The Jungle, a novel by Upton Sinclair, exposes the cruel truth of the American Dream in a capitalist society. Sinclair drew from his own personal experience working in the meat packing industry to depict the events and conditions described in the book. This work gained notoriety for revealing the unclean practices and dishonest methods employed within the industry, sparking widespread anger and playing a role in the enactment of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906. It is worth mentioning that Sinclair’s intentions extended beyond investigative journalism as he also aimed to advocate for socialism.
The Jungle tells the tale of Jurgis Rudkus and his family, immigrants from Lithuania, as they embark on a fresh start in Chicago’s stockyards during the early 1900s. Their journey is fraught with adversity and grueling labor as they strive to make their mark in this foreign land. Jurgis undergoes a series of transformations – from destitute worker to beggar, thief, and eventually becoming a floor-boss. However, it is not until he stumbles upon a socialist gathering that he becomes utterly captivated and transformed.
Upton Sinclair’s novel, The Jungle, diverges from its initial plot to delve into the principles of socialism and how adopting a socialist approach could enhance the quality of life for the general population. In his literary work, Sinclair dismantles the notion of the American Dream as a means to criticize capitalist principles and instead advocate for the values upheld by socialism. Throughout its history, the concept of the American Dream has motivated immigrants to transform their lives upon reaching America, as they believe that diligence and effort can lead to success and prosperity. The main characters, Jurgis and his wife Ona, immigrate to America with the assurance that they will find both economic opportunities and social equality.
Juries considers hard work as the solution to every problem. Similar to other immigrants, he desires homeownership and education for his children. He aspires for prosperity and strongly believes in the equality of all individuals. However, the reality of life in the stockyard contradicts this dream. The Jungle illustrates how America’s rhetorical claims of equality and brotherhood are undermined by its foundation of intentions and greed. This opportunism has infiltrated every aspect of their aspirations.
They are immersed in a profit-centered capitalist system that offers no leniency unless one can afford to compensate for their wrongdoings. No one receives forgiveness; the profitability of the stockyards takes precedent over safety and security, which is also reflected in the working conditions of the packing houses. Although Jurgis initially feels enthusiastic about his new position on the killing floor, he quickly realizes that the labor is physically demanding. Despite his size and strength, even Jurgis struggles to keep up with the relentless pace enforced by the floor-bosses, who provide no breaks or room for mistakes.
According to Derrick (130), the novel depicts Gurgles becoming trapped in a monotonous cycle of repetitive actions. The workers are required to perform machine-like tasks endlessly, displaying robotic precision. Their lack of fair pay is attributed to the availability of a constant stream of men waiting outside the gates, willing to perform these repetitive motions that can be easily taught to a newcomer. Furthermore, the working conditions are abysmal as the workers stand in a pool of blood that measures half an inch deep each day, while their nearby colleagues wield knives haphazardly. Throughout the novel, numerous injuries afflict the workers, including Juries who suffers from a sprained ankle and a burned hand during his work.
According to the author Diskettes, injuries with grotesque consequences were unavoidable in the stockyards, and the company never accepted responsibility for them (57). A particular worker who was crushed by an elevator serves as an example; he was deceived by the company’s lawyer into signing away his claims for damages before his death, receiving only twenty-five dollars in return (Sinclair 58). When Jurgis, another worker, gets injured, his younger siblings are compelled to leave school and sell newspapers on the streets. Their education is sacrificed to help support their family. Consequently, the challenging lives of the Arduous family do not align with their expectations of a typical American lifestyle.
Sinclair highlights the appalling conditions to illustrate the disregard of companies for their workers’ well-being, as workers are viewed as expendable tools. The labor takes a toll on the workers’ physical health, while the insufficient pay deprives them of proper nutrition. According to Diskettes (56), Sinclair’s point is that “wage slaves” lack autonomy and are treated as machines, contrary to their human nature. This encapsulates the socialist perspective on capitalism, stating that individuals are engulfed by the system and therefore cannot lead fulfilling lives.
The novel demonstrates the loss of individuality through the family’s struggle to afford housing and basic needs, despite their hard work. Juries, Non, Marina, and Standstills have sacrificed their personal passions to support themselves in the meatpacking industry. When they first arrive in Chicago, they use most of their savings to purchase a house, as it is a dream shared by many immigrants in America.
Teat Elizabeth is anxious while signing the contract for a supposedly new and affordable house, as she only understands Lithuanian and the contract is in English. The family eventually realizes they have been deceived when they learn about the additional expense of insurance for the house. At that moment, Juries appears determined and grimly asks the agent to clarify all the expenses they are responsible for. Once the deed is signed, the agent has nothing to gain by staying silent (Sinclair 75).
According to Elliott (94), the family had been deceived into giving away their money, and the only new feature of the house is the paint. Additionally, the expenses surpass their ability to manage. They come to the realization that their combined salaries cannot cover both the house payments and their basic needs. They are aware that, like many others in the past, they would sacrifice everything to make the payments only to eventually lose everything, which unfortunately happens. Losing their house marks the beginning of the end for Juries’ family. Furthermore, Non dies during childbirth shortly after Juries, who has been imprisoned, discovers that they have lost their home.
