Literary Analysis Essay on "The Jungle"

Introduction

The author of "The Jungle" was Upton Sinclair. He is considered an American author who wrote over 100 novels in his entire life. The book was based on facts to present fiction. The theme of the story was to show how capitalism and an inefficient government were a burden to many innocent workers, yet the critical solution to change was social reform. He primarily targeted the exposure of slave wages endured by the lower levels of the US economy. He wanted to show how there were well-known yet neglected unsanitary conditions tied to the meat packaging industry in Chicago. Even though the part of the story provided was not based on an actual family in Lithuania, it depicted a hidden truth experienced by many immigrating families in that part of the US. The thesis proves the Socialist character of him when he draws attention to the misery of the lowest tier of workers in the capitalist economy. The theme is remembered for initiating federal regulation at least a century later.

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"The Jungle" was published in 1906 and aimed at critiquing the social, political, and economic challenges of the food industry of the early 20th century. The work focuses on a poor immigrant family that is in search of a better life; the story was founded from an article he was to write regarding Chicago's packing grounds for the socialist magazine "Appeal to Reason." His intentions of the scope of works were to create a socialist community founded on capitalism. The author's point of view was how place, time, and industry were insignificant to the workers. Failure of capitalism is, in his perception, inhuman, destructive, brutal, violent, and unjust. The story was researched by the author in the early nineteen hundreds, and it was being used as a backdrop for political, social, and industrial reforms. This presented the expectations from the working class; the way classification was used to structure a society, and the rights evident from the rankings. These were related to the time the novel was written as it was a time founded on a capitalist society. Furthermore, it was just the beginning of a century, meaning there were many expectations from the government and industry. The location also adds to the story, as the story was set in Chicago, which was full of changes at that specific time. The time that he researched had Lithuanians entering Chicago only to find the hardest working and lowest-paying jobs.

The author supports his thesis through the facts of socialism, muckraking, labor, unfair practices, and unsanitary conditions. On socialism, the novel's capitalism presents as a failing system that only oppresses the worker while feeding the authorities. The problems experienced by the main characters were a demonstration of the evils and corruption of the capitalist economies of the region. Some of the involved parties include Jurgis and Ona and their immigrant friends and family, who perceived to be in extreme poverty. They seek work at a company that is focused on speed and efficiency yet neglects the working conditions of the workers. In Chapter six, Majauzskiene narrates about the immigrants who have been beaten down by the Beef Trust that operates in stockyards. Chapters 28 and 30 also reveal the oppression and socialist activities of the industries.

The author also supports his thesis with Muckraking by intending to promote socialism and deface capitalism. In Chapter Three, a government official and inspector are distracted, and any diseased cattle could be slaughtered for human consumption. Just as the beef booses distracted the inspector, chapter nine clearly illustrates how Jurgis is bribed with beer to give his vote in an election. While supporting the thesis by labor and unfair practices, he provides examples of workrooms at the industries that were unheated and dangerous, especially during winter. The enterprises would only manage to be victims of frostbite and desperation. On bringing extra workers in chapter eleven, the situation is worsened as wages are brought down and labor becomes surplus. In support of his thesis with unsanitary conditions, Jurgis is seen to watch as pregnant cows are sneaked pas the government inspector and slaughtered. He is also seen to learn how tubercular steer and hogs were spurred for meat. He also learns that horsemeat was edible without the consent of the public. The sausage was also being doctored in unsanitary conditions where a mix of animal parts was grounded into sausage. They would be combined with leftovers at the room that would be picked up with dead rats and other filth as observed by Elzbieta.

The author's style is analytical. The tone used is dark and oppressive. Whenever there are glimmers of hope, they are taken away with a negative turn of events. For instance, when Ona finds employment, he gets raped by her boss. When family members find jobs, they are not paid fairly for the work they do. The events presented in the novel prove it to be an exhausting, sad, relentless and infuriating happening. There are many obstacles to be overcome for Jurgis that are given in detail throughout the story. For instance, chapter five exhibits the family purchasing a home that they later find out unexplained terms in that they owe even more money than they expected. Jurgis injures himself in chapter twelve and cannot return to work, forcing the children to take jobs for family income. These events portray the needlessness and sadness of the author. Each of these can be related to the failure of capitalism.

"The Jungle" is a story well-planned and concisely written on facts and fiction to address issues regarding capitalism in the US economy. The author was interested in the areas of socialism, muckraking, labor, unfair practices, and unsanitary conditions, which support his thesis. Workers were being oppressed, and even though a fictional family was used, it was relatable to the conditions at that time. His style that involves dark and oppressive conditions contributes to the unfair working practices experienced by industrial workers. His work remains significant as evident through the creation of the Pure Food and Drug Act as well as the Meat Inspection Act.

Bibliography

Dawson, Hugh J. "Winston Churchill and Upton Sinclair: An Early Review of "The Jungle"." American Literary Realism, 1870-1910 24, no. 1 (1991): 72-78. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27746475.

Moghtader, Michael. "Discursive Determinism in Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle"." CEA Critic 69, no. 3 (2007): 13-27. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44377657.