| Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" is an incredible book | | | | balances. In the drive for even a half-penny extra |
| that is well known for its condemnation of the | | | | of profit, spoiled meat is bribed past inspectors, |
| unsanitary conditions of meat packing plants, but | | | | men are crushed and killed, waste is driven |
| many people today don't know that this book had | | | | wholesale into public drinking water and people are |
| a much wider, immense scope, and ambition. He | | | | made sick by the tens of thousands so a few |
| also dealt with issues of racism, immigration, | | | | very rich guys at the top can get a little richer. |
| poverty, capitalism run rampant, and social | | | | This is an amazing book, though its main |
| injustice. | | | | weaknesses are the same that are brought up |
| It's not out of line to say that Upton Sinclair's | | | | with the majority of Upton Sinclair novels. One is |
| "The Jungle" is arguably one of the best American | | | | that the opening is slow. It takes a long time in |
| books of the 20th century. This book is written | | | | the early chapters to introduce all the characters, |
| like fiction while displaying the actual real conditions | | | | and the other is that the ending reads like |
| of America for immigrant Jurgis Rudkus, who | | | | propaganda. Upton Sinclair believed that all |
| comes looking for the American Dream in the | | | | literature was propaganda, so this isn't surprising. |
| early 20th century and finds nothing but pain, | | | | These are minor weaknesses to an overall |
| heartache, and terrible conditions for everyone in | | | | amazing book that was one of the most influential |
| oppressive poverty. | | | | in American history. Many believe that only Harriet |
| Upton Sinclair shows that even as the immigrants | | | | Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had more |
| struggle to survive, that they come to realize | | | | of an influence on the United States than Upton |
| that it's a hopeless battle. They work in the | | | | Sinclair. |
| packinghouses which take advantage of their | | | | "The Jungle" is the perfect example of a lost art: |
| slave-like labor while bringing poverty, disease, | | | | an amazing fictional story illustrating a point far |
| death, injury, injustice, rape, jail and hopelessness. | | | | more greatly than non-fiction could hope to. Most |
| With no other options and a thousand men | | | | fiction nowadays trying to do the same comes |
| clamoring at the gate for their job, they are held | | | | across as preachy, and doesn't spend enough |
| in their position with no chance at improvement or | | | | time on the story. Upton Sinclair's novel is |
| escape. | | | | amazing, and should continue to be read today as |
| Upton Sinclair uses the story of Jurgis to show | | | | a reminder of what literature can do to help |
| the first hand experiences of a system where | | | | society, and to not forget about how bad things |
| capitalism runs amuck without any checks or | | | | used to be. |