The Jungle: Please type reading journal entry #6 here. Then comment on two other entries. Remember to include your quote and write a full paragraph of thoughtful HOHAM commentary in order to earn full credit.

10/30/2013

Justin Walker

10/30/2013 09:24:22 am

“The little fellow was now really the one delight that Jurgis had in the world- his one hope, his one victory. Thank God, he was a boy! And he was tough as a pine knot, and with the appetite of a wolf. Nothing had hurt him, and nothing could hurt him; he had come through all the suffering and deprivation unscathed- only shriller-voiced and more determined in his grip on life.”

This quote best represents unlimited potential, for Antanas is the living incarnation of Jurgis’s hope for the future. Without his son, Antanas, he would likely have turned to vagrancy and alcohol with no determination for proper work. When he gets his job at the steel mill, he understands his purpose and always longs to meet his son at the end of the week. With Antanas being the light at the end of the tunnel, Jurgis wants to make a brighter future for his son. His physical characteristics of being rather hardy to misfortune and able to continue moving is akin to Jurgis’s wild determination to succeed in this hostile world. Hopefully, Antanas does not perish in a watery demise, but with the current direction of The Jungle’s plot, it seems nearly guaranteed. Jurgis is not allowed to have nice things.

Sophia C.

10/30/2013 11:59:16 am

I agree with your last line especially, that Jurgis isn't allowed to have nice things, or rather, not allowed to keep them. Like with Antanas he is allowed to have him, but only for a time. This just makes the fact that he doesn't get to keep him (that he dies) all the worse. I mean, isn't it better for those around you to never be born than to die young and horribly? I certainly think it would be.

Katie

10/30/2013 12:01:34 pm

Thats a really cool view on the matter that I didn't see before. I can tell you put a lot of thought into this.

Sarah Hardin

10/30/2013 12:10:26 pm

I love your metaphor! I definitely see where you're coming from, Antanas' death was not just to make the audience cry. You definitely found the deeper meaning! A+ analysis in my book!:)

Cole Sargent

10/30/2013 12:16:21 pm

Great analysis. I also worry about Jurgis' (jerr-gess hue) future because pretty much everything seems to go wrong with him and the people around him... But, I agree, without little Antanas, Jurgis would probably be out on the streets without a care in the world anymore.

Brianna Barboza

10/30/2013 12:50:26 pm

I agree with Sophia on this. It does seem that Jurgis hasn't lost everyone he loves...yet that is. As of far, these unfortunate events perhaps are foreshadowing what's to greet him in future chapters.

Sarah Olson

10/30/2013 01:27:40 pm

I thought Supposition was an excellent HOHAM to choose. Nice analysis.

Sabrina

10/31/2013 04:18:52 pm

Nice quote choice! I enjoyed your analogy of Antanas being like the light the Jurgis strives towards. Great connection with the HOHAM unlimited potential.

Anthony Williams

10/30/2013 10:42:37 am

“Finally, he got up and walked on again. It was about sunset, and he went on and on until it was dark, when he was stopped by a railroad crossing. The gates were down, and a long train of freight cars was thundering by. He stood and watched it; and all at once a wild impulse seized him.”

Self-Advocacy: I chose this quote because I see Self-Advocacy in it in the sense that Jurgis had made his decision. After all he had been through, Jurgis had advocated for himself by removing himself from the situation that he was in. Although he did leave his family, Jurgis saw that there was no other choice to make to survive. Because he advocated for himself, he had begun to lead a noticeably better life than what he was dealing with when he had made that choice, even at the cost of his own family.

Xochitl Aguinaga

10/30/2013 11:33:03 am

It's interesting to read everyone's different opinions on the blog. In this instance I saw Jurgis' actions as selfish, but you were able to interpret it as self-advocacy.

Carly

10/30/2013 12:30:32 pm

I agree that this was a statement of self-advocacy, because Jurgis took his situation into his own hands. However, I do also believe that it was selfish of him, and disrespectful to the memory of his wife and child to abandon the rest of the family on a whim.

Jessica Pollock

10/30/2013 04:14:07 pm

I feel like when he left his family he was being selfish but I can see where you are coming from. Maybe he felt like they would do better without him and he should just get out of there.

Malia M.

10/30/2013 04:18:07 pm

I can understand seeing that Jurgis' actions were self-advocacy but I think he was being selfish. If he were truly self advocating I think he would protect what is most important to him, his family.

Tyler Felix

10/30/2013 10:56:22 am

"Three doors away was a saloon. "Whisky," he said, as he entered, and as the man pushed him some, he tore at the rag with his teeth and pulled out half a dollar. "How much is the bottle?" he said. "I want to get drunk."

HOHAM: Connection. At one point in everyone's lives, a loved one will pass away. For Jurgis, it was his wife, Ona, and his baby. After Jurgis discovered this, he became depressed, and took out his depression on alcohol. He had nothing left but Atanas, who was his only hope. I can relate to how Jurgis is feeling, because one of my best friends passed away last year, and I felt sick to my stomach for weeks. I didn't know what to do with myself, I couldn't concentrate in school, and I couldn't sleep. But I don't think the cure for depression is alcohol. I believe that Jurgis shouldn't waste his money on alcohol, just because he's depressed. Jurgis needs to find a job, forget the past, and hope for the best. Maybe Jurgis can now focus on making his son, Atanas, have a better future, so he has something to be happy and proud about.

Xochitl Aguinaga

10/30/2013 11:38:46 am

I like the deep personal connection you made to the reading, you put yourself in Jurgis's shoes and rationalized what you would have done in his situation.

Andrew Ledezma

10/30/2013 12:18:25 pm

I like the emotion that your analysis brings forth. Many of the characters because of the broken connections. Awesome paragraph!

Brianna Barboza

10/30/2013 12:47:42 pm

I actually chose a similar quote to yours and it was interesting reading your personal connection. I'm terribly sorry for your loss and it must've been difficult for you to go through. But back onto your analysis, your thoughts on what Jurgis's decisions should be are intriguing. I have mixed opinions about the choices he's making but it's good to see another reader's point of view. :)

Max Klein

10/30/2013 02:36:22 pm

I really like how you connected on a personal level, I was thinking about choosing a quote similar to this because I have a similar connection.

Malia M

10/30/2013 03:20:50 pm

Great post and personal connection! I agree that people can't just move on and get over grief. They need something to move on to and refocus their positive energy on.

Jessica Pollock

10/30/2013 04:16:28 pm

I like how you made a deep, personal connection to this quote. I think you advice to Jurgis to focus on his son is a good way to get his mind off of everything and have something he is proud of. Other than this what else do you think is a good idea to get rid of depression?

Lance S.

10/30/2013 11:23:29 am

"and she was gone forever, she was dead! He could have screamed aloud with horror and despair of it; a sweat of agony beaded his forehead, yet he dared not make a sound-he scarcely dared to breathe, because of his shame and loathing of himself." Ch. 20

Self Advocacy: I felt awful after the fate of Jurgis's wife, Ona. It was horrible, and I feel that it shouldn't have even happened. I would react the same way too if I were to lose a loved one, but I would fight for her as hard as I could. It wasn't fair how he lost her, and it wasn't right that he couldn't saved her in time! I would be willing to take revenge on the people who did this to me not in a violent way, but in a way that hurts them. Like in the count of monte cristo, where Dante ruins the fame of the ones who imprisoned him. I would try that, and stand up against the factories, I hope that he makes that decision.

Sophia C.

10/30/2013 12:02:15 pm

I love how instead of saying how jurgis is being a self advocate, you say you would be and you hope he chooses to be one. That, to me, makes your analysis more powerful and interesting!

Sophia C.

10/30/2013 11:55:48 am

"One more bandage had been torn from his eyes, one more pitfall was revealed to him!"

The HOHAM I chose for this passage was Perspective as he is talking about how the more he learns the more his perspective changes and he grows more disgusted with the society surrounding him. I found this quote really powerful as I find myself picturing Jurgis covered in bandages and slowly as they are peeled off of him, he understands and sees what is going on around him. The more the bandages are taken away, the more freedom he has to move, to have his own opinion, and to express it, to fight the cruelty. I can also picture this as Jurgis surrounding by a world covered in sloppily applied bandages and as they fall off, as the gaps between them widen, the trash, the waste, the disease, the stink, the corruption, the mold, the hate, and all the other faults with the crumbling place are revealed. I can imagine Jurgis' face being slowly taken over by horror and dread as he realizes just how corrupt and terrible the city he is living in is.

Gage Gamboa

10/30/2013 01:13:52 pm

Great post! Your descriptive and imaginative analysis of the quote is wonderful. Very nice word choice.

Sarah Hardin

10/30/2013 12:05:23 pm

"So he went on, tearing up all the flowers from the garden of his soul, and setting his heel upon them."

