The Chicago stockyard setting plays a vital role in revealing the characters and the capitalistic theme of the novel. The stockyards reflect the corruption and evil of Capitalism. Morris seems to suggest, "When he describes how factories process meat, his description also functions as a diagram of how the ruling class corrupts democratic institutions" (Morris,51). The stockyards are the workhorse for American Capitalism and political corruption. The stockyards also shape the personalities of the foreigners. They are forced to abandon their old traditions in order to survive in Chicago. The living conditions are minimal. The work is horrific. The people's dreams are lost. Each person's destiny is based on financial status. In this way, family is unwanted because they cost more. The characters are unfortunate in every aspect of their life. As foreigners, they are taken advantage of and discriminated against. They endure the hardships of Capitalism in Chicago and the factories. The stockyards force people to work. The stockyards are also unsanitary, making workers sick or hurt and forcing them to not work. It is a vicious cycle due to the surrounding environment. The meatpacking industry is the perfect place to show the political and commercial corruption of the American society. The city of Chicago thus provides the perfect setting, as Morris states, "using the city's geography and architecture to give physical substance to the intangible evils of capitalism" (Morris,64). The Chicago stockyards play a vital role in shaping people's lives and showing the role of Capitalism in society.
Tone is used to express the personalities and heartache in which the characters have due to the Capitalistic society in which they live. Qainn states, "It is written with a burning sense of injustice and a sympathy with those whose margin is small and who have no economic security" (Qainn,653).