Its a jungle out there
Its a jungle out thereIt’s a Jungle Out There
Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle (1906) gives an in depth look at the lives of the immigrant workers here in America. In fact the look was so in depth that the Pure Food and Drug Act was created as a result. Many people tend to focus purely on the unsanitary conditions instead of the hardships faced by the workers. Actually I think that Sinclair doesn’t want the focus on the meatpacking, but on overcoming obstacles, especially through Socialism. Sinclair was himself very outspoken when it came to Socialism.
The story takes place in Chicago with a group of immigrants. They have come to the United States only to discover that it is a cruel, harsh world, and the land of shattered dreams. The group first goes through many difficult trials and tribulations. The first big problem faced by the group is a marriage, which costs a great deal of money. The second ordeal is a very tragic death. After these one couple buys a house that is sold to them for three times its value. The parents and other groups then move into the house. One of the characters goes into the meat packing industry and this is where we find out all of the unsanitary details of the factory. Another character is a musician who is struggling to find work so his wife takes a job. After a while the character at the meat packing plant breaks his arm and is not received back once he heals. He learns at this that the owners do not care for their workers and will take you if you are new, but as soon as something happens they throw you out. It is at this point that the character talks to a Socialist ad he inspires him to begin traveling to the meetings. He returns to his job and becomes the manager immediately. After his first Socialist rally, he listens to mainly two people; one an ex-professor who has become a philosopher and the other an evangelist who has become a traveler.
The Jungle had a great deal to do about socialism....
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