Open Prompt Sept 18th

1987. Some novels and plays seem to advocate changes in social or political attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a novel or play and note briefly the particular attitudes or traditions that the author apparently wishes to modify. Then analyze the techniques the author uses to influence the reader's or audience's views. Avoid plot summary.

For writers who create there works during times of reform in society, it is a safe bet that there pieces will take part in and add to the conversation of reform.  This is certainly the case for Upton Sinclair’s piece The Jungle, written during the Progressive era that is most notably known influencing President Roosevelt in creating the Meat Inspection Act.  What is often ignored however is the fact that Sinclair’s piece was never about reform for America’s meat industry, but rather a cry for socialism in the United States.  Sinclair wishes to change the capitalist system and democratic government in the United States to a Socialist system and his views are especially effective to readers thanks to vivid imagery and unsavory details.  

            Sinclair’s main tradition that he wanted to modify was the tradition of a capitalist economy and democratic government that allowed a capitalistic system to dominate it.  With this capitalistic economy came the social attitude of competition among classes, in which the wealthy dominated the poor.  He makes brutally clear throughout the novel that the competition between massive corporations drives the horde of workers that are employed by them to near death in order to receive pay that is far below that of subsistence.  Capitalism of the early 1900’s was so free that the wealth became so heavily concentrated in the upper classes that there was nearly nothing left for those who worked to bring the corporations there wealth.  What allowed for this unfettered form of capitalism was a democratic form of government that was driver entirely by greed.  Local government, specifically which in Chicoago, was entirely controlled by political machines that were funded by local corporations. Sinclair knew that the solution to all of these problems was simply a socialistic society.  By making the idea of economic competition and greed obsolete, everyone would be on an equal level and would be able to live at a respectable level for human beings.  He was able to slightly disguise this message with one that was better received at the time, regulation of the meat industry of Chicago, and was successful at bringing change in this area only.  

            The details of the Chicago stock yards and the life that Yurgis Rudkus lived were what gave Sinclair’s story basis and made it especially receptive to audiences due to their depressing nature that people can’t ignore.  A few examples come to mind.  Sinclair spends a lot of the book describing the steps and procedures of animal slaughter in the stockyards of Chicago.  These gruesome details and often disgusting examples of rampant disease in food are downright disturbing for readers and at the time they certainly were concerned for their own well being.  He also often discusses the amount of work that Yurgis does to support his large extended family, somedays working nearly 18 hours in brutal physical labor, something very typical at that time.  This isn’t enough however and his entire extended family must go to work, including his elderly uncle and 10 year old nephew.  Even everyone working isn’t enough for the family and the weak members of his family die off very quickly.  Sinclair also adds to this tragic situation the terrible elements including mud clogged streets and brutal Chicago winters that make Yurgis fight every day to get to work.  All of these detail work together to create a tragic character out of Yurgis.  His plights are never ending and no matter how hard he tries to save his family, the work ahead of him is insurmountable and he loses everyone around him.  People can’t help but to feel for Yurgis and the tragic nature of his story really makes readers receptive to Sinclair’s idea that socialism could fix all of these issues.  It is hard for a reader not to read and wonder what Yurgis’s life in America would have been like if it would have been socialistic.  

            The imagery associated with The Jungle is also very effective in influencing reader’s views because it gives readers the horrors of Yurgis’s life in a manner that is inescapable.  Sinclair’s use of imagery is brilliant because of how brutal and terrifying it is for readers and it is impossible to ignore in this fashion.  One example that is especially vivid for the reader is the description of  Little Standislovas getting locked in a meat plant at night and being eaten alive by rats.  This is easily the most disturbing scene in the book.  To think of a little kid being eaten by rats just because he was trying to work late to help his family to survive is beyond tragic.  For any reader, especially a parent, this occurrence is so disturbing that they can’t help but agree with Sinclair that the capitalistic system of the 1900’s was truly horrible.  Another vivid example is Sinclair’s description of Yurgis coming home excitedly awaiting to witness his new born child, but ends up having to face his wife dying in childbirth.  The possibility of hope and utter depression of what actually happens is a sharp image in reader’s minds.  The only reason that this scene happens is because Yurgis is too poor to take his wife to a safe place to have her child.  The system that Sinclair attacks is directly responsible for this terrible scene, and again readers are easily brought into agreement with his opinion after reading such a vivid and shocking scene of death.   

            Sinclair was certainly a covert critic of America’s economic and social situation of the Progressive Era but was none the less very effective. Though his idea of a socialist government never took hold in America his piece was very effective.  People were certainly simultaneously disgusted and moved by the vivid story of Yurgis Rudkus, and these emotions brought about due to Sinclair’s use of details and imagery were especially effective in readers accepting Sinclair’s ideas.