Discussion Topic
The significant functions of the wedding scene in The Jungle
Summary:
The wedding scene in The Jungle serves several significant functions. It introduces the main characters and their cultural background, sets the tone of hope and optimism, and contrasts sharply with the harsh realities that follow. This scene also highlights the community's solidarity and the financial struggles they face, foreshadowing the exploitation and hardships central to the novel's themes.
What functions does the wedding scene in The Jungle serve?
In The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, the wedding scene opens the novel
and serves a few important functions in regard to starting the narrative.
Firstly, it displays the growing "Americanization" of younger generations of
immigrant families. This will go on to be an important theme throughout the
novel. The younger generations are observed to have strayed away from the
traditional behavior of their culture. For example, they do not help in paying
for anything, and they overindulge in the free food and drink.
The scene also helps to create a sympathetic feeling in the reader in regard to
the fate of the novel's characters. This is no easy feat for Sinclair, since
the early 1900's were a time of extreme xenophobia and negative attitude
towards immigrants. However, Sinclair masterfully creates a scene where
American readers can find ways to relate with these characters.
My answer will be brief because I...
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don't have time to review the novel, but I can say confidently (from memory) that the wedding scene has at least two important functions:
1. The scene comes early in the novel and helps to make the reader interested in the fate of this family. The scene is written for the contemporary American reader (not the Lithuanian villager, who wouldn't need the same explanations or descriptions of what happens at the wedding).
2. The wedding scene shows how the family's culture is undergoing changes in the new country. The younger generation doesn't follow all of the customs, such as helping to pay for all the festivities.
The enotes study guide (see the link below) adds a couple of other functions of the wedding scene: "The book starts with hope... At the wedding, the key people in their lives are introduced... The wedding scene also introduces a sense of how strict their budget is and how greatly they fear unemployment."