> "The air was thick with the smell of blood and the sound of the squealing of the hogs."
This quote, from the early chapters, evokes the brutal and unsanitary conditions of the Chicago stockyards, where the novel is set. It highlights the central theme of the book: the exploitation of the working class in a system where human life is seen as expendable. The "smell of blood" represents the violence inherent in the meatpacking industry, while the "squealing of the hogs" captures the animalistic way workers are treated.
It is important to note that the quote is not just about the physical setting, but also about the moral and social environment of the time. It emphasizes the utter disregard for human dignity and the harsh realities faced by immigrants and working-class families, who were forced to endure appalling conditions for meager wages.