"The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair

Paper Summary:

The author of the novel "The Jungle" uses his medium to describe the terrible working conditions he saw facing those working in the meat-packing industry at the turn of the century. Through the character Jurgis, who follows the American dream but finds the working conditions inhumane, the novel shows the work ethic to be strong in this society, causing many of the workers to accept their lot as if this were just the way things had to be. The paper concludes that Sinclair was lobbying for unions to improve the plight of the workers.

From the Paper:

"In the beginning, Jurgis accepts the work and has a view of the packing plant in Packingtown as a wondrous place he describes as "a wonderful poem" (67). He is energized by the many workers, the different processes, and the sense of many people working hard in one place that he finds in the plant. This is all quite new to him. He is hired in the first place because he is large and strong. How people are hired suggests the corruption that marks much of the workplace. Antanas is offered a job, but he must pay one-third of his wages in order to get it."

More papers on "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair:

• Analytical Essay # 25300 : "An Analysis of "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair"
• Book Review # 116999 : "The Jungle," by Upton Sinclair"
• Book Review # 74585 : "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: