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The Jungle


            Works of literature are often written for many reasons. Many novels are written to entertain their readers, often with suspense and acts of comedy. The Jungle, a novel written by Upton Sinclair, however, uses harsh and vivid images to display how life was like in industrial Chicago in the early 1900's. The reader follows the life of Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuania immigrant who struggles to survive in the harsh conditions of Chicago. Throughout the novel, the reader is reminded of the injustices of the capitalist government and its corrupt officials, and is lead to believe that the ideas of socialism are those to follow. .
             A main result of this novel was the exposure of industry during the early 1900's. One industry in particular was the meatpacking industry. This novel displayed the reality of life in the meatpacking industry. In one instance of the novel, Jurgis tells about the Deviled Ham and how it was made of scraps, bits, and pieces of all different types of animals. This was not the worst of it either. The workers were forced to package putrid meat that was unsuitable for human consumption. To make it seem like nothing was wrong, the meat was packaged in nice cans to make it seem like the meat was great and edible. This was similar to the way that capitalism worked during this novel. It looked good on the outside, but on the inside, it was putrid and caused the abuse and deaths of many immigrants and workers.
             Literature is timeless. It is often written to confront the problems of its day. However, many pieces of literature have truth in the present day as well. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle is a novel about the evils of capitalism and the struggles of an immigrant in America. This book had a great impact on the American Society and through Sinclair's words, he was able to spread the ways of the Socialist. This story of the struggle of Jurgis Rudkus touched the lives of many people when it was written, and it still continues to touch the lives of readers today.


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