Chapter+12

In this Chapter, Jurgis has already been injured and had to stay in bed for about three weeks. After forcing himself to walk a little everyday, he soon got back on his feet and resumed his job from before. However, as the pain grew, Jurgis could not work again, and was diagnosed that he had twisted a tendon out of place. Also, Jurgis had to stay in his bed for at lesat two months, and if he disobeyed the doctor's orders, he would never be able to walk again. Also, this is the first time Jurgis beats Stanislovas; because of the frost, the child had permenently disabled three joints on three fingers. Because of the huge debt the family was in, they decided to have two more of their kids working. Vilimas and Nikalojus start working as paperboys, but received no luck. But later, after adapting to certain situations, they start earning money. When spring started to come to life, Jurgis and his tendon were ready to go back to work again. Because he had lost his job this time, he had to find another one, which took a great deal amount of time. Even then, he was not able to find one. The men who were paid the best were "splitters," who made about as much as five dollars a day. However, there were not many of them in each factory. And a man who was paid ten dollars a week would be able to save if he was selfish, extremely cheap and frugal, and if he did not care for his family.
 * Brief description of the plot:**

Jurgis, Ona, Stanislovas, Jonas, Marija, Vilimas, Nikalojus
 * Characters in the Chapter:**

"All that day and night the family was...than lose his job at the lard machine." (126) "One of the consequencesof this episode was that...add to the sweetness of his temper." (126-127) "And now the winter was over, and...all the colors of the rainbow!" (128) "The peculiar bitterness of all this...and they did not want him." (131) "The vast majority, however, were simply...they could not keep up with it anymore.." (132) "The best paid men, the 'splitters,' made...grow up to be splitters like their father." (132)
 * Notable passages (including page number):**