HOHAM: Significance

Every decision Jurgis has ever made in this book was in the best interest of his family. Family is the absolute most important thing for Jurgis. It was painful enough to lose the love of his live and the child he never got to meet, now he has lost Antanas, the only family he had left. We notice a lot of moments of impact in this book, and with every moment of impact seems to be a turning point, but no.

At this point, I don't know what could go right at all.

Of all of the impactful moments of this book, this is the one that hit me the hardest. Jurgis has lost so much and learned so much about life, and at this point, I think I speak for all of us when I say I want things to finally get better for him, gosh dangit!!

I guess the point of this book was to point out that most people in this time period didn't get a happy ending, but honestly I just really want to give Jurgis a hug.

I think this moment is much more impactful due to the fact that Jurgis doesn't even cry. He becomes numb. He's given up on trying to fix anything. He doesn't want to work anymore because he has no family to work for.

If anything, I think this moment defines Jurgis. It shows that everything he's ever done was for his family. Now that his family is gone, he doesn't want to do anything for himself. (Except maybe drink) I think this shows tragic selflessness.

What is a family man like Jurgis to do without a family? What is a hard-working, committed father going to do without little Antanas?

(Also, is it bad that this part of the book actually made me cry?)

Cole Sargent

10/30/2013 12:14:02 pm

Great analysis. Also, I'm pretty sure anyone who didn't cry when Ona died is heartless.

Sarah Olson

10/30/2013 01:28:20 pm

This was a great analysis. You really poured your feelings about the book into it. Good job :)

Abby Thompson

10/30/2013 02:50:26 pm

I really liked the quote you chose! Really sad part of the book =( Good analysis too!

Shannon Carlson

10/30/2013 03:04:43 pm

I loved that you picked this quote and really explained what you felt. And I liked that you posed a question.

Cole Sargent

10/30/2013 12:11:09 pm

“He stretched out his arms to her, he called her in wild despair; a fearful yearning surged up in him, hunger for her that was agony, desire that was a new being born within him, tearing his heartstrings, torturing him. But it was all in vain—she faded from him, she slipped back and was gone,” (Sinclair 205). I connected supposition to this quote, because Jurgis never really realized how much he loved Ona until she was truly and utterly gone. Working at the yards day in and day out, he had turned his focus from his family and friends, the work consuming him and making him forget why he worked in the first place. I think that if he took the time to stop and realize just how much he loved his family, he would have saved up a bunch of money and escaped the wretched town of Chicago with her, instead of by himself, and be able to work average hours while at the same time being able to support his family. He would have saved himself from alcoholism, his children suffering, his wife being raped, and he himself being broken by the meat-packing industry.

Andrew Ledezma

10/30/2013 12:16:58 pm

I think that the connection HOHAM is more than skin deep. I like how you analyzed the emotions and longings of the characters in the book. I think that the downward spiral brings the entire family crashing down once the family connections are broken. Great work!

Sarah Hardin

10/30/2013 12:31:33 pm

Wonderful analysis! You definitely brought all of the contributing factors' to Jurgis' internal demise to light. (honestly this book is so distressing, ahhh.)

Carly

10/30/2013 12:34:43 pm

Intersting theory, that if he focused on his family again they would have made it. I comepletely agree that their situation might be very different if he had handled things better, and that he is definitely suffering with "You don't know what you've got, 'til its gone."

Gage Gamboa

10/30/2013 01:11:00 pm

Very nice post! There are lots of interesting ideas presented. I think that your point of Jurgis not realizing his love for Ona until her passing (and the sentences that followed it) was valid and very thought provoking.

Andrew Ledezma

10/30/2013 12:14:45 pm

“What a hellish mockery it was, anyway, that a man should slave to make harvesting machines for the country, only to be turned out to starve for doing his duty too well!”

Connection: In this grave passage, Jurgis speaks about the irony of the American business. Jurgis is pointing out that even if he works too well, he is still turned out into the streets. Everything seemed to be looking up until he got turned out of his seemingly unorthodox working environment. The text to text connection is that it doesn’t matter whether Jurgis works hard or does not, and it doesn’t matter how moral the company that hired him is. He still gets send back out into the streets to become poor and continue to beg for money. Another text to text connectionis that Jurgis always wondered how people could end up on the street in such a “bountiful” place, but he soon realizes that the system that hes in leaves no other option.

Erik Salazar

10/30/2013 12:45:47 pm

I think it is a very significant moment in the book when Jurgis discovers that the grass is not really greener on the other side. He acknowledges that life is not what he believed it to be in the states.

Salina

10/30/2013 02:00:11 pm

I like how you talk about no matter what he will loose his job, how this is how it is, and how its not what Jurgis first thought. I feel the same way with what you said.

Hayes Sherr

10/30/2013 05:42:41 pm

I agree much with this quote and analysis because it does show how Jurgis isn't getting treated any better if he were to work hard then to work slow.

Hank Sherr

10/30/2013 06:18:21 pm

Yep, you can work everyday of your life, give it 100% every time and when you need your job back they'll just say leave we don't need you anymore. I wonder how bad it could get here in America?

Katie C

10/30/2013 12:15:59 pm

“Yes, he said, he would try, for the sake of Antanas. He would give the little fellow his chance—would get to work at once, yes, tomorrow”

Connection:
With this I saw a connection to many other characters in different books and even with humanity itself. A man will do anything for his child, even continuing to hope, he will go to the ends of the earth to protect those he loves. This particular part of the story is incredibly powerful because Jurgis just lost everything save for his son and the very thought of letting his son die is enough to give him the strength to go on. This is a theme that has run through many stories throughout history, the man living or dying for the sake of his child.

Erik Salazar

10/30/2013 12:41:31 pm

I like the connection of a fathers love to other books. How far do you think Jurgis will go to protect his son?

Meilani

10/30/2013 01:19:58 pm

I like that you connect a parent's love for their child, I think its something that a lot of people can connect to.

Hank Sherr

10/30/2013 06:20:29 pm

It's amazing how he can still go on after what he is going through in the chapter.

Carly

10/30/2013 12:28:02 pm

"It was a working-man's home, and the owner was a Slav like himself, a new emigrant from White Russia; he bade Jurgis welcome in his home language, and told him to come to the kitchen-fire and dry himself."

Connection: While reading most of Chapter 22, I was amazed at the hospitality some of the people showed Jurgis. He was a wandering homeless man, yet many people allowed him into their homes and to sit at their dinner tables. Reading this was a bit strange for me, because in modern-day America, we never do that for strangers. If a homeless man came up to me and asked to have some food and shelter for the night, I would automatically say no. I have heard that in other countries, people are more welcoming, and I find it amazing that people can be so friendly and selfless as to do that for other people. Not only that, but they seem to expect the bets from their guest, while I would be paranoid even after they left. I guess our society teaches us to be cautious about people like that, and while I can see the good in being cautious, I also see beauty in the way that these jump to help a stranger.

Crystal

10/30/2013 12:52:08 pm

You made an extremely good connection and I agree with your view points on the differences in acceptance.

Ysabella Dawson

10/30/2013 02:37:23 pm

I think that you prove a very good point here, about the levels of kindness towards strangers between then and today. I certainly would not welcome some random stranger into my house and give them dinner, even if they said they'd give me some money. In society today I guess we're trained to be overly paranoid and avoid beggars and the homeless. I remember in Oregon when a strange hobo slunk out of the darkness and asked my group for socks, we all just murmured "no" and walked in the other direction. It's actually kind of sad to think about how our society has been conditioned to be like that.

Justin Walker

10/30/2013 05:00:40 pm

Excellent connection! The points made in this post were well crafted.

Brianna Barboza

10/30/2013 12:44:11 pm

"How much is the bottle?" he said. "I want to get drunk."

HOHAM - Connection: When Ona passed away, Jurgis was bound to be devastated and even though alcohol wasn't the best solution, could you really blame the guy? Going back on all that's happened since he left Russia with Ona, having difficulty with jobs, hearing about his poor wife being raped by the very man he nearly kills, ends up in jail, and now this? If I were in his position, I would do the same thing. I would want to forget about about the loss of someone I was close with. Being in such an emotional state like Jurgis is won't cause one to think logically. All they want is some comfort, happiness, ability to forget - and unfortunately, alcohol is a very common "solution" for one to use. Another thing, the way Jurgis just bluntly says, "I want to get drunk" goes to show you just by that sentence how broken he is. Your typical drunkard or party animal wouldn't just go up to a bar and say that without a "woohoo" or "hit me" somewhere in their line of dialogue. Even though I haven't been in Jurgis's place, I can still see his point of view from here. I understand why he's making the choices he is.

Crystal

10/30/2013 12:53:36 pm

Tha is a very great connection you made. There was a lot leading up to this point and I think Jurgis felt so weighted down, I think we all wondered when exactly his breaking point would be.