Ana’s death represents the demise of her family’s hopes for happiness and prosperity. The influence of capitalism goes beyond depriving the Arduous of their money, health, and home – it also encroaches upon their social rights. According to Sinclair, he aimed to demonstrate that the suffering and misery experienced by the Arduous stemmed from the system controlled by the wealthy, rather than solely from their financial difficulties (Mockery 77). Meanwhile, Non is sexually assaulted by her boss, who threatens to have her family dismissed if she refuses. When Juries is brought to trial for attacking this individual, the defense attorney simply requests for Juries’ imprisonment and the Judge readily concurs, rendering any form of defense futile.
Later, it becomes clear that the Judges are colluding with the political bosses when Juries is taken to court for the same crime. This occurs after Juries has a chance encounter with Ana’s rapist, who he comes across after entering the world of political graft. Due to his connections, Juries is released without any punishment. When discussing the judicial system, Juries expresses Sinclair’s view that it is corrupt due to graft and bribery. He states, “their Justice, it was a lie a hideous, brutal lie… It was a sham and a loathsome mockery – there was no justice, there was no right anywhere in it – it was only force, it was tyranny, the will and the power, reckless and unrestrained!” (Sinclair 148). The political bosses and corporate businessmen use deceit to increase their own wealth while disregarding the rights of the workingman. This corruption is also present in the electoral system. The city’s democracy is merely a façade for businessmen who truly control it (Sinclair 232). Juries earns more money as a political worker than he ever could working in the stockyards, simply by buying votes for his candidate. However, his earnings pale in comparison to those of the political bosses who profit from public projects or have insider information on horse race outcomes. Men are not inherently evil, but within capitalism, immoral behavior is systematically rewarded” (Yoder 14).The novel illustrates that the American Dream’s promise of success through honest labor is false. The only way to achieve economic advancement is through deception and corruption. The renowned principles advocated by the American government offer no solution in the Jungle. The law can be manipulated by those with the most money and influence. While most of the novel focuses on Jurgis’ experiences and the appalling conditions of the city, the concluding paragraphs shift the spotlight to examine socialist ideals.
Juries stumbles into a convention hall seeking warmth and suddenly becomes captivated by a socialist speaker who resonates with him and convinces him of the socialist solution. Following this encounter, Juries secures employment as a hotel worker for a committed socialist. He derives immense satisfaction from contributing to the socialist cause and finds himself free from financial troubles. According to Derrick (127), capitalism is held responsible for much of the suffering portrayed in the novel. However, Sinclair perceives capitalism as an innate state that humans can intermittently succumb to or transcend through the implementation of socialist principles, as suggested by the title of the book.
Juries, representing the common man, is liberated from his societal vices through his adherence to socialism. He enthusiastically asserts that socialism epitomizes freedom and autonomy, allowing individuals to possess their own employment and act as their own leaders. It grants them the ability to work at their convenience and choice of location, offering abundance and opportunities. The proponents of socialism in this section of the story are unbeatable, prevailing over their narrow-minded adversaries in two discussions by presenting indisputable arguments.
In his speeches, Sinclair expresses his perspective on socialism, aiming to persuade readers that it is the solution to all their problems. Despite being a muckraker, Sinclair does not want The Jungle to be limited to just Chicago. According to him, The Jungle represents civilization as a whole, not just a specific place like Backpacking, Chicago, Illinois, or the United States (Sinclair 116). As a naturalist writer, Sinclair believes that the characters’ actions are influenced by their environment. Therefore, Jurgis feels miserable when working as a packer but becomes ecstatic when embracing a free socialist ideology.
The importance of blaming Arduous’ difficulties on corrupt political bosses and stockyard owners is emphasized in this text. Sinclair believes that the suffering and injustice experienced by Arduous cannot be solely attributed to one person or group. Instead, it is the result of human greed and the capitalist system that encourages and supports this greed. Therefore, as long as a capitalist society exists, these issues will continue indefinitely.
In his work The Jungle, Sinclair aims to persuade readers to abandon capitalism and embrace socialism as the only way to bring about a change in civilization. He demonstrates how capitalism destroys and ruins the American Dream by depicting the Arduous family as wage slaves, devoid of individuality and serving only as tools for their employers. Yoder argues that Sinclair’s portrayal of Lithuanian peasants immigrating to America vividly illustrates that the idea of our melting pot is far less appealing than the promises made on the Statue of Liberty” (Yoder 4).
The family endures dreadful working conditions and low wages, ultimately losing their one valuable possession, their house. Moreover, the capitalist system corrupts both America’s democracy and the court system. Ultimately, the novel argues that the only solution against these injustices is a shift to a socialist system. If The Jungle solely focused on the unsavory meat packing methods in Backpacking, it would have been forgotten as a mere historical artifact.
Rather, The Jungle portrays the existing imperfections in a social system and puts forward a solution, albeit an idealistic one, through socialism. This novel supports the need for change in both food processing and society as a whole. If America truly desires to realize the “American Dream,” then socialism is the sole means of attaining that objective. Until then, the American Dream will persist merely as an aspiration within its citizens’ thoughts. Works Cited: Sinclair, The Jungle.
