The Jungle written by American author, Upton Sinclair portrays a life of immigrants in 1906 Chicago. The work, a “muckraking” account of unsanitary conditions that were placed in Chicago stockyards quickly established itself in industrial capitalism and became one of the most groundbreaking novels of the age. The Jungle was written in such a devastating time period, when Theodore Roosevelt became President in 1901, and America was deeply divided by extreme wealth and poverty. The rapid development of capitalism and bitterness towards organizing the defense of working conditions against onslaught overshadowed the period since the Civil War. After the mass strike of 1877 employers repression was aided by anti-union laws as well as state militias
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Members of both sides of the family had come to America from Lithuaniain in hopes of finding the American Dream, but Packingtown was considered filth and was a dangerous place to live. Upon approach, Jurgis moves to Packingtown and finds a job quickly. He was working in a slaughterhouse sweeping blood into holes on the wooden floor. Marija, which was Ona’s cousin, finds ajob painting tin cans. Teta Elzbieta, Ona’s stepman, was hopeful in purchasing a home allowing everyone to pay a portion of the bill and thinking life around the family would be considerably great. Once winter approach, the thought of life being considerably great changed. Winter in Packingtown was terrible, it became relevant that social Darwinism comes into play, the weak always seemed to be weeded out. Everyone in the home had to join unions due to loss of jobs. Jurgis suffered from loss of work hours and Marija was layed off. Soon thereafter, Ona gave birth to a son in which they named Antanas, after Jurgis’ …show more content…
Sinclair wrote “ To Jurgis the packers had been equilvant to fate; Ostrinski showed him that they were the beef trust. They were the gigantic combination of capitalism, which had crushed all opposition, and overthrown the laws of the land, and was preying upon people.” In a more formal way, one could feel that Jurgis was adapting to a more socialist mindset in hopes of bringing an end to unsafe labor practices causing a shift of power that will bring an end to the meatpacking industry and
Members of both sides of the family had come to America from Lithuaniain in hopes of finding the American Dream, but Packingtown was considered filth and was a dangerous place to live. Upon approach, Jurgis moves to Packingtown and finds a job quickly. He was working in a slaughterhouse sweeping blood into holes on the wooden floor. Marija, which was Ona’s cousin, finds ajob painting tin cans. Teta Elzbieta, Ona’s stepman, was hopeful in purchasing a home allowing everyone to pay a portion of the bill and thinking life around the family would be considerably great. Once winter approach, the thought of life being considerably great changed. Winter in Packingtown was terrible, it became relevant that social Darwinism comes into play, the weak always seemed to be weeded out. Everyone in the home had to join unions due to loss of jobs. Jurgis suffered from loss of work hours and Marija was layed off. Soon thereafter, Ona gave birth to a son in which they named Antanas, after Jurgis’ …show more content…
Sinclair wrote “ To Jurgis the packers had been equilvant to fate; Ostrinski showed him that they were the beef trust. They were the gigantic combination of capitalism, which had crushed all opposition, and overthrown the laws of the land, and was preying upon people.” In a more formal way, one could feel that Jurgis was adapting to a more socialist mindset in hopes of bringing an end to unsafe labor practices causing a shift of power that will bring an end to the meatpacking industry and