In Sinclairs book, The Jungle, we are given the sights and experiences that are faced by Jurgis and his family when they migrate to America. They move out from their homeland in Lithuania to pursue the America Dream for a better life after hearing how a man made a good fortune in America. With the struggles that the family face from her homeland they venture out to find a steady source of work and live comfortably. The family needed to support themselves, especially with the loss of the farm from Onas father, and also because the available money they had was limited. Moving to Packingtown in Chicago, they had faced the opposite of what they have heard and saw from other people and advertisement signs. Homes advertised would be run down yet expensive, which the condition was unknown. Swindles for house purchases were not as described and the working environment had various hazards. These hazards ranged from poor sanitary conditions to overworking the workers and not paying them properly. Business owners would gain advant
age over the workers because of their status and power that was held. The neighborhoods were dangerous and filled with immigrants who were struggling to get by and make a proper living. Capitalists would gain wealth, while the lower classes remained stagnant with very little opportunities to advance forward and build up on living conditions and pay. The care for the immigrants was not taken well into many concerns. Even those who spoke against the mistreatment they experienced from her boss lost their jobs or knew that if they were to bring up a case, they were to lose because of connections wealthy capitalists had with other people of different systems, relating to when Jurgis was jailed. Their areas were less developed and made from cheap materials. The living environment was crowded and at the mercy of environmental factors that did not ensure safety, even if one owned their own home. Trash would litter the area and even farm animals, such as chickens can be seen picking at whatever is left from rubbish filled streets.