Crystal Delgado

10/30/2013 12:46:52 pm

"Ah what agony is that, what despair, when the tomb of memory is rent open and the ghosts of his old life comes forth to scourge him!"

Perspective: Yes, I completely get that Jurgis is in mourning for his child and his wife. I understand the pain of losing loved ones in such a short time span. I understand the feeling when you think the world has turned it's back on you and nothing is fair anymore and you don't know how you ever thought it was in the first place. Jurgis losing his unborn child and Ona in the same moment was quite possibly a blow that some might have never recovered from. Jurgis tried to trek on and the children became the main source of income in the household was a burden that could have broken the backs of those children, but they shouldered it and kept going. When Jurgis lost his child, that seemed to be his breaking point. He felt he couldn't go on and when he left for what seems like for good, farmers turned him away more often than they helped him. When he finally came across a job, he spent his "fortune" on alcohol and women. I do get that everyone has their own way to mourn and that no one should be judged on how they choose to mourn, if they do at all. However, I agree with Jurgis' conscience on this one, his choice wasn't the best he could have made in that situation.

He spent his "fortune" away in one night. I understand he is mourning and doesn't quite have the will he once did, but my perspective is that he needs to understand that he had a life before Ona and his child. He went through life working and on his own and he got through it, sure Ona made it brighter, but now that she is gone, but it is possible to live without her (no matter if it is painfukl or not). It isn't a green light to throw his hands up and make terrible decisions, just because his wife and children are dead, doesn't mean he is. Life goes on and it will eventually get better, but blowing everything you make on women and alcohol won't make it better, you have to work to make it better.

Grady Gumner

10/30/2013 03:14:09 pm

I agree with your point that losing a loved one is an extremely tragic point, however I don't think it is fair to say that if Jurgis had a life before meeting Ona, then he could move on with his life without having the person he loved most. Although turning to alcohol definitely wasn't the right course, he lost the biggest part of his life, and that isn't something that can be moved right past without some assistance (alcohol for Jurgis).

Gage Gamboa

10/30/2013 01:07:22 pm

“That was his answer, and it showed his mood; from now on he was fighting, and the man who hit him would get all that he gave, every time.” Page 223 (Barnes & Noble Classics Edition), a little bit less than halfway through Chapter 22.
Perspective: The quote, and the paragraphs that followed it were evidence of Jurgis’ new outlook on life. His life in Packingtown was one of many woes. Jurgis’ new perspective was one of a stark contrast to the perspective he held in Packingtown. Jurgis would solemnly accept abuse and other mistreatments at the hands of his employers very often back in Packingtown. Jurgis had broken free of all his past anguishes and moved on to a simpler life in the countryside. He was now resilient to mistreatments and confident in himself. I think that Jurgis’ new perspective will have a great influence upon him and shape many different aspects of his life.

Trevin Kraus

10/30/2013 01:15:59 pm

I agree with you 100%. I think that by gaining a new perspective on life and by living in the countryside he can stop and think about what he wants to do long-term in his future.

Sophia Kormanik

10/30/2013 01:07:33 pm

“Elzbieta was glad to have somebody to listen, and she told all their woes-what had happened to Ona, and the jail, and the loss of their home, and Marija’s accident, and how Ona had died, and how Jurgis could not get work. As she listened the pretty young lady’s eyes filled with tears, and in the midst of it she burst into weeping and hid her face on Elizbieta’s shoulder, quite regardless of the fact that the woman had on a dirty old wrapper and that the garret was full of fleas. Poor Elzbeita was ashamed of herself for having told so woeful a tale and the other had to beg and plead with her to get her to go on. The end of it was that the young lady sent them a basket of things to eat, and left a letter that Jurgis was to take to a gentleman who was superintendent in one of the mills of the great steelworkers in South Chicago.”
HOHAM REFLECTION:
I chose integrity for this passage because when I was reading it I was just thinking how sweet that lady was being to Elzbieta and the young lady wanted to hear her story. The young lady was moved by Elzbieta’s story so much she wanted to help her she sent them a basket of food and Jurgis a letter of recommendation. When you think of a wealthy young lady stopping and listening to a lower class person, that wasn’t that common but it goes to show you that it’s not someone’s genes or she didn’t have to stop, it was her good morals and will to want to help Elzbieta.

Trevin Kraus

10/30/2013 01:13:45 pm

I am glad you chose the quote you did. I think we always look at the negative affects of certain events. However, you highlighted a positive aspect of the story. It's important not to forget that despite all the corruption taking place there were still good people.

Meranda Knowles

10/30/2013 01:39:59 pm

I think it's great that instead of concentrating on the overall depressing book, you chose a positive aspect of it and reflected on integrity.

Trevin Kraus

10/30/2013 01:09:40 pm

Quote: "Excepting for that one walk when he left jail, when he was too much worried to notice anything, and for a few times that he had rested in the city parks in the winter time when he was out of work, he had literally never seen a tree! And now he felt like a bird lifted up and borne away upon a gale; he stopped and stared at each new sight of wonder—at a herd of cows, and a meadow full of daisies, at hedgerows set thick with June roses, at little birds singing in the trees."

Significane: Up until this point there has been very little if no relief for Jurgis, finally, he breaks. His wife and children have all died. His job is too far away and he can't be with his family. Jurgis decides to runaway. He hops on a train and arrives in the country. He sees a heard of cows trees, plants all things that were being destroyed and abused in the city. I feel this is significant because since Jurgi's arrival in America he hasn't seen the true American dream. Instead he has seen the corrupt industrial cities. By escaping to the country Jurgis can clear his mind and can gain a new perspective on life. I think Jurgis will start over hear. He has a fresh slate and can finally live in peace.

Trevin Kraus

10/30/2013 01:10:49 pm

*Significance

Meilani

10/30/2013 01:17:36 pm

I agree with you that this had been his breaking point into a better life for him.

Meilani

10/30/2013 01:15:21 pm

"[she]thought of a cynical remark that had been made to her, that she was standing upon the brink of the pit of hell and throwing snowballs to lower the temperature."

Connection: In this quote a rich, 'settlement worker' had come into their homes to hear about their story. She cried when she had heard their struggles and seemed to sympathize with them as she sent them food and Jurgis a job. I think this still happens today, as a lot of people may sympathize with a certain groups of people's struggles. Because of this, people may try to help by donating money or items, but sometimes these things will only temporarily give relief, like the quote states. Many people try and give momentary gratification because a greater sustained condition is harder to give to people in Jurgis's position at the time.

Rachel Maristela

10/30/2013 03:49:39 pm

Great connection! I completely agree with your point. Many people today reach out and helps those who are struggling and not living a good life. But what do you think would happen if the people like today actually did care about Jurgis back then? How do you think it will affect him? Just wondering..

Tess Herzog

10/30/2013 08:49:00 pm

Really great connection. I think it is very true, and the situation is very similar to what still happens today.

Ryan Martinez

10/30/2013 01:19:27 pm

"Only think that he had been a countryman all his life; and for three long years he had never seen a country sight nor heard a country sound!" Chapter 22, pg. 254

I think that I could use two Supposition for this quote. Suppose that he was a business man that was born and raised in America, and later on immigrated to somewhere in Europe. I just wonder how much different that would be. Also I would like to use Perspective, on how it's stated that he had been a countryman all of his life, and he now hasn't seen the country for a long period of time. I think in some factors it's good to be out of your comfort zone, but in this case since this was all that he knew I think that this would be "unhealthy"

Rilind

10/30/2013 01:20:18 pm

"All day long this man would toil thus, his whole being centered upon the purpose of making twenty-three instead of twenty-two and a half cents an hour; and then his product would be reckoned up by the census taker, and jubilant captains of industry would boast of it in their banquet halls, telling how our workers are nearly twice as efficient as those of any other country. If we are the greatest nation the sun ever shone upon, it would seem to be mainly because we have been able to goad our wage-earners to this pitch of frenzy; though there are a few other things that are great among us including our drink-bill, which is a billion and a quarter of dollars a year, and doubling itself every decade"

I feel like this quote really connects with the hoham "self advocacy". Competition fueled americans to labor incredibly hard to get as much money as possible and be successful, all of course for it to eventually get taxed. I think this book also exposes the government a little bit, along with all aspects of the industry. Jurgis, and everyone else in the book want to improve their status, especially economically, so they work an insane amount of hours a day to strive for it. but everyone else in the book it doing it as well, so none of them are really getting anywhere-for any gamers on this page, it really reminds me of when a new call of duty game comes out-everyone sits there all day and trys to get better ranked when it comes out, and they're all trying just as hard, and no matter how hard they try they won't get too far ahead of anyone-and doing that is about the opposite of what the people in the book are doing. They're trying to make a living by working extremely hard, while us teenagers are sitting playing xbox-that's not the point of the point of the comparison though. When a lot of people want the same thing, it becomes trafficked, slow, and tough to get ahead. This is why america needs so much differential. Many of the concepts in race and membership would have slowed down society so much, and it would have made more of these kinds of things where its just a cluster of an overload of work.

