Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle portrays the exploitation and abhorrent conditions that citizens experienced at the start of the United States’ Industrial Revolution. This turn of the century revolution brought about a new era of thinking, working, and living. Along with this new era also came the “American Dream” in all its glory. Unfortunately, the country failed to provide its citizens with any semblance of the dream. With these new philosophies and lifestyles, new problems also arose as featured in the novel. Many of these problems persist throughout American history as society and the government, while assuaging some, neglected others. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair is an ideal novel to depict the “American Dream”, our country’s failures
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The “American Dream” is an ever-popular concept that promises a land of democracy, opportunity, and equality to each of its citizens. In the early 1900s, factories and other businesses opened up across the country and thrived as a result of the people’s participation in the Industrial Revolution. These people were eager to perform hard-working jobs in a new country, as was Jurgis’ family. The United States would be a chance for them to turn their lives around. No longer would they be poor and uneducated; in the United States, they would work well-paying jobs in huge factories, and their children could go to public schools for free. They could vote to elect officials that best represent their ideas and needs, and practice whatever religion they wish. The “American Dream” was magnificent: a man could prosper solely based on the hard work he did without discrimination or unfair disadvantage based upon his social status. Each would earn exactly what they deserved, and the best man could become wealthy. This is what Jurgis’ family and many others in the United States desired; it did not take long for this “American Dream” to shatter before their eyes, for a dream was all it was. The compelling promise of the dream was nothing but an elaborate …show more content…
These problems include prominent scamming, a corrupt judicial system, homelesness, prostitution, and abhorrent working conditions. At the beginning of the novel, scams were the first issue. Jurgis’ family was scammed out of their money throughout the whole process of moving to America because of their ignorance. Many immigrants who shared this ignorance experienced the same troubles and, as a result, likely lived in fear of unexpected fees with every purchase. Another issue was the corrupt judicial system in the country. When the perpetrator of a misdemeanor was arrested, they would then be held for bail; the rich of course were the only ones capable of paying bail. The poor were forced to remain behind bars until their trial. This is an opportunity created solely for the rich, and therefore proves the judicial system caters to the wealthy. Those with money or connections could also make sure that their trials would go according to plan through bribery, ensuring their release with no repercussions but perhaps a small fine. Jurgis was both a man who was imprisoned without chance of paying bail and later a man who had wealthy connections. Two other problems featured in The Jungle were homelessness and prostitution. Jurgis was a victim of homelessness once he was injured on the job and could not work for a long period of time which resulted in a replacement worker hired in his place. There is no
The “American Dream” is an ever-popular concept that promises a land of democracy, opportunity, and equality to each of its citizens. In the early 1900s, factories and other businesses opened up across the country and thrived as a result of the people’s participation in the Industrial Revolution. These people were eager to perform hard-working jobs in a new country, as was Jurgis’ family. The United States would be a chance for them to turn their lives around. No longer would they be poor and uneducated; in the United States, they would work well-paying jobs in huge factories, and their children could go to public schools for free. They could vote to elect officials that best represent their ideas and needs, and practice whatever religion they wish. The “American Dream” was magnificent: a man could prosper solely based on the hard work he did without discrimination or unfair disadvantage based upon his social status. Each would earn exactly what they deserved, and the best man could become wealthy. This is what Jurgis’ family and many others in the United States desired; it did not take long for this “American Dream” to shatter before their eyes, for a dream was all it was. The compelling promise of the dream was nothing but an elaborate …show more content…
These problems include prominent scamming, a corrupt judicial system, homelesness, prostitution, and abhorrent working conditions. At the beginning of the novel, scams were the first issue. Jurgis’ family was scammed out of their money throughout the whole process of moving to America because of their ignorance. Many immigrants who shared this ignorance experienced the same troubles and, as a result, likely lived in fear of unexpected fees with every purchase. Another issue was the corrupt judicial system in the country. When the perpetrator of a misdemeanor was arrested, they would then be held for bail; the rich of course were the only ones capable of paying bail. The poor were forced to remain behind bars until their trial. This is an opportunity created solely for the rich, and therefore proves the judicial system caters to the wealthy. Those with money or connections could also make sure that their trials would go according to plan through bribery, ensuring their release with no repercussions but perhaps a small fine. Jurgis was both a man who was imprisoned without chance of paying bail and later a man who had wealthy connections. Two other problems featured in The Jungle were homelessness and prostitution. Jurgis was a victim of homelessness once he was injured on the job and could not work for a long period of time which resulted in a replacement worker hired in his place. There is no