Final answer:
In 'From Lithuania to Chicago Stockyards', the 'wolves' referred to by the shoemaker are the slaughterhouse owners. The comparison is used to symbolize their exploitative nature, preying on workers' labor and highlighting the unjust economic conditions of industrial workplaces.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the text 'From Lithuania to Chicago Stockyards', the shoemaker refers to the employers and owners of the Chicago slaughterhouses as 'wolves'. This metaphor is used to symbolize their predatory and exploitative nature. As wolves prey on weaker creatures in the wild, the 'wolves' in the story are presented as preying on the hard labor of workers, exploiting their needs and paying them meager wages while gaining huge profits.
This comparison serves to highlight the stark power dynamics and unjust economic conditions prevalent in industrial workplaces at the time. The metaphor of 'wolves' amplifies the message of worker exploitation and enhances the emotional impact of the narrative, making the reader more empathetic to the workers' plight.
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