Instead of his usual summary narrative, Sinclair dramatizes most of this chapter. For the first time, it appears that chance benefits Jurgis. Not only is Jurgis seemingly fated to meet Freddie Jones, but Freddie forgets that he gives Jurgis a $100 bill. Just as the dramatized scene is now out of place in the novel, the entire meeting seems out of place; however, if chance is responsible for all the misfortune in Jurgis' life, then it can likewise be responsible for this one seeming piece of luck.
This encounter enables Sinclair to dramatize how the upper class lives, comparing it to the miserable existence Jurgis has had in America. Not only does this chance meeting serve as contrast of the opulent versus the indigent, it serves as an opportunity to see how Jurgis responds to his newfound wealth. Without a doubt, Jurgis pockets the bill, but what he does next is extremely telling.
