Summary of Out of the Furnace - Essay Example

He is counseled to go to White Haven where he would meet Andrej Sedlar, his brother-in-law, and consequently, get a job in the railroad department. Kracha is not hitherto focused to lead an American life. During his search, he meets Zuska, a young married woman, and falls in love with her. Unfortunately, he spends all his money on her birthday by buying her whiskey but does not win her love. His extravagance in nature forces him to proceed the rest of the journey on foot. At White Haven, he meets his brother and a Slovak Immigrant Puskin and Dubik respectively. Dubik develops a strong relationship and becomes best friends. As a result, he is Dubik’s best man during his wedding. Even after Dubik moves to Andrews steel mill he encourages Kracha to join him.

Kracha emulates the American lifestyle of power and money as he despises his wife Elena consequently; ignoring her existence for over two years with the hope of winning Zuska’s love. Kracha ignores Elena’s feelings and declares Zuska as her second wife prompting the Americans to retract from purchasing from Kracha’s butcher shop. As a result, the business falls, and resolves to drink revealing showing his incompetence in the business as opposed to what is expected in the US. Kracha ends up losing everything including his second wife.

In contrast the second immigrant, Mike Dobrejcak is educated and is more accustomed to the American way of life. However, Mike falls in love with Kracha’s daughter, Mary. At that time she was working for an American family that resides near the beach. The two marry and live happy life. Unlike other immigrants, Mike’s education equips him with the necessity of making his family live the best life and consequently the luxuries that come with it. However, his job does not support his desire. Unfortunately, his mysterious death prompts a series of difficulties as the wife has to take care of their daughter. Thereafter his wife and daughter suffer from influenza and she could not visit the sanatorium as her ‘jail-mentality’ of the sanatorium could not allow to her visit the treatment facility. They succumb to their illness and die later.

John Dobrejak, another immigrant, is in opposition at his workplace place-the mills - as he is not satisfied with the little pay and subjection to terrible working conditions. He joins the unions as he feels they will be solutions to his problems. He feels the need to be equally treated in the hands of the Americans.

The book shows how all the immigrants leave their hometowns for the betterment of their livelihood. In conclusion throughout the story it is evidenced that for an individual to be successful one should have a positive attitude towards social equality and consequently be proud of who he is.