The Jungle by Upton Sinclair - 1400 Words

What are the major issues Sinclair addresses in The Jungle? The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is a vivid account of life for the working class in the early 1900s. Jurgis Rudkus and his family travel to the United States in search of the American dream and an escape from the rigid social structure of Lithuania. Instead, they find a myriad of new difficulties. Sinclair attributes their problems to the downfalls of capitalism in the United States. While America’s system was idealistic for Jurgis and his family at first, the mood of the story quickly transforms to assert that capitalism is evil. This theme drives the author’s message and relay of major issues throughout the entirety of the novel. The idea of capitalism and social Darwinism is to†¦show more content†¦It is an obvious safety hazard at the fault of the company, yet, he does not receive compensation. He is forced to beg for his job back. Marija loses her job drawing advertisements at a canning company when she joins a union. Ona’s boss, Phil Connor, harasses her. When Jurgis learns of the assault, he attacks the man and goes to jail. â€Å"They put him in a place where the snow could not beat in, where the cold could not eat through his bones; they brought him food and drink—why, in the name of heaven, if they must punish him, did they not put his family in jail and leave him outside—why could they find no better way to punish him than to leave three weak women and six helpless children to starve and freeze?† (Sinclair, 184-185). This quote shockingly illustrates that the prison is actually an environment far preferable to the cruel, filthy world of Packingtown. Sinclair’s famous descriptions of the repugnant meatpacking plants is meant to enhance the plea for better physical conditions. There are endless examples where Sinclair addresses the lack of rights for the working class. He suggests socialism as a possible remedy where the social classes wo uld be even, but stresses the necessity of labor unions to maintain wages, workers’ compensation claims, and a safe and healthy work environment free from exploitation. Women were portrayed as even lower on the social scale. As previously mentioned, Ona was sexually assaulted by her boss. She was victimizedShow MoreRelatedThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1526 Words   |  7 Pagessocietal and government reforms did â€Å"The Jungle† call for. Do you feel this novel was effective in bringing about any of these reforms. â€Å"The Jungle†, written by Upton Sinclair, is an astonishing novel informing readers about the devastating truths involving impoverished life in America, particularly Chicago. This novel gives the reader an inside look into to the struggles of numerous European immigrants as they ventured to America during the early 1900 s. Sinclair depicts the disturbing and emotionalRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair986 Words   |  4 PagesThe life of Jurgis Rudkus, from the novel The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, shares many parallels to the life of the working class in American society during the period 1865 to 1910. that limits the freedom of the working class. Even though it is stated on paper that working class citizens such as Jurgis are equals and just as free as the upper-class citizens, society limited the the freedom of the working class. People like Jurgis are not truly â€Å"free† because the social and political forces at the timeRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair 1155 Words   |  5 Pages8/10/17 The Jungle By Upton Sinclair Book Review The working conditions in the US in the 20th  century were diffcult since workers had to struggle to survive on the daily bases.The Jungle written by Upton Sinclair does not only highlight the life of American workers but also uncovers the infleunce of capitalism in the US, where workers and employees were destined to fight for a living, while the upper-class reaped the benefits of national wealth.The Jungle gives many examples of theRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair651 Words   |  3 Pages This book is called The Jungle. The Author or this book goes by the name of Upton Sinclair. The Jungle was published on February 26, 1906. Upton Sinclair is an American author with almost 100 books which are based on many different genres. Sinclair is a journalist, novelist, as well as a political activist. Sinclair is most famous for this book. The Jungle is a novel that is based on the disgusting conditions of the US meatpacking industry, and the hardships of the labor that immigrant me n and womenRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1210 Words   |  5 PagesThe Jungle by written by Upton Sinclair Book Report This report is based upon the book The Jungle, written by Upton Sinclair. This book was published by The Jungle Publishing Co. New York in 1906. Introduction of Author: Upton Sinclair was born on September 20, 1878, in Baltimore, Maryland. He belonged to a family off southern aristocracy but once Sinclair was born, his family went into poverty. Sinclair was a very smart boy and graduated from high school at the age of fourteen to go on and attendRead MoreThe Jungle by Upton Sinclair 792 Words   |  3 PagesCritics often argue that Upton Sinclair, author of many classic American novels including The Jungle, was cynical and bitter even. However if one were to dig just a bit deeper they may realize that Sinclair was spot on in his idea that this â€Å"American dream† that our country sells is actually a work of fiction. In his book The Jungle, Sinclair, points out the flaws of the American dream. Many immigrants traveled thousands of miles aboard, cramped, disease infested, ships with hope of coming to thisRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1260 Words   |  6 Pages The Jungle by Upton Sinclair was published in 1906. After reading two-hundred and ninety-four pages, it is evident that humans have been shaping the world over time and the world has been shaping us as well. A lot has changed since the industrial revolution, the time frame in which this novel takes place. Our food industries have improved, money value has risen, and job opportunities have expanded. Throughout The Jungle the reader follows an immigrant family on their journey of hardships andRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair937 Words   |  4 PagesThe Jungle, by Upton Sinclair and Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, by Frederick Douglass both bring forth personal or fictional events that capture t he interest of the the reader. The use of pathos in their writing along with true events questions the ethics, morality, and human rights of each individual at the time setting for the publication. In the book, The Jungle, Upton Sinclair advocates for the overall elimination of oppression and exploitation of workers andRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1334 Words   |  6 Pages1900s there were already more than 10 million immigrants living in America. Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle reveals the struggles and hardships of a family that immigrated to the United States from Lithuania during the 1900s. Although many immigrant families came to America in search of a better life, soon most found themselves barely surviving with no job, food, shelter, or money. As is the case of the family in The Jungle. The novel not only unveils the corruption of the political and economic systemRead MoreThe Jungle By Upton Sinclair1000 Words   |  4 PagesThe Jungle â€Å"I aimed at the public s heart and by accident I hit in the stomach (Upton Sinclair).† Upton Sinclair originally intended to expose the horrible conditions faced by immigrants as they tried to survive in Chicago s Meat-Packing District in his 1904 novel â€Å"The Jungle.† Sinclair’s book created fear and anger in the public which would lead to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 (FMIA)is a law that makes it a crime to adulterate or misbrand