Jurgis came to Chicago from the rural countryside of Lithuania. In Lithuania, Ona’s father died, leaving his family troubled by debt. They lost their farm and had little in cash savings. They spoke of traveling to America, where the wages were much higher. Jurgis worked for months to save money to help pay for the cost of the voyage. His father, Dede Antanas, resolved to go with his son and Ona’s family. By a stroke of luck, Jonas finds Jokubas Szedvilas, the Lithuanian man whom he claimed had made a fortune. Jokubas owns a delicatessen in Chicago but he is suffering financial troubles. Jurgis and Ona go for a walk through their new neighborhood. The stench of rotting animal flesh and animal excrement, along with billowing smoke, fills the air. After gazing at Packingtown in the distance for a few moments, Jurgis promises to go and get a job. Jokubas takes the family on a tour of Packingtown. They are amazed to see pens packed with tens of thousands of cattle, pigs, and sheep. Jokubas notes sarcastically the signs regarding the sanitation rules. The government inspector who checks the slaughtered pigs for signs of tuberculosis often lets several carcasses go unchecked. Spoiled meat is specially doctored in secret before it is scattered among the rest of the meat in preparation for canning and packing.
I think that the part is a little bit disturbing where Jokubas is showing Ona and Jurgis the meat packing plant. It feels wrong because of how the workers just sarcastically read the sign regarding sanitation. Also, how the government inspector often misses many of the dead animals to inspect for tuberculosis. I also, think that when the spoiled meat goes in private, it does not actually gets cured of whatever ills it before it is distributed to the rest of the public.
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