The Jungle
Upton Sinclair
(Author)
Description
The main character in the book is Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant trying to make ends meet in Chicago. The book begins with his and Ona's wedding feast. He and his family live near the stockyards and meatpacking district, where many immigrants work who do not know much English. He takes a job at Brown's slaughterhouse. Rudkus had thought the US would offer more freedom, but he finds working conditions harsh. He and his young wife struggle to survive. They fall deeply into debt and are prey to con men. Hoping to buy a house, they exhaust their savings on the down-payment for a sub-standard slum house, which they cannot afford. The family is eventually evicted after their money is taken.
Product Details
Price
$16.00
Publisher
Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Publish Date
July 28, 2016
Pages
364
Dimensions
5.98 X 9.02 X 0.75 inches | 1.07 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9781511591782
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Become an affiliateAbout the Author
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr., born on September 20, 1878, was an influential American writer, muckraker, and political activist renowned for his involvement in progressive causes and his 1934 bid as the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of California. His literary career was prolific, with nearly 100 books spanning various genres, cementing his reputation as a prominent figure in early 20th-century literature. Sinclair's most notable work, The Jungle, published in 1906, exposed the harsh realities of the U.S. meatpacking industry, leading to significant public outcry and the subsequent enactment of the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act the same year. His investigative prowess continued with The Brass Check in 1919, a critical look at American journalism and the concept of a free press, influencing the establishment of the first journalistic code of ethics.Sinclair's writings often reflected his socialist beliefs, portraying the struggles of the working class against industrial magnates, as seen in novels like King Coal, Oil! and The Flivver King. These works not only entertained but served as historical commentaries on the industrialization of the United States, offering insights from both the workers' and industrialists' perspectives. Despite his unsuccessful runs for office, including his campaign for Governor of California during the Great Depression with the End Poverty in California platform, Sinclair's advocacy for social reform and his critique of economic injustices left a lasting impact on American society and literature. His commitment to social justice and his ability to mobilize public opinion through his writing earned him the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1943, a testament to his enduring influence as a writer and reformer.