Paris Gramann

10/30/2013 02:03:54 pm

Rilind, you touched on so many great topics! First, I totally agree that this exposed the government. It reminds me of today's occurrences, where you hear about the government taking our tax dollars as bonuses or using our tax dollars in ways that are not beneficial or moral. Also, you made a great connection to today's world -- wonderful!

And holy cow, that last point. So I completely agree with you. With diversity, you have people who specialize. Without specialization, you get average work in a few fields, rather than amazing work that covers a huge array of industries. I liked the wording you used, "Trafficked, slow, and tough to get ahead." I didn't think about this before. It completely makes sense. You have all of these people funneling into one field, but not enough jobs.

Your analysis was great in that you covered many topics, while also going deeper and painting pictures.

Vivian Mason

10/30/2013 02:18:34 pm

Great quote and paragraph! I like that your pushed your self to write more and go into detail. Next time try to focus less on summarizing the story and try harder to stick to a HOHAM. Overall very nice improvement.

Erik Salazar

10/30/2013 01:22:01 pm

"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."

I see this quote as the HOHAM, Evidence. Nothing can come close to the love of a father and his child. After the death of Ona, Jurgis was still driven by the love he had for his son. He read the newspaper with his son and looked forward to the days when he could come home to see him. Then to come home one weekend and discover that the only person he could still love in the world has died. Not from natural causes, but by the negligence of Marija and the bystanders on the street. His son was a part of him, Jurgis brought a life into the world, he loved him more than any of us reading this can fully comprehend. After learning the death of his son, he lost all hope in life. He was so devastated from losing someone he loved so deeply. Jurgis is alone in the world and has no one left to go through it with him.

Rachel Maristela

10/30/2013 03:43:44 pm

I agree with your point. Losing your whole family is really the hardest thing a one would have to go through and its really heartbreaking to see Jurgis in that position. Very depressing part in this book so far.

Jake Little

10/30/2013 04:20:19 pm

I agree, that Jurgis must feel so devastated that emotion couldn't even show how much pain he had. I also think that Jurgis must have felt betrayed by Marija because she knew how much Jurgis loved his son and she should have taken better care for him. Really Good.

Sarah Olson

10/30/2013 01:26:25 pm

"Ah, what agony was that, what despair, when the tomb of memory was rent open and the ghosts of his old life came forth to scourge him! What terror to see what he had been and now could never be - to see Ona and his child and his own dead self stretching out their arms to him, calling him across a bottomless abyss - and to know that they were gone from him forever, and he writhing and suffocating in the mire of his own vileness!"

Although I love to read, few chapters' endings have struck me such as this one did. I connected this because it so adequately captures the feeling all humans can relate to; despair. Jurgis has lost everything. Just when he was appreciating little Antanas, his wonderful son, his hope after losing Ona (the horror of which seeps through the pages as you continue to read), the injustice of losing his son too made me furious. The world beats Jurgis down and down and he's at his bottom, his pit of despair, his dark night of the soul. It's poignant to read about. I'm thoroughly enjoying the book now, but it's painful to watch what Jurgis experiences. I'm anxious to see how he comes out of it - if he can.

Meranda Knowles

10/30/2013 01:36:57 pm

I completely agree with what you are saying about enjoying the book, but its a painful experience to read it. It's one of the most depressing books I've read in a long time.

Ysabella Dawson

10/30/2013 02:26:40 pm

I think that you have a point here, how Jurgis is just pushed farther and farther down into despair and agony as the book progresses, and just when things start to look up, the unthinkable happens and he has to start all over again. It's very depressing to read about.

Alura Polese

10/30/2013 01:27:19 pm

"So he went on, tearing up all the flowers from the garden of his soul, and setting his heel upon them."

Perspective: This was a really strong and tragic moment when Ona loses her young and I saw this as a really powerful quote because it says hes tearing up the flowers from the garden of his should like he is slowly deteriorating, sadly everything has just dropped the ball in Jurgis' life and I really saw the perspective of Jurgis throughout this paragraph.

Paris Gramann

10/30/2013 01:52:53 pm

Wow, this was a beautiful quote. To me, it sounds like he is wanting to ruin all of the good and beautiful things in life -- stomp out all of the beauty. Then he runs from them, leaving them behind in the dust. 'If he has to feel this pain, no one else should be happy.' Kind like, "If I can't have it, you can't have it."

The flowers could also represent the things that have grown in and from his life. The flowers are his children and his accomplishments.. all falling quickly out of his grasp.

Karen

10/30/2013 02:23:32 pm

I agree with Paris, It was a very good quote! Nice choice! I really liked how you really portrayed how Jurgis must've felt in that moment.

Grady Gumner

10/30/2013 03:18:35 pm

I believe that the "flowers from the garden of his soul" could represent everything beautiful and precious in his life. With the death of Ona, he had lost what little things he cherished in the world.

Jake L

10/30/2013 04:14:57 pm

I like how you go really deep and connect with the meaning of the quote and I agree that Jurgis' life is now going to dramatically change after this.

Hayes Sherr

10/30/2013 05:47:43 pm

This brings a really good point. Jurgis doesn't need this in his life especially because he is barely living his own and this shows how strong he truly is.

Meranda Knowles

10/30/2013 01:31:01 pm

"Jurgis took the news in a peculiar way. He turned deadly pale, but he caught himself, and for half a minute stood in the middle of the room, clenching his hands tightly and setting his teeth"

"He gripped his hands and set his teeth together—he had not wept, and he would not—not a tear!"

Connection: Both of these quotes are talking about Antanas's death. I chose both of these quotes because they both have to do with each other, and there are points from both that I can connect to. Quite recently I lost my grandfather. When I first heard the news that I was going to loose my grandpa, I didn't cry like my sister. I honestly was just in shock. I didn't realize that he was gone. I felt that this was what Jurgis was going through at first, when he turned deathly pale. It's more of a shock thing. Next though, at my grandpas funeral, I didn't cry. I was extremely sad, but tears just didn't come. I didn't actually end up crying over him until a couple weeks ago. But my mind frame at the time were very similar with Jurgis's no crying policy; Tears won't solve anything. Tears won't bring him back. Jurgis didn't cry, and he told himself that he wouldn't cry. I think that was an extremely depressing part of the book, but I can connect with Jurgis first reaction to death.

Karye

10/30/2013 04:38:47 pm

It was cool that you put two quotes to reflect with. It was nice to see that you connected them to each other. You took it to a personal level which made it more meaningful.

Jackson Walker

10/30/2013 01:35:26 pm

"When his wife had died, Jurgis made for the nearest saloon, but he did not do that now, though he had his week’s wages in his pocket."
(pg. 176)

Significance, Connection

This quote is a fairly easy one to analyze. It is stated right after Jurgis finds out Antanas has died from drowning in the road in the beginning of chapter twenty two. At this point, Jurgis has lived through the death of his last family member in America (perhaps the world). If there was any time to be stressed or act irrationally, that would have been the time. However, instead of drowning himself in boos as he did with Ona's death, he decides to express his distress in other ways. Instead, he goes and walks and walks, starting an adventure that he travels upon chapter 22. He finds that the adventure is a much better and more rewarding way of releasing his built up tension. He feels free from monotonous toil and hardship. In this way, it is significant because he is started to find himself and his meaning. I also feel as though I connect to this heavily- escaping a world of stress and hardship is a good way to find yourself, and regroup your thoughts.

Karen

10/30/2013 02:19:57 pm

The quote you chose was very relevant, and I loved how you incorporated it into a deeper level with Jurgis.

Jessica

10/30/2013 02:56:40 pm

I love how you vaguely bring up past events to connect them to what is currently happening in the book. It really shows how Jurgis has been changed by America personally in one paragraph which makes this a beautiful and interesting analysis.

Paris Gramann

10/30/2013 01:43:48 pm

"It was the ghost that would not down. It would come upon him in the most unexpected places..." Ch. 22

Perspective/ Significance:

We either take our past as a lesson, or we take it only in tears with regrets. We either choose to let our past be a part of us and accept it, or we hate it with all our being. But you can do all of these things.

Jurgis has had a lot of things happen to him in these last few chapters. He has lost may jobs, his house, and most importantly: his wife and children. His ghost includes all of the bad things that has happened to him in the city. His perspective on life has changed through out the book. He went from, "I will work harder," to stealing and begging. He went from a happy young married boy to a man without a family. He thinks less of the world. He no longer seems to look at it with awe, gleaming at the endless possibilities of the world. He works for no bigger purpose.

