Ch.+11

Chapter 11 Summary:

During the summer, Jurgis is making more money than in previous months, but is still not making as much money as he had made in the previous summers. New men are replaced every week at the killing beds, and Jurgis worries that his job will be taken over. All of the men have to train new men how to kill every week as part of their job. Jurgis and Ona hear stories about people who are making lots of money and not working hard jobs like they are, and they hope that one day that will be them. There are rumors going around that the meat company may sell and that all the men may lose their jobs soon. Jurgis and Ona pay back Marija for all the money that they let them for their house and possessions to fill their house. She takes this money and puts it in the bank, later taking it all out for fear that the money will be gone. One day when working at the killing beds, another worker was chasing a cow that had escaped from the line with a knife. Jurgis tries to move out of his way, and in doing so he twists his ankle. The pain is not bad at first, but the next day at work it has swollen to double its size. The doctor comes to look at it but says it is his fault and not the meat company’s. He goes home and worries about how long he will be in this condition-what will happen when he’s not able to work and only Ona will be brining home the money?

Characters: -Jurgis -Ona -Marija

Key quotes:

“They would reduce the time, requiring the same work in a shorter time, and paying the same wages, and then, after the workers had accustomed themselves to this new speed, they would reduce the rate of payment to correspond with the reduction time!”(116).

“When he came to walk home, however, he realized that it was hurting him [his ankle] a great deal, and in the morning his ankle was swollen out nearly double its size, and he could not get his foot into his shoe”(121).

“It would have been better if Jurgis had been really ill, if he had not been able to think. For he had no resources such as most invalids have; all he could do was to lie there and toss about from side to side”(124).