Does the wedding feast at the beginning of the story signify peace and happiness in a time of turmoil and distress?

Yes, the wedding feast is a time of celebration. Ona and Jurgis have only been in America for a short time, but they have made many friends, and they have started to make a life for themselves. At this point in their lives, they have found some happiness despite the fact that they are forced to work long hours for what little wages they are able to earn.

Chapter One also introduces many of the Rudkus’s neighbors and friends. All the people at the wedding reception are working class people, who work alongside Jurgis and Ona in the packing houses in the Chicago stockyards. These people work in difficult situations that are not always safe or sanitary. They work long, hard days in order to provide for their families in a world where the poor have no recourse other than hard work or begging on the street. The wedding feast is a time of celebration.... a time to set difficulties aside and simply enjoy.