# Marija Berczynskas — The Jungle character guide > Marija Berczynskas in The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Cousin Marija, Marija, Poor Marija **First appearance:** 0002-i ## Snapshot The family's roaring, softhearted cousin, who bosses the wedding, paints cans for wages, and falls hard for a violinist named Tamoszius. ## Who they are Marija runs the Rudkus wedding like a general, bellowing orders in Lithuanian and Polish and dragging half of Ashland Avenue along in her wake. She works in the canning factory, earns the steadiest money in the household, and spends much of it on the children despite her own plans to marry Tamoszius in the spring. Her warmth and blunt competence make her the family's practical backbone — and the person whose future the yards will test hardest. ## Relationships ### [Jurgis Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/jurgis_rudkus) _family_ Marija is Ona's cousin and a close family ally to Jurgis, fiercely loyal but often strained by economic hardship. ### [Tamoszius Kuszleika](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/tamoszius_kuszleika) _romantic_ Tamoszius is a violinist and Marija's fiancé, but their marriage is delayed and ultimately ruined by poverty and Marija's descent into prostitution. ### [Ona Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/ona_rudkus) _family_ Marija and Ona are cousins and close confidantes, sharing the burdens of work and family in the harsh Chicago stockyards. ### [Elzbieta Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/elzbieta_rudkus) _family_ Elzbieta and Marija are aunt and niece, bound by blood and mutual dependence as they struggle to keep their family together. ### [Jurgis Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/jurgis_rudkus) _family_ Marija is Ona's cousin and a close family ally to Jurgis, fiercely loyal but often strained by economic hardship. ### [Jurgis Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/jurgis_rudkus) _family_ Marija is Ona's cousin and a close family ally to Jurgis, fiercely loyal but often strained by economic hardship. ### [Elzbieta Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/elzbieta_rudkus) _family_ Elzbieta and Marija are aunt and niece, bound by blood and mutual dependence as they struggle to keep their family together. ### [Ona Rudkus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/ona_rudkus) _family_ Marija and Ona are cousins and close confidantes, sharing the burdens of work and family in the harsh Chicago stockyards. ### [Tamoszius Kuszleika](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/tamoszius_kuszleika) _romantic_ Tamoszius is a violinist and Marija's fiancé, but their marriage is delayed and ultimately ruined by poverty and Marija's descent into prostitution. ## In the story ### [The Jungle](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/the-jungle) Ona's cousin, a lively and determined woman who works to support the family. ### [The Wedding Feast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/i) A forceful and energetic cousin who drives the dancing and singing, often berating the musicians to keep playing. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/ii) A cousin of Ona's; an orphan who joins the party at the last moment after nearly killing her abusive employer. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/iii) Marija is part of the family group touring the yards. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/iv) Finds a job as a can-painter after a day of searching; celebrates with the family. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/vi) Helps Ona find work through a friend and advises on the bribe required for the forelady. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/viii) Joins the union but her canning-factory closes; she speaks out passionately at a union meeting about the injustice. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/ix) Marija's former plant is referenced as a place where cattle-butchering for canning occurs. ### [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/x) In despair as the canning factory remains closed; her savings are nearly gone; forced to give up marriage plans to support the family. ### [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xi) Becomes a skilled beef-trimmer and saves money; experiences a terrifying bank run and sews her silver dollars into her clothes. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xii) Sets out with the family during the snowstorm to try to get to the yards. ### [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xiii) Marija contributes ten dollars toward Kristoforas's funeral, helping Elzbieta when Jurgis insists the child must be buried by the city. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xv) Present during the crisis of Ona's disappearance and the subsequent events. ### [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xvii) Cut her hand badly, the wound is turning green, and the company doctor says she may need to have it amputated; she is out of work and nearly out of money. ### [Chapter XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xix) Helps push Jurgis out of the house during Ona's labor. ### [The Siege of Despair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xx) Recovering from illness, hopes to get a job in the yards and is reluctant to leave her old-time lover. ### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xxi) Hunting for more work alongside Elzbieta; mentioned as having had an accident (referenced in Elzbieta's story to the settlement-worker). ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xxvii) Mentioned by Alena as having a good place and being able to help Jurgis. ### [The Convert's Crusade](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/chapters/xxx) Mentioned as part of the family, but not directly active in this chapter. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters/marija_berczynskas - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jungle_se/characters