Hard Worker

[Brownlie]

Read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

tell us why/admin

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any more outbreaks like the one removed and you will be banned/admin

I'm all too happy to talk about this so here is my ramble...


The Jungle details the life of a lithuanian who leaves a feudal society (where he cannot ascend beyond the class of a peasant) to follow the American dream. However, When Jurgis and his family arrive in Chicago he meets brutal conditions of wage labor in the Meat Packing industry. The first half of this novel is an effective presentation of what it might be like to work in a slaughter house. Sinclair did research on the meat packing industry and uses some in-depth details that make the story appear real.

The book was meant to move readers towards socialism but it ended up establishing the FDA. Unfortunately, the socialist propoganda over saturates the novel towards the end and there is an unrealistic epiphany and happy ending. The second half of the book really recreates the protagonist and makes Jurgis a rather hollow character. Despite the flaws the book accomplishes what I think realists meant to accomplish. It is the narrative of a common character who may not be sung about in older times. This book also questions the American Dream and the idea that success in a capitalistic society is a measure of how hard you work.

One only wonders about factory conditions in newly industrializing countries or of conditions of immigrants coming in from Mexico. Considering these things the novel is still relevant to today.