This is significant to his life because he has no drive, no purpose for life. Where is he going to go from here? When will his outlook change? What is it going to take for inspiration to snap back into his life? Will he ever change back to that bright-eyed young Jurgis he started out to be?

Salina

10/30/2013 01:56:46 pm

Wonderful writing, you first part is very powerful.

Vivian Mason

10/30/2013 02:16:23 pm

Both your quote and paragraphs are very powerful. I liked how you added questions at the end as if to ponder what will happen next. Next time try to expand more and make connection to either the real world or even your self. Over all great job :)

Jessica

10/30/2013 02:52:47 pm

Your quote is the best out of every quote I've seen in any reading analysis! It is so deep and not only do I love the quote but how you analyzed it! Keep being perfect!

Lisa Valtierra

10/30/2013 05:02:19 pm

I really liked you post! It was great. I especially liked how you start to ask questions and get curious about where the books direction will go next.

Salina

10/30/2013 01:54:45 pm

“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.”-Chapter 22
Integrity: When Jurgis finds that his son has died his world is crushed. Jurgises wife recently died along with the expected baby and now their beloved son. Before when Jurgis lost a loved one he would grieve in the local bar, getting lost in alcohol. This time however is different, Jurgis has no integrity left, no reason to do anything, all of his hope is gone. I personally can relate and others may too, when you loose someone or something that makes your life you feel there is no reason to move forward. Its hard but you have to have integrity and not give up, I hope that Jurgis can pull himself out of his slump and return to the rest of the family, being the hopeful man he once was.

Halee Robinson

10/31/2013 12:41:54 am

I find it interesting that you said Jurgis had no integrity left. I found that he had more integrity with his son's death than with Ona. When Ona died, he went to the saloon to drink away his pain. This time however, he kept his integrity, not shedding a single tear.

Karen

10/30/2013 02:18:21 pm

"He had made a fool of himself, but he could not help it now--all he could do was to see that it did not happen again."

Significance:
Due to capitalism, Jurgis' family is overal destroyed now. In chapter 21 & 22, Jurgis goes through situations that shape his character. Not only has he had financial issues, but his wife has died. I cant imagine any greater pain, but its up to Jurgis to make good use of those situations and learn from them, or let those situations get the best of him. After having gone through all of this, Jurgis gives himself over. Every sense of values and morals that Jurgis had, became a threat to the "American" values. This is all significant to the rest of the book, because it shows the lowest point in Jurgis' life. As well as what he's going to do to improve from there.

Alex Demos

10/30/2013 02:45:51 pm

I agree with what you had to say within the text. Because he had hit the lowest possible point in life, all that was left was either complete failure, or to start something new, which is the role he brought to himself.

Ysabella Dawson

10/30/2013 02:22:43 pm

“Here he sat, and when the train started again, he fought a battle with his soul. He gripped his hands and set his teeth together-he had not wept, and he would not-not a tear! It was past an over, and he was done with it-he would fling it off his shoulders, be free of it, the whole business, that night. It should go like a black, hateful nightmare, and in the morning he would be a new man. And every time that a thought of it assailed him-a tender memory, a trace of a tear-he rose up, cursing with rage, and pounded it down.”
Self-Advocacy: I think that this action on Jurgis' part is the most un-self-advocating decision he could have possibly made. He just lost his only son, who was the light of his life, and the only remaining members of his family are absolutely distraught, and he just backs out and runs away like a selfish coward. Jurgis knew from experience that without him his entire family would slowly wither and starve, yet he only thought of himself as he tried to escape from the reality that he didn't want to face. I think that self-advocacy doesnt mean to just stand up for yourself, but so stand for those you care about as well, which Jurgis clearly did not do. It's like in the Lion King, where Simba tries to escape from his problems by refusing to face them, which only led to the situation getting worse and the slow starvation of his mother and friends. Running away from your problems won't fix them, and Jurgis will probably have to return to Chicago eventually to find what is left of his family.

Vivian Mason

10/30/2013 02:35:58 pm

Quote: "He did not shed a tear."
HOHAM: Connection
Response: This complete section of reading that this quote derives from is when Jurgis sees his dead child, his last connection to his, also dead, wife. This simple six word sentence stuck out to me because of the picture it painted in my head, of Jurgis standing over not only his child but his last connection to the women he made his wife and not shedding a tear. Instead pulling all the anger, sadness and mass of emotions inside himself and clamping it down so as to save himself from being overwhelmed with feelings. I found trouble connecting this to HOHAM in that all of the HOHAM's are asking to look inside you or into the future and for Jurgis he has just locked the door and thrown the key to inside himself and forgotten he has a future to look forward too. I decided to choose connection, in that almost everyone around us has lost someone they knew or someone very close. I personally have lost someone very close. I personally can attest to pulling all those pent up emotions inside and throwing away the key. Because, to loose someone is like loosing a part of yourself, sometimes it seems safer to pull all your emotions inside and go dormant. This is what Jurgis chooses. Yet at some point these emotions must come out, and most likely not in the time, place or way anyone wishes. So how will Jurgis's emotions come crashing out? What will they lead too?

Preston Royal

10/30/2013 02:39:03 pm

“And then, up in the garret, he heard sounds of wailing, in Marija's voice. He started for the ladder—and Aniele seized him by the arm. "No, no!" she exclaimed. "Don't go up there!"
"What is it?" he shouted.
And the old woman answered him weakly: "It's Antanas. He's dead. He was drowned out in the street!” -End of Chapter 21

Significance: I found this part of the book to be significant because it was really a turning point in Jurgis's life. His first born child just drowned in a freakish accident of drowning in mud in the streets. He has lost so much in such a short time period. I think that this was extremely tragic for me to read because I actually liked Antana. I think that this really showed significance because after this event, Jurgis just becomes a raging alcoholic and spends all his money on women and liquor. Overall, this was a crucial part in the book that can't be forgotten.

Adrian Schnepp

10/30/2013 03:29:04 pm

Completely agree. This is the point in the book that something inside Jurgis just snaps. This point when he just can't handle the horrors of Packingtown any more. The story adds a sick twist to the plot by murdering the most innocent and harmless character it contained. I liked the little guy too...

Alex Demos

10/30/2013 02:43:09 pm

"He was fighting for his life; he gnashed his teeth together in his depression. He had been a fool, a fool! He had wasted his life, he had wrecked himself, with his accursed weakness; and now he was done with it -- he would tear it out of him, root and branch!"

HOHAM: Self Advocacy

Jurgis is finally taking his life into his own hands, and doing something for himself for once. Because there isn't really anything left for Jurgis, he decides the best thing for him would be to leave the miserable town he had been staying in. Since all he could think about was to help provide for others and keep others happy, he believed that living in such a place would be the only way to make a living and keep his family thriving. But once his entire family passed away, there wasn't anything left for him. He took the best option there seemed to be; a blank slate. A new start. With this he made his way across the country, in look for small jobs to keep his appetite plentiful for the time being.

Rachel Deaton

10/30/2013 04:13:13 pm

Fantastic post Alex! I completely agree with you on your point. Jurgis began a blank slate. Great way to narrow it down to a few words!

Casper Norrman Rasmussen

10/30/2013 02:47:13 pm

Jurgis went straight to the bar, "i´ve been in jail," he said, "and i just got out. I walked home all the way, and I have not a ken, and had nothing to eat since this morning. and I lost my home, my wife´s ill and i´m done up"

significance:
I find this significant because, Jurgis have now been sitting in prison and had no chance to support his family, and he couldn't do anything than just sit and wait to get out. And the felling he must had of just sitting helpless, and not even have a chance to help, and the the only thing his family could do, was just to live on the limit of their budget.

Abby Thompson

10/30/2013 02:47:16 pm

"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."

"Now he was going to be free, to tear off his shackles, to rise up and fight. ...This was no world for women and children, and the sooner they got out of it the better for them. Whatever Antanas might suffer where he was, He could suffer no more than he would have had he stayed upon earth."

In the past few chapters, Jurgis has lost his job, his baby and wife during childbirth, and his son. I think at this point Jurgis is so "used" to all these terrible events happening to him and his family that he just gives up on trying to make things work in his new home, so he decides to leave and go to the country. I think not only is he trying to escape the city and its terrible state in general, but also escape from the fact that those he loved died terrible deaths and he couldn't do anything to help them, even when they were alive so maybe he's just trying to take a break from it all. I thought integrity was used at this moment because instead of wasting all his money on booze to drown his sorrows, he walked away from his problems in a way and went to find a better way to live for a while.

Jessica Boensch

10/30/2013 02:50:56 pm

"He was taken to the Bessemer furnace, where they made billets of steel. ... He saw three giant caldrons, big enough for all the devils of hell to brew their broth in..."

