It is the dawn of the twentieth century. Two young Lithuanian immigrants, Jurgis and Ona, hold their wedding celebration in Packingtown, the heart of Chicago's meatpacking district. According to custom, departing guests should give money to help pay for the party and start the newlyweds off in life. But many guests walk out leaving nothing. Ona worries about the couple's debts, but Jurgis calms her, saying, "I will work harder."

Strong and confident, Jurgis begins a job in a meatpacking plant, where he bears the twelve-hour workdays, the repellent and dangerous labor conditions, and the pitifully low pay. But when his family is cheated in a housing swindle, his father is forced to turn over one-third of his pay to the man who hired him. A sprained ankle costs Jurgis his job, the American Dream that inspired him veers into nightmare, and worse is yet to come.