patches of blue sky” that were beginning to “[meet] and [pile] one above” each other” (Chopin 1). While Mrs. Mallard was in her room thinking about the death, she imagined “a long procession of years” that would “belong to her absolutely” and was excited to begin living this new era of her life (Chopin 3). It is evident how the setting Chopin uses in this story goes along with the feelings of Mrs. Mallard, as the setting outside is depicted as wonderful and hopeful with “patches of blue sky,” which ultimately goes along with Mrs. Mallard’s hope she felt in the future without a husband (Chopin 1). The fact that Mrs. Mallard felt a sense of hope and joy in response to her husband’s death demonstrates how women did not even feel like they would have the opportunity to succeed at their ambitions unless they were without the influence of

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