In this excerpt, the author represents a Lithuanian version of English to highlight Jurgis's struggle with the language of his adopted country. As the protagonist is struggling to communicate when searching for work, he and the foreman of the stockyard fight to understand each other, speaking in a dialect of English:
‘Speak English?’
‘No; Lit-uanian.’ (Jurgis had studied this word carefully.)
‘Job?’
‘Je.’
(A nod.)
‘Worked here before?’
‘No ’stand.’ (Signals and gesticulations on the part of the boss. Vigorous shakes of the head by Jurgis.)
‘Shovel guts?’
‘No ’stand.’ (More shakes of the head.)
‘Zarnos. Pagaiksztis. Szluota!’ (Imitative motions.)
Through the dialogue between Jurgis and his boss, the reader is immersed in the linguistic challenges experienced by new immigrants. Jurgis's response of "No; Lit-uanian" reflects his limited English proficiency. He is trying his best, but he’s still reliant on his native language. He is forced to resort to “imitative motions” and a mix of Lithuanian and English words in order to convey his meaning.
This exchange highlights the obstacles that language differences created for many new arrivals to the US. Miscommunications and misunderstandings abound. These largely result from the language barrier between the Lithuanians and their new neighbors at the beginning of the book, and they also play a role in the many occasions in which they’re exploited. Not being able to speak English means they have to rely on an unknown community to help them. While many of them learn English, they also face discrimination and difficulty for not speaking it perfectly, as Marija and Ona later discover.
As the story progresses, Jurgis's growing familiarity with English helps him understand what’s going on around him. However, despite his increased confidence in English, Jurgis remains repeatedly unsuccessful in getting permanent employment. This emphasizes the painful reality that language proficiency alone doesn’t guarantee success. In a system where everyone but the wealthiest are fighting to survive, the better Jurgis’s English gets, the more disillusioned he becomes with the people around him. His increased understanding of the culture and customs of the US aligns with his decreasing innocence and idealism.
A drunken Freddie fumbles with his wallet, clumsily shuffling around a huge wad of cash as he complains to the homeless Jurgis about lacking funds. Sinclair brings a sense of realism and situational irony to the scene through both Freddie's words and his use of mid-century American English:
“Looks like a lot, hey?” said Master Freddie, fumbling with it. “Fool you, though, ole chappie—they’re all little ones! I’ll be busted in one week more, sure thing—word of honor. An’ not a cent more till the first—hic—guv’ner’s orders—hic—not a cent, by Harry! Nuff to set a feller crazy, it is. I sent him a cable, this af’noon—thass one reason more why I’m goin’ home. ‘Hangin’ on the verge of starvation,’ I says—‘for the honor of the family—hic—sen’ me some bread. Hunger will compel me to join you—Freddie.’ Thass what I wired him, by Harry, an’ I mean it—I’ll run away from school, b’God, if he don’t sen’ me some.”
Freddie's use of dialect—with phrases like "feller" and "word of honor"—brings a silly, mid-century English quality to his speech. This use of dialect immerses readers in the scene. It allows them to imagine how characters like Freddie might really have sounded. This enhances the realism of the exchanges he has with Jurgis and, later, with his butler.
The situational irony of this passage lies in the stark disparity between Freddie's wealth and Jurgis's poverty. Despite Jurgis's desperate circumstances, Freddie, in his state of drunkenness, expresses his worries about losing his allowance. Although Jurgis is filthy and starving, Freddie complains to Jurgis about his own perceived deprivation and his concerns about money. This irony highlights the inherent unfairness of their respective situations. Freddie lacks all self-awareness.
Freddie's complaints serve to emphasize the absurdity of his concerns to Jurgis and the reader. The stark contrast between Freddie's privilege and Jurgis's struggles illustrates the social and economic disparities within The Jungle. Freddie genuinely believes his situation is a bad one and that he's close to being "busted" if his father cuts him off. Sinclair's situational irony here underscores the injustices faced by characters like Jurgis. Working-class immigrants are trapped in a cycle of poverty and exploitation while people like Freddie indulge in excess. The version of being "busted" that Jurgis experiences in Packingtown differs fundamentally from Freddie's ignorant vision of poverty.
