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Comparing The American Dream In Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle'

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The American Dream If you were about to lose everything you ever owned or had what would you do? Upton Sinclair wrote the Jungle, it shows the struggles of Jurgis and his family that moved from Lithuanian to America to live the American dream. Ron Howard wrote the Cinderella Man, it shows James Braddock a boxer that struggles to make it in the depression. It shows the similar struggles between these two titans.

A Lithuanian man named Jurgis Rudkus a tall, strong and very well completed man came to Chicago with a family of five looking to live the American dream (Sinclair 8). He had no problem with finding jobs because he was young and energetic with lots of enthusiasm (Sinclair 8). He believed hard work and determination would gain his boss’s attention. A similar story happened with James Brakkock but he was not an immigrant, he was a boxer that lived in New Jersey with two kids and a wife. He also believed that working hard would lead him to success. Jurgis and James are alike in many different ways because they were both tall, naïve, and enthusiastic. Then everything changes for them both. …show more content…
James a bold and naïve man could not get work every day in the shipping yards. They both tried there hardest to provide for their families, but sometimes it was still not enough. Jurgis was struggling to find work after he broke his ankle (Sinclair 116). He lost his job at the packing plant after three months because he could no longer work a full workday. James lost his sponsors because he broke his hand in a major fight. He tried to find work at the shipping yard, but it was hard to work with his hand being broken. However, he knew he had to provide for his family or they would freeze and go hungry. Both Jurgis and James worked extremely hard but they feel like they are still failing their

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