The HOHAM reflection I chose for this reading analysis was connection. This quote can obviously be connected to what we just finished learning in Humanities about the Industrial Revolution because we briefly discussed Bessemer Process. Bessemer process was a new way to manufacture steel that was quick and "easy", shortening the time frame to make steel from a week to three hours. Jurgis is describing this process from the PERSPECTIVE of a worker in one of these processes and what he sees happening and how he describes it as something evil or diabolical is totally different than what we saw in our notes from class where we got a textbook style introductory to the idea of the Bessemer Process.

Rachel Deaton

10/30/2013 04:10:12 pm

I agree with you Jessica! After I read it I had that moment like hey! You had a really great post. I loved how you made the perfect connection!

Lisa Valtierra

10/30/2013 05:00:35 pm

I agree with Rachel and I liked that you used both connection and perspective to understand the reading better.

Max Klein

10/30/2013 02:56:53 pm

"So he went on, tearing up all the flowers from the garden of his soul, and setting his heel upon them."

Perspective/Supposition: At this point in the book, Jurgis has been hit with a solid wall of tragedy. The worlds cruelty showed him no mercy, taking away his wife, his child, and his father. When his wife and baby passed away, Jurgis went straight to a bar to drown out his sorrow in alcohol, but when Atanas died, Jurgis's attitude changed. Im not sure if this is a good thing or bad, but I do know whatever is happening to him is drastic, and it will be hard for life to get better for Jurgis.

Julz Valencia

10/30/2013 03:33:14 pm

I agree with you, there is a lot of loss and tragedy going on in his life at the moment.

Shannon Carlson

10/30/2013 03:02:21 pm

"He stayed up in the garret, however, and sulked---what was the use of a man's hunting a job when it was taken from him before he had time to learn the work?"

The HOHAM that I picked was connection. What stood out to me was when he say he look for work in stores, offices, in restaurants, and hotels, along the docks in the railroad yards, in mills and in factories where they mades products and they went to every corner of the earth. I connected it to modern day times and the struggle that some people have today of loosing a job and the difficult means to quickly find a new one to support your family, just like Juries tried to do.

Julz Valencia

10/30/2013 03:30:34 pm

I think is a great connection. It is very true that several people in current modern times seem to have difficulties getting and maintaining a job. However I do not think it is quite to the extreme that it is in the book.

Grady Gumner

10/30/2013 03:05:35 pm

Quote: "How much this accident meant to Jurgis he realized only by stages; for he found that the harvester-works were the sort of place to which philanthropists and reformers pointed with pride. It had some thought for its employees... things never expected nor dreamed of by him [Jurgis]- until this new place came to seem a kind of heaven to him." (Sinclair 236)

Perspective: After Jurgis' luck had run out in the packing yards, and he was no longer able to find work in the packing yards, he moved into the city in hopes of finding new work. Once he finally found work by running into an old union friend, he realized the working conditions in the city were astronomically better than in the packing yards. Employees were treated as HUMAN BEINGS instead of inanimate objects as they were back in Packingtown. In modern-day United States, as well as many other countries around the world, cities tend to be dominated by liberal thinkers. People wishing to spread and implement their progressive ideals tend to flock to cities. It is likely no coincidence that Jurgis sees these improved working conditions once he moves into the VERY liberal Chicago. The company for which he worked for used a more socialist approach to paying its employees (many workers were paid according to their productivity rather that solely by the hour). This was without a doubt a presentation of Sinclair's views on how the economy should be run.

Jake Little

10/30/2013 04:12:09 pm

I really like how you connected this scene to modern day. Really good.

Jake Little

10/30/2013 04:23:43 pm

Also I agree that employees should be treated like humans instead of inanimate objects.

Ryan Novak

10/30/2013 03:12:03 pm

" ...he had literally never seen a tree! And now he felt like a bird lifted up and borne away upon a gale; he stopped and stared at each new sight of wonder—at a herd of cows, and a meadow full of daisies, at hedgerows set thick with June roses, at little birds singing in the trees."

I think this quote really represents perspective, especially so the one gained by Jurgis that he hadn't already experienced. It provided something of an escape from the smog choked, filth of Packingtown. Since his arrival in America, his life has been ruled by all things ugly and unforgiving so now that he is in the countryside he can once again see the beauty in life. The chirping of the birds and the gentle swaying of leaves in the wind can really cause someone to reassess their purpose and find joy in the little things in life. I think if anything Jurgis needs this commute because it can give him a respite from all the hardships that face him in the city. His perspective on life is surely bleak at the moment after the death not only of Ona but also his son Antanas. Now Jurgis must once again regain his composure and look towards the future and this temporary escape into the countryside could be the best way for Jurgis to rearrange his head and cope with all the sadness and hardship that life has thrown his way.

Adrian Schnepp

10/30/2013 03:17:14 pm

He can see the beauty again in life, yes, but at the cost of his family literally being torn to bits. Everything he held dear in the world, everything he loved or cared about has been stolen from him by this cruel land. He's once again seeing the beauty in life, yes, because he's stopped caring about life as a whole. People live, and people die, he sees, but nature is eternal. And what is more beautiful than that?

Adrian Schnepp

10/30/2013 03:12:55 pm

"Nothing had hurt him, and nothing could hurt him; he had come through all the suffering and deprivation unscathed--only shriller-voiced and more determined in his grip upon life. He was a terrible child to manage, was Antanas, but his father did not mind that--he would watch him and smile to himself with satisfaction. The more of a fighter he was the better--he would need to fight before he got through."

I think the theme most represented by this quote is that of Self Advocacy. Little Antanas is learning to fight from the day of his birth , learning that nothing will ever come easily in his life. This is a boy born of a now-deceased mother, a boy that grows strong literally eating the scraps left over from society, a boy raised by strangers in a strange land. But his youthful spirit refuses to be diminished, he grows, consumes, laughs, spits in the eye of his would-be oppressors. Antanas represents the ultimate test of humanity versus adversity, a boy given nothing, worth nothing, growing into a promising human being. If that doesn't show Self Advocacy I don't know what does.

Adrian Schnepp

10/30/2013 03:14:26 pm

UNTIL ANTANAS DIES. PLOT TWISSSSSST.

Jordan Garcia

10/30/2013 03:17:17 pm

" She and Marija could care for them somehow, but there was Antanas, his own son. Ona had given Antanas to him--the little fellow was the only remembrance of her that he had; he must treasure it and protect it, he must show himself a man. He knew what Ona would have had him do, what she would ask of him at this moment, if she could speak to him."

Unlimited Potential : Jurgis is going through the worst of times right now and he is the last person who should be going through everything he is currently experiencing. As I look back and think about how loyal Jurgis has been to his loved ones, I know that his potential is off the charts when it comes to taking care of baby Antanas. " he must treasure it and protect it ". For the rest of his life, I feel that his motives will be around what ever he believes Ona would think. I am not sure where he is heading at the moment but I know that he is capable of getting back on top of things.

Jordan Garcia

10/30/2013 03:50:39 pm

I am not sure what is going to happen at this point now that baby Antanas is gone. All these experiences are surely weakening Jurgis but will possibly make him stronger in the future.

Julz Valencia

10/30/2013 03:19:40 pm

"On the contrary, try as he would, Jurgis could not help being made miserable by his conscience. It was the ghost that would not down. It would come upon him in the most unexpected places--sometimes it fairly drove him to drink." Chapter 22

Supposition: I think that Jurgis drinking is more of his own lack of self control. In this situation it seems as if he is blaming it more on his conscience, when really his conscience is just a figment of him and in this quite it sounds like he is saying that its not his fault but his conscience. I think that this particular situation could be different if Jurgis took control over himself. If he stopped trying to blame other things, like his conscience, and just accepted that fact that he has an issue he could take action and try to change the drinking aspect of his life. Under other circumstances if the situation may be different. If Jurgis had a lot of money for example, it would still be bad if he had a drinking problem, however if he at least had a lot of money he wouldn't have to worry so much about buying food, or being denied food because he is a "tramp". If he had a large sum of money, that would mean he has a high paying job, and enough money to dress properly and not appear to be a "tramp" and therefore could buy food, and spend his other money n drinking.

Tess Herzog

10/30/2013 08:47:19 pm

Really great ideas. I think a lot of what you are saying would probably be true.

Chris Bargman

10/30/2013 03:29:15 pm

The HOHAM that I used for this quote is Significance. This is significant becuase Jurgis had finally been able to leave behind the sadness and the poverty that was living in the city and finally think and do things for himself. He was finally able to let go of his lost loved ones and was able to free himself from the burdens that their passing had left upon him. He was finally beginning his new life as a "tramp" and he was doing it for himself, for the first time since he had come to America he had finally become a free man.

