A much-debated debate in today's economy concerns issues regarding immigrants and their eager desire to become American citizens. As shown in The Jungle, a rather disturbing novel about the merciless trials and temptations that early America presents to a Lithuanian family, adapting to a new environment and a new way of life is quite difficult. Worse still, language barriers and lack of local knowledge only seem to attract starvation and poverty among newly acquired citizens, who simply wish to change their social and economic lives to better themselves and their families. This is the case for Jurgis Rudkus and his team. extended family, made up of cousins, in-laws and their multitude of children. Originally from Lithuania, Jurgis and his family decide that after Jurgis and his love, Ona, marry, they will move to Chicago to find work to support their family. Shortly after arriving in Chicago, they stumble upon Durham's, a meatpacking plant located in the Chicago slums. Many family members begin taking jobs at Durham, from painting cans to cleaning meat. However, over time, Jurgis and his family begin to notice that cleanliness as well as the overall health of workers is often, if not always, neglected. This, along with the actions of crooked business leaders, begins to corrupt the family and soon leads it into turmoil. The United States, perhaps more than any other country, was not very welcoming in the early 1900s. Foreigners, unfamiliar with American customs, were unable to find work or keep scammers from reduce their already insufficient wealth. For this reason, the economic and social life of Jurgis and his family changed radically. For insta...... middle of paper ......ool to receive an education. However, being new to America, they were likely to make many mistakes, which in some cases proved fatal. Overall, their experiences helped them develop knowledge of their new homeland. They also helped them make better decisions and improve their family's future. To be concise, Jurgis and his family faced various challenges in America. As a result, their lives have changed, for better or worse. They were inexperienced and therefore made many mistakes, which made their life in Chicago very worrying. However, their ideology and strong belief in determination and hard work kept them alive. In a land teeming with predators, this family of delicate prey found its place and made the most of it, even though America, a somewhat messy and dangerous jungle, was not the promised, healthy land it was. had predicted..