Chapter 1
Ona Lukoszaite and Jurgis Rudkus, two lithuanian immigrants, are being married and having a big ceremony in Packingtown, center of meat packing industry. Each guest is supposed to give money as the ceremony is very expensive. Many people do not pay and barmen lie of the quantity of alcohol consumed.

Ona is worried of paying for the ceremony. Men have to get to work on time next morning, 1 minute late = loss of hours pay, 20 minutes late = loss of job

Chapter 2
Ona and Jurgis traveled to America hearing of higher wages after Ona's father died, many family members came with them, savings dwindled when they got to Chicago due to conmen. Family member sees deli of "fortunate" Lithuanian man Jokubas, financially troubled, tells Jurgis in his family to go to the boarding house in the disgusting neighborhood.
Chapter 3
Jokubas takes the family on a tour. See pens packed with tens of thousands of farm animal, all to be kille dby the end of the day. Jokubas laughs at sanitation sign as gov't inspectors barely check animals.

Spoiled meat is scattered through the rest of the meat.

Chapter 4
Jurgis gets a job sweeping entrails, optimistic as he earns $2 for 12 hours work. Jonas has job leadm Marija paints can labels. Jurgis wants kids to go to school. Family sees an ad for a new house, visit it and it is not as new as shown, Jokubas says it's a swindle.

Ona and Teta close deal on house despite it being a "rental", lawyer is friends with landlord, corruption

Chapter 5
Family purchases household necessities, Jurgis enjoys his demanding work and refuses to join a union. Dede takes a job, has to give man 1/3 of his wages, Jurgis finds out fo corruption, Dede packs rancid meat for human consumption. Marija got job at expense of 15-year employee, Jonas' predecessor died of unsafe working conditions, Jurgis sees calf fetuses and diseased carcasses packed with the meat.
Chapter 6
Grandmother Majauszkiene tells the family the house is a swindle, one missed payment and their evicted forfeiting their payments. Grandmother came to Packingtown when workforce was German the Irish now Slovaks.

Ona gets a job(payed landlady $10) as well as the Stanislovas (lied about age)

Chapter 7
Ona and Jurgis' wedding ceremony has them in debt, everyone gets sick frequently from insanitary conditions but no one can take a day off. Cold comes, no heat in work, Dede dies, men line up to take dead men's places in factories, some men become drunks (Jurgis does not)
Chapter 8
Tamoszius courts Marija and marries her. Marija loses her job due to factory closing. During winter many factories close and many workers lose their jobs.

All the family joins unions

Chapter 9
Jurgis learns english and attends union meetings. He becomes a US citizen and has his vote bought. Jurgis learns of the corruption from Mike Scully, hears of workforce injuries and the selling of diseased meats.
Chapter 10
Jurgis demands the agent reveal all the hidden expenses in their house, must pay a lot more than they were told. Spring brings flies attracted to the blood and meat.

Marija regains her job at the factory only to lose it for protesting. Ona is expecting Jurgis' child. Marija finds a new job months later. Ona's supervisor runs a brothel and prostitutes get jobs easily. Ona gives birth to a baby boy, Antanas.

Jurgis doesn't see him much as he's working. Ona returns to work a week after birth

Chapter 11
Laborers work harder and are payed less. Marija opens a bank account, she believes there is a bank run and the bank may default so she takes out her savings.
Chapter 12
Jurgis sprains his ankle and can't go to work for three months, only thing that brings him happiness is his son. Stanislovas gets frostbite in his hands, Jurgis has to beat him for him to got to work. Jonas disappears so Teta's sons are sent to work as newspaper sellers