The Jungle Key People

Upton Sinclair

Author of The Jungle; muckraker who used Jurgis’s story to expose corruption, unsafe labor, and exploitation in Chicago’s meatpacking industry.

Jurgis Rudkus

Main character, a Lithuanian immigrant who seeks the American Dream but is crushed by poverty, unsafe labor, corruption, and family tragedies.

Ona Lukoszaite

Jurgis’s wife; works in a factory, coerced by foreman Phil Connor, dies during childbirth — her suffering drives Jurgis deeper into despair.

Marija Berczynskas

Ona’s cousin; strong-willed, works in a factory, but poverty eventually forces her into prostitution and morphine addiction.

Phil Connor

Corrupt factory foreman; sexually exploits Ona. Jurgis attacks him, leading to Jurgis’s arrest and prison sentence.

Jack Duane

Criminal Jurgis meets in jail; introduces him to Chicago’s underworld of graft and political corruption.

Mike Scully

Corrupt political boss in Chicago; Jurgis later works for his machine helping to rig elections. Symbol of political corruption tied to business.

Tommy Hinds

Hotel owner and outspoken socialist; gives Jurgis work and introduces him to socialist ideas, guiding Jurgis toward political awakening.

Freddie Jones

Wealthy, spoiled son of a meatpacking magnate; gives Jurgis a $100 bill while drunk, leading to Jurgis’s arrest. Symbolizes class inequality.