Jurgis has a job and doesn't understand why others aren't equally satisfied with just being able to work. He is able to get his first job rather easily because of his size and strength (however, when he loses these attributes, he has a hard time finding a job).
Sinclair continues to contrast Marija with Ona. Marija is a go-getter who is able to find a job, while Ona stays home with the children. Marija gets her job, however, only through the misfortune of another. This is the first of many examples of the exploitative capitalistic system that works young children and ignores the injured and the elderly.
With many family members working, having found jobs rather easily, it is understandable that the allure of owning a house and creating a home captures the fancy of the family. However, both the house and Jurgis' wrath foreshadow future problems. The house symbolizes the American dream. But just as their dwelling is not really what it is presented as being, so too is the American dream false. Soon the house becomes an economic burden, forcing children to drop out of school in order to pay expenses. The dream becomes a nightmare as their lives become a living hell.
