The JungleThe Jungle is a novel written by the American journalist and novelist Upton Sinclair. Sinclair wrote the novel to portray the harsh conditions and exploited lives of immigrants in the United States in Chicago and similar industrialized cities. However, most readers were more concerned with his exposure of health violations and unsanitary practices in the American meatpacking industry during the early 20th century, based on an investigation he did for a socialist newspaper. The book depicts working class poverty, the lack of social supports, harsh and unpleasant living and working conditions, and a hopelessness among many workers. These elements are contrasted with the deeply rooted corruption of people in power. A review by the writer Jack London called it, "the Uncle Tom's Cabin of wage slavery".Sinclair was considered a muckraker, or journalist who exposed corruption in government and business. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
agony Aniele Antanas Ashland asked beef began bologna sausages boss Bubbly Creek cattle cents chance Chicago cold corner cried crowd delicatessen dollars door drink Duane Durham's eyes face feet fight floor friends gave girl gone Guv'ner half Halsted Street hands head heard hogs hour hundred Jadvyga jail Jokubas Jonas Jurgis sat Jurgis stood Jurgis's keep killing beds knew labor lard laughed Lithuanian lived look Marija matter meat Mike Scully morning nearly never night Ona's once Ostrinski packers packing Packingtown police policeman Republican rushed saloon screaming Scully snow Socialist soul stared stockyards stopped street suddenly Szedvilas Tamoszius tell Teta Elzbieta thing thought thousand told took turned union Upton Sinclair voice wage-slavery waiting walk week woman women wonderful workingman yards