Unable to remain drunk very long on the pittance he has, Jurgis returns to the widow's to find out that Elzbieta has begged enough money to pay for a funeral mass for Ona. Elzbieta uses baby Antanas as leverage as she encourages Jurgis to find a job, but he is refused a job even at the fertilizer plant. Finally he is offered a job, but when he reports for work, the boss tells him that he cannot use him. Jurgis is blacklisted.
After weeks of unemployment, a chance meeting with a former union associate leads Jurgis to a job in the harvester works. Jurgis is heartened by his new job and begins to make plans for the future, only to be laid off ten days later.
