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What Are The Similarities Between The Jungle And Cinderella Man

Decent Essays

Determination Have you ever thought about what it would have been like in the 1930’s, living in Chicago, and not being one of the wealthy? Well think about it, this is a little summary of two men’s lives and their families. One character is Jurgis Rudkus, from The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, and another is James Braddock, Cinderella Man. Both characters have many differences and similarities in their physical traits, family traits, and values. Both very strong and uplifting men who try everything in their power for their families. In both the book and the film both men endure many hardships throughout the short period of time, even though both men were physically different they both had enough build for a job. For example “Jurgis Rudkus, he …show more content…

Both Jurgis and James had different views of how to handle their family but they both had a plan to try and help save them. As both the film and book state their biggest thing was their families. "Jimmy—" Mae began, but he silenced her with a kiss. You can't work on an empty stomach, her eyes said to him. Jim's answer was simple. "You're my girls“ (longman el at 8). And in the book “Jurgis walked him with his pittance of pay in his pocket, heartbroken, overwhelmed. One more bandage had been torn from his eyes, one more pitfall was revealed to him!” (Sinclair 200). Both men had put aside many things and made many sacrifices for their family, but they had both done it in different ways, and showed their love in different ways. In the book Jurgis lost his family, “Jurgis’s brain was so confused that he could not grasp the situation. It was as if his family had been wiped out of existence: as if they were proving to be dream people, who never had existed at all” (Sinclair 176). Losing his family Jurgis had nothing to fight for anymore. James on the other hand had lost his family as well, "Here's my promise." Jim was eye to eye with his son. "We're never going to send you away, son“(Longman el at 12). Even though he had lost his children he continued to fight for them and do the things he thought he would never have to do in order to get them back, he begged for …show more content…

This is what it was about right? Being able to have money to make it. Without the money there was no food, no warmth, there was nothing left for them when they had run out of money. In the book it states “Ona was a working girl, and did not own waterproofs and such things, and so Jurgis took her and put her on the street-car” (Sinclair 78). Because they needed the money, Jurgis did everything he could in order to make sure his family was working. James on the other hand worked on his own. Still making money, but never let his family beg, steal or do anything within those lines. Later fighting had become a part of James’ life again. Going back to fighting he made a comeback. Not making a whole lot of money but enough to keep them going till the next fight. Family had always become a big part of James’ life, but him putting his life on the line so his family could have money and he could pay back everything he owed was a lot for James. Both men put their life on the line so their families had enough food on the table. Even if it meant having to work in the worst

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