“There couldn't be a society of people who didn't dream. They'd be dead in two weeks”- William S. Burroughs. A great example of a society that dreams is perceived in the novel, The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. This novel is wrapped around the lives a small Lithuanian family. The family goes through an immense amount of downfalls to try and achieve the American Dream. The protagonist introduced in the novel, Jurgis Rudkus, is a hard-working man who devotes his life to provide for his family. His wife, Ona, is a kind and warm-hearted woman that may not have strength physically, but her heart is stronger than anyone else's. Ona’s cousin, Marija, is as tough as a bull and strives to get what she wants. Dede Antanas is Jurgis’s father; he is a determined man that is often met with obstacles because
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The antagonist, in my opinion, is the government. Although, it points to no one in particular, the government is what creates all the complications for the family.
Moving on, America in the point of time in which the book takes place needs a little work. What I mean is that it seems like everyone is out of a job, wages are low, and no one seems to be enjoying life. Sinclair states that “There were a million and a half of men in the country looking for work, a hundred thousand of them right in Chicago” (317). America is rumored to be the land of opportunity, but the people that actually get the opportunities are just mere lucky. For example, Sinclair writes about how Jurgis gets a job “through an accidental meeting with an old-time acquaintance of his union days” (236). This just goes to show that America is not all it is said to be. Although the examples I have provided seem brutal, I would actually like to experience America at this point in
The antagonist, in my opinion, is the government. Although, it points to no one in particular, the government is what creates all the complications for the family.
Moving on, America in the point of time in which the book takes place needs a little work. What I mean is that it seems like everyone is out of a job, wages are low, and no one seems to be enjoying life. Sinclair states that “There were a million and a half of men in the country looking for work, a hundred thousand of them right in Chicago” (317). America is rumored to be the land of opportunity, but the people that actually get the opportunities are just mere lucky. For example, Sinclair writes about how Jurgis gets a job “through an accidental meeting with an old-time acquaintance of his union days” (236). This just goes to show that America is not all it is said to be. Although the examples I have provided seem brutal, I would actually like to experience America at this point in