The Jungle: Chapter 27

In chapter 27, Jurgis finds Alena who tells Jurgis where Marija is living. When Jurgis goes to see herm he realizes that she is working in a whore house, and Elzbieta and the children are living off of her shame. When Jurgis first finds out about this, he is shocked to have known that Marija would do something this shameful, but he eventually comes to understand that this was really the only way make money to survive.

When Jurgis and Marija are catching on what has happened to them so far, Marija mentions that Ona could have taken care of everyone in their family, in the beginning. I believe that Marija means that Ona could have possibly been in the same position that Marija is in now, when they first cane to the U.S. so that she could provide more money for her family.