Jurgis in the jungle

Falling in love

Aug 1, 1905

Jurgis Rudkis falls in love with Ona Lukoszaite. She is a girl that lives in a nearby town from him in their home country Lithuaina.

Moving to America

Oct 1, 1905

Jurgis and his new love move to America with her family members. Everyone arrives in Chicago together. Jurgis finds work in the stockyards.

Buying A House

Dec 1, 1905

All the family members get together and decide to pull their money together and buy a house. Ona isn't working yet.

Jurgis & Ona Get Married

May 1, 1906

Jurgis and Ona get married, but no one gives money, and they are left with a large wedding debt, and Ona has to get a job.

Death and New Life

Oct 1, 1906

Jurgis's grandfather developes a bad couch, and eventually dies. Around this time Ona becomes pregnant. Jurgis has to work extra hard to earn more money for the baby that is coming.

New Baby Arrives

May 1, 1907

Jurgis and Ona have their first baby. They name the boy Antanas. They love their new baby. Everything is wonderful.

Jurgis Gets Injured

Jul 1, 1907

The working conditions of the 1900s in America are very dangerous, and Jurgis gets hurts at work. He is bedridden for a few months. Now every family member has to go to work, including the young children.

Ona Is Assaulted

Dec 1, 1907

Ona is raped by her boss at the factory, and Jurgis goes to confront him. Jurgis beats up Ona's boss and ends up in prison for thirty days.

Crime, Death & Eviction

Mar 1, 1908

Jurgis meets criminal Jack Duane in prison and becomes friends with him. When Jurgis out of prison Ona and the unborn baby die during early labor. His family and him lose their house because they fail to make a payment on time. Then baby Antanas dies in a terrible accident. He drowns in a muddy street puddle. Jurgis becomes deeply depressed, drunk and jobless.

Becoming A Bad Guy

May 1, 1908

Jurgis loses all hope. He becomes a bum and begger. He is tipped a 100 dollar bill, but when it is stolen from him, he gets in another fight and winds up in jail where he runs into criminal Jack Duane again, and starts a life of crime.

Jurgis goes straight

Jan 1, 1909

After union strikes, Jurgis gets back to working in the stockyards, and becomes a boss at work, but when he sees his wife's old boss he attacks him again and winds up in jail. He loses everything and becomes a begger again and learns his old in-laws have turned to prostitution and dispare.

Socialist Party

Dec 1, 1909

While Jurgis is down and out, he gets very involved with the Socialist movement. The ideas and philosophies of the movement give him great hope at life, and he renews his faith in the future.