In chapter two through five, it's mainly about Jurgis' and Ona's background and once they arrive to Chicago. Both of their families picked up and headed to the America's with little cash saved. Teta Elzbieta was a friend of Ona's and her brother Jonas knew of a man named Jokubas Szedvilas who made a fortune in America, and once they finally got to Chicago, Jokubas gave the newly arrived family a tour of Packingtown. They are shocked to see all the pens packed with thousands of cattle, sheep and pigs. Jurgis is effected by the fact that several carcasses go unchecked, therefore the meat is spoiled and could get scattered among the rest of the meat preparation for canning and packing. Despite the effect he got from the animals, he accepted the job from Jokubas to work at the slaughterhouse. Jurgis, Jonas and Marija grasp ahold of a job, even though each of them only makes two dollars a day. Jurgis refuses to let the children go to work; he wants them in school while Ona and Teta stay home.
The family found a four-bedroom home, which is in their budget, three hundred dollars down and a twelve-dollar monthly payment. It is considered a rental they go to a lawyer and asks what that really means, that the house is called a rental to make it easier to evict people who fail to make the monthly payments and he finds out everything will be okay. In chapter five, they settle happily in their new home, the pace of work is demanding but Jurgis doesn't mind, he really enjoys the hard work. He informs the family that he helps pack filthy meat for human consumption. Then later realizes that both Marija and Jonas got their jobs from unsafe working conditions like consuming the butchered animals that have died of diseases being packed with the rest of the meat.
In chapters six through ten, things become tough in the town of Packingtown due to the unsanitary conditions. They are having trouble paying things due to the illness that has swept the town, and since no one can take off of work there is no full recovery.