Chris Bargman

10/30/2013 03:30:06 pm

"Then, too, his health came back to him, all his lost youthful vigor, his joy and power that he had mourned and forgotten! It came with a sudden rush, bewildering him, startling him; it was as if his dead childhood had come back to him, laughing and calling!"

Trey Lewis

10/30/2013 03:35:16 pm

"And the old woman answered him weakly: "It's Antanas. He's dead. He was drowned out in the street!""
Supposition: I chose this quote because at this point if I were Jurgis I wouldn't know what to do. He has nothing left in life that can look for the positive in. Jurgis is a positive guy and he was a perfect person to be in the life he lives and survive it. At this point I wouldn't aspect anyone to want to be in this life he lives. What would have happened if the family didn't come to America? What would of happened if they had lived in another part of the country? What would have happened if Jurgis still had a family and job. Would he still be going through the routine? Or would he at one point collapse anyway?

Rachel Maristela

10/30/2013 03:40:05 pm

"He was fighting for his life; he gnashed his teeth together in his desperation. He had been a fool, a fool! He had wasted his life, he had wrecked himself, with his accursed weakness; and now he was done with it- he would tear it out of him root and branch! There should be no more tears, and no more tenderness he had enough of them-Now he was going to be free, to tear off his shackles, to rise up and fight." Chapter 22

Self Advocacy and Integrity: As Jurgis goes through the loss of his wife and kids, he realizes even though life has been hard on him, he was the one who was wasting his life by letting weakness get to him. If Jurgis didn't let weakness get to him, I think he would of just kept fighting rather than laying on the ground. Now that Jurgis realizes his mistakes he made and what the consequences were for his mistakes, he's going to get back up and start over again, hopefully start a fresh and brand new life.

John

10/30/2013 03:54:40 pm

"Every angry word that he had ever spoken came back to him and cut him like a knife; every selfish act that he had done--with what torments he paid for them now! And such devotion and awe as welled up in his soul--now that it could never be spoken, now that it was too late, too late!"

Perspective: In this quote it shows change of perspective for jurguis. He knows ona is gone and he cannot take back his anger he expressed to ona at one point. He cannot say he loves her one more time and never see her again. This is the reason why he drank because he did not want to think about all these things. In our world today people sometimes take advantage of what they got. They never really know how much they care about something until it is gone. I can relate to this because in the past someone I really cared about passed away and I would have liked to tell them somethings and get closure like Jurguis. It was hard for me to deal with not being able to talk to this person ever again. I thought i would never have been able to get over it. In the chapter jurguis explains how he must take care of his son because ona would want that and it would remind him of her. Just like jurguis I found something to remind me of this person. This is how his perspective has changed.

Jake Little

10/30/2013 04:05:17 pm

"Then suddenly her eyes opened one instant. One instant she looked at him—there was a flash of recognition between them, he saw her afar off, as through a dim vista, standing forlorn. He stretched out his arms to her, he called her in wild despair; a fearful yearning surged up in him, hunger for her that was agony, desire that was a new being born within him, tearing his heartstrings, torturing him. But it was all in vain—she faded from him, she slipped back and was gone."

Significance: In this part of the book Jurgis came back home from prison to find his pregnant wife in labor. After he finds out that his child has died in labor he goes to see Ona. I chose this quote because you can feel the connection between both Jurgis and Ona. I think this is significant to the story because they both have gone through many rough patches together and I feel like this will be a life changing event in Jurgis' life. There were many terrible things that have happened to Jurgis so far. I feel that this is one of the worst things that happened to Jurgis and he needs to change something or do something different to make up for this, and all the other bad things that have happened in is life.

Rachel Deaton

10/30/2013 04:07:50 pm

"He went straight to the door, passed out, and started down the street." Chapter 22

I choose evidence for this journal entry because after I read this quote I was utterly shocked. This whole chapter shows how Jurgis finally got up and walked away. He felt he had lost everything because his wife Ona and his son Antanas had died. He wasn't getting the best job opportunities. They all had risks and he got injured in the steel company for burning his hands. But after thinking about all this he just walked away. Not to the bar like he usually would but just walked. He escaped this hell he was living in. It was awful what he went through. I felt that he wanted to get away from this life and just be free. He kind of had a period of relaxation, eating and ripping out baby peach trees. It was great of him to be in an area where there wasn't as much suffering. It gave him time to sleep, eat and relax. Jurgis has been so strong for everyone in the entire family. From the very beginning he promised to the people he loved. When Ona was ripped from his life he almost gave up. He goes and gets drunk. He tried to wash away his pain but it still stuck with him. Antanas, his little boy, when he died he just simply walked off. I found this shocking because it was a huge difference to his reaction about Ona's death. I believe that it was good of him to separate himself from all these situations because he would have end up doing something extremely stupid. Jurgis is my favorite character in this book because he shows strength and hope even in the darkest times. That is a rare trait in this world. Hopefully in the future Jurgis will make a lot of money and return to his family or bring them out there. This book keeps getting sadder and sadder but it is a story filled with hope, hatred, sorrow, suffering and love. Those are the five things that really have an impact on the people who read this book. I had one last thought. When Jurgis was living a better life outside the city I thought of Jonas. I really am having a hard time deciding whether or not he died or escaped.

Jessica Pollock

10/30/2013 04:12:30 pm

"So he went on, tearing up all the flowers from the garden of his soul, and setting his heel upon them." Ch. 22

Connection: I chose the HOHAM connection for this quote. This quote immediately stood out at me when reading the chapters. I felt as though it was a great metaphor to explain a certain feeling a lot of people experience, me included. It's the feeling as though everything is going wrong so your just give up. You begin to not try and you start destroying things you didn't intentionally mean to destroy in the first place. It explains this by saying "tearing up all flowers from the garden of his soul, and setting his heel upon them." What Jurgis was feeling isn't a great feeling at all and I feel as though a lot of people could connect to this metaphor.

Malia M.

10/30/2013 04:26:07 pm

"There should be no more tears and no more tenderness; he had had enough of them--they had sold him into slavery! Now he was going to be free, to tear off his shackles, to rise up and fight."

I chose the HOHAM significance. I think at this moment Jurgis really changes. Both his son and his wife are now dead, this has ripped all the tenderness out of his heart. He feels truly alone in the world and consumed by his grief. Wrapped up in himself, he has completely forgotten Elzibeta, Kotrina, and his other family. They could desperately use Jurgis' wages. I don't think Jurgis wanted that. Life had beaten him down and he was done. There is a certain freedom in feeling as though you owe no one anything. With no goals, responsibilities, or purpose a person can really be free. In the long run though, happiness comes from connections in life not the freedom of isolation. I believe Jurgis will regret his decision to leave his family behind.

Karye

10/30/2013 04:35:32 pm

You really analyzed this and thought about it thoroughly. Good job connecting the quote and the story.

Karye

10/30/2013 04:32:40 pm

“Jurgis was not the mighty man he had once been, but his arms were still good, and there were few farm dogs he needed to hit more than once.” Ch. 22

This quote is symbolic to all the troubled times he has been through. It represents self advocacy because even though he has lost everything he still is able to persevere and get through his hard life. This his loved ones gone and him fighting for survival on his own, he has stuck up for himself and hasn’t completely given up yet. Although he battled with alcohol he was able to stay living and try to do what was right. He fought with good intentions for his family along the way. This quote really speaks to the time period in the sense that America had come a long way, has changed a lot, but still has quite a room for improvement. It will take more self advocacy from the majority of people to change the harsh work conditions, low wages, and unhealthy habits.

Chelsea Flores

10/30/2013 04:44:31 pm

"The little fellow was now really the one delight that Jurgis had in the world--his one hope, his one victory. Thank God, Antanas was a boy!"

Connection: The death of Ona created a huge turing point in Jurgis life. The only thing that motivates him to get through his days is his son, the only thing he has left. Reading through the paragraph that describes the love he has for his son is something really touching. I would imagine that Jurigs is depressed after living through all those events that made huge impacts in his life. All he wants is love, and he gets that love from his son Antanas who is his light. After reading the part were his son dies I felt sympathy for Jurigs. Becoming attached to something or something you love and have it taken away in just seconds can be a difficult situation to cope with. I think that anyone could connect to the emotions Jurigs was feeling in both situations, through love and lost. I hope Jurigs still finds that bit of hope that will motivate him into accomplishing the goals he set for himself, in honor of his family.

Xochitl Aguinaga

10/30/2013 04:50:29 pm

“...but he thought only of Ona, he gave himself up again to the luxury of grief. He shed no tears, being ashamed to make a sound; he sat motionless and shuddering with his anguish. He had never dreamed how much he loved Ona…”
Connection: Sometimes it is hard to realize the importance of one's presence in our lives, it seems that Jurgis is experiencing this feeling after the death of Ona .Despite their squabbles and growing distance Ona was still an important part of Jurgis’s life.It is a shame that he will never truly have the time to mourn or process the death of Ona, but instead must comtinue on in his depressing and tiersome life.

Lisa Valtierra

10/30/2013 04:58:23 pm

"When his wide had died, Jurgis made for the nearest saloon, but he did not do that now..."

The HOHAM I decide to use was Significance. I feel like these two chapters were super significant to the book and the direction that it is going to go in. Now that Jurgis has lost both his wife and his son, he has no one else to really motivate him like they have in the past and he also doesn't have a reason to stay in Packingtown. Since he lost his son, it seems as though he doesn't have a care in the world. He goes around and steals and begs for food and shelter and to stay in farms, yet when he is offered a job by the farmer he just replies with a simple No, when in reality, he should taken it. As Jurgis starts to take advantage of all the farmers because one of the farmers showed him compassion and start to become a "tramp" it seems as though he's going to take a direction in which he will later regret or get in trouble for. Overall, I think that Jurgis being a free man and being a "buccaneer" is really going to change his perspective of how he perseveres everything in his life and what he is going to do and that's why I find it to be significant.

John Laine

10/30/2013 05:24:16 pm

“When his wife had died, Jurgis made for the nearest saloon, but he did not do that now, though he had his week's wages in his pocket.”

This quote shows that through out his time with Ona he had struggles and many different problems that beset the best of us. When he was down and out of luck he started to drink away his problems hoping never to see them again these chapters must have been very hard for Jurgis because of the recalling of these events. Also having his dreams crash and burn with the world he thought he knew.

Hayes Sherr

10/30/2013 05:37:31 pm

"What a hellish mockery it was, anyway, that a man should slave to make harvesting machines for the country, only to be turned out to starve for doing his duty too well!"
I think this quote ties up with significance because it really shows how bad workers were treated. People worked hard for the countries harvesting machines and they got treated so poorly. These people making the machines were slaves that did great jobs at what they were doing and then get treated by being starved. This was significant when Jurgis and Ona moved to America to work in the meat packing plants and eventually started having second thoughts about moving because it really wasn't any better in America than it was in Lithuania.

Hank Sherr

10/30/2013 06:10:05 pm

Quote: "Every angry word that he had ever spoken came back to him and cut him like a knife; every selfish act that he had done—with what torments he paid for them now!"

Connection: I feel that I can relate to this because often time I would do something that I either have regret, or something just plan stupid. It does always feel like its going to come back and stab you like a knife. This happens to a lot of people, even if it may not seem like it.

Tess Herzog

10/30/2013 08:45:22 pm

“That Jurgis did not starve was due solely to the pittance the children brought him. And even this was never certain.”

Connection: This is one of the scariest and most frustrating situations there are. If I was in Jurgis’s position, I would feel at such a loss, not being able to provide for my own family. It is very scary for Jurgis to have to rely on his kids for money. If they did not bring home the same amount or more each day, the family may go hungry, as they could already barely keep food on the table. Oftentimes people say that their children “save” them, or make them a better person than they would have been otherwise. I think in Jurgis’s situation, this is taken to a whole new level. At this point, his children are literally saving him.

Hannah O'Connell

10/31/2013 12:25:25 am

Quote/Phrase: " 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. His old love, which had been starved to death, beaten to death, awoke in him again; the floodgates of memory were lifted--he saw all their life together, saw her as he had seen her in Lithuania, the first day at the fair, beautiful as the flowers, singing like a bird. He saw her as he had married her, with all her tenderness, with her heart of wonder; the very words she had spoken seemed to ring now in his ears, the tears she had shed to be wet upon his cheek." Ch 20

Hohams: Connection, evidence, supposition.

Reflections: This paragraph tore me up. I didn't want her to die! She did not deserve to die. She never deserved what she had to go through. This shows evidence of Jugus' love for Ona, and evidence of the cruelty of life. I also connected with this piece. Loosing someone you love and then the memories start flooding back, and the regrets. You wish you could have done something different, something to change their death. You want more time, to see their face again, smiling. What if Jurgis had treated Ona better before her death, would he have been less remorseful of her passing? What is she had lived? I feel like uris without Ona may have a better life for his son, or at least try.

Halee Robinson

10/31/2013 12:38:04 am

This really is a beautiful quote. I loved your breakdown of it, and i really think that you understood and captured it in its entirety.

Hannah O

10/31/2013 12:33:45 am

*I loved that quote and wanted to journal about it, and those were my thoughts at the time. I have now, however, become highly upset that his family is practically gone and Jurgis is becoming something of a frustration in my head. I'm irritated with his actions, and how he took advantage of others.*

Halee Robinson

10/31/2013 12:34:25 am

"'I see,' said the other, 'that's what I thought. When you get through working your horses this fall, will you turn them out in the snow?' (Jurgis was beginning to think for himself nowadays.)"
Self Advocacy:
Here we Jurgis starting to self advocate and speak for himself. He never would have questioned an offer in previous chapters due to his desperation to find a job. Also, being an immigrant, limited his job opportunities. We wouldn't have seen Jurgis think twice about this offer earlier. Now, we see him asking the farmer if he would still have work in the winter, and then questioning the farmers methods., criticizing them to his face. The self advocacy we are witnessing proves Jurgis's character development.

Parmida Zolfaghari

10/31/2013 02:24:38 am

"He gripped his hands and set his teeth together; he had not wept, and he would not-not a tear! It was past and over, and he was done with it; he would fling it off his shoulders, be free of it, the whole business, that night. It should go like a black, hateful nightmare, and in the morning he would be a new man."
Significance:
After acknowledging his son's death, Jurgis tries his best to show no emotion and treat it as a problem that is gone now. People have different ways of dealing with a death of a relative or a loved one. In a perspective, Jurgis is being ignorant but also strong. He tries to fight of the fears, the grief, the emotions, to take it in as a lesson that he's learning through life experiences. He sees the moments as a way for himself to be a new man and change the way things are. The significance of this moment was due the fact that he started to see the world in a new way, not letting it ruin his life anymore, deciding on a time for a change.

Chris dang

10/31/2013 05:09:56 am

“I see,” said the other, “that’s what I thought. When you get through working your horses this fall, will you turn them out in the snow?” (Jurgis was beginning to think for himself nowadays.)
(Page 233).

HOHAM - perspective
I feel that after being abused and poorly treated, his view of America has been slowly changing. At first it was "I will work harder" but now it is more like "I will work as long as there is work." Jurgis thinks that everyone will be out to exploit him and he doesn't like it. I think everyone had that mindset at one point where they were the best worker in the world. But then they noticed that other people could do the work for them or something happened to de-motivate them and they grew lazy or only thought for their own well being. People now a days find loopholes or gaps that they can exploit, and they can choose the exploit them or choose to not exploit them. Work is a choice that benefits you (sometimes) you can choose to do it or not.

Sabrina

10/31/2013 04:23:41 pm

"So he went on, tearing up all the flowers from the garden of his soul, and setting his heel upon them"

Here I saw unlimited potential. Considering Jurgis's past experiences and the terrible more recent events, like the death of Ona, I feel that he could have succumbed to Alcohol to numb his pain. I feel like that is what the old Jurgis would have done, the one we met at the beginning of the book. But instead he battled his with his pain internally, so as not to harm other around him. I consider this choice very noble and commendable. We are at this point in the book were we are seeing Jurgis grow in maturity gained by his experiences in life and work during this time period.

Andrew Ledezma

11/1/2013 02:00:11 pm

“On Sundays the churches were open--but where was there a church in which an ill-smelling workingman, with vermin crawling upon his neck, could sit without seeing people edge away and look annoyed?”
Evidence: This is wonderful evidence of not only prejudice in the church, but prejudice against working men as a whole. They work day-in and day-out for those people that don’t enjoy his company at church. This is extremely ironic and very pivotal to a deeper understanding of the society in which Jurgis lives. He is not only faced with crushing workloads, but also being deemed as an outcast by the society he works so hard for. This can also be seen today with our laborers, although not on as extreme of a scale. I think that even though Jurgis left his family, he still has to put up with just as much.

Quentin Jackson

11/16/2013 02:03:52 pm

What a hellish mockery it was, anyway, that a man should slave to make harvesting machines for the country, only to be turned out to starve for doing his duty too well!

As always, the jungle does a great job at tearing apart our ideas and beliefs and making them twisted. In this case, jurgis's integrity and desire to work hard for the company that employs him, has him fired for working too hard. It is sad to say, but jurgis would have probably had better treatment if he just worked less, and lied, saying that was the right thing to do.

The Jungle: Please type reading journal entry #6 here. Then comment on two other entries. Remember to include your quote and write a full paragraph of thoughtful HOHAM commentary in order to earn full credit.

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