Upton Sinclair’s novel “The Jungle” goes deeper than a simple expose of the meat packing industry, Sinclair’s real goal was to provide an in-depth expose of society itself. By analyzing the socialist messages within “The Jungle” the corruption of capitalism and fallacy of the “American Dream” reveal the seedy underbelly of society and the unsanitary / unsafe working conditions of the Industrial Revolution.
The Unsanitary Working Conditions of “The Jungle”
Meatpacking was still a relatively new concept at the time “The Jungle” was written. Meatpacking became an established business venture only after the end of the Civil War and only a few major companies participated in the industry. This could account for why companies felt that they could make their own rules in regards to sanitation and working conditions. Typically meat packing companies were only located in large cities because the demand for meat was greatest there. Although it is chronicled all throughout “The Jungle”, Chapter nine is especially chilling. Sinclair goes into great detail about the horrors faced by the working class, by giving examples of butchers with damaged hands, cooking rooms that were a breeding ground for disease, acid eaten workers, and undiscovered bodies that had fallen into vats1.
We now recognize that Sinclair’s concerns regarding unsanitary working conditions during this time were not without merit. Montagna states, “The towns that grew in the North were crowded, dirty and unregulated. They grew so rapidly that no one took the time to consider the consequence of such conditions. In the areas of public sanitation and public health, ignorance reigned. No one understood the effects of these unsanitary conditions upon humans. Conditions in these densely populated areas worsened to the point of the reappearance of outbreaks of disease. In the mid-1800s there were several outbreaks of typhoid and cholera.”2 Some attention to these conditions was accorded by Parliament in the form of Public Health Acts. These acts did improve conditions, though they were largely ineffective, for they did not grant local Boards of Health the powers to compel improvements. Sinclair was once quoted as saying, “I aimed at the public’s heart and by accident hit its stomach.” In other words he was unable to help the working class that he championed, but he did bring attention to food safety concerns.
The Failure of Sinclair’s Message
Written in the height of the industrial age, one can surmise that Sinclair wrote “The Jungle” to provide a voice for social justice. His emphasis on human rights issues and equality within social classes was sadly misconstrued by many readers at the time. Officials were inspired to enact the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906, as a result of “The Jungle”, yet ignored Sinclair’s concerns about worker rights 3. The act was described as, “The Act established standards for inspecting all meat processing plants that conducted business across state lines. It has since been amended and strengthened by subsequent acts, including
1.Sinclair, U. (2001). The jungle. Dover Publications.
2.Montagna, J. "The Industrial Revolution." Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2013.
3..The jungle by upton sinclair . (2011, March 2).
1967s Wholesome Meat and Wholesome Poultry Products Acts. The Act paved the way for the eventual creation of the Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies.”4 So why didn’t this powerful novel provoke the response Sinclair intended? One may argue that society was simply ill-prepared to receive Sinclair’s message in 1906, in essence Sinclair was “before his time’. With the great influx of immigrant works and industry in America it would take society many years to catch up with the rapid growth of industry and population.
While Sinclair did endeavor to give a voice to the working class and immigrants, he also displayed some instances of racism throughout “The Jungle.” Most notably was his portrayal of African Americans, who were often victimized in Upton’s portrayal. This racism undermined his message of equality by showing his own biases 5. A line such as “throng of stupid black negroes” shows a white agenda 6. These statements lost him the support of African American socialists and those who found his statements offensive and contradictory .
The Audience for “The Jungle”
The audience for “The Jungle” was the middle and upper classes7. The American Socialist Party was greatly emphasized by Sinclair as the answer to political corruption 5. Sinclair was so deeply engrained into the roots of socialism that his views present bias against other political parties, accusing them of deep corruption and capitalism 8. These generalizations enraged the upper and middle classes instead of endearing them to Sinclair’s cause.
Sinclair’s main problem with the packing industry was not with the products, but with the workers who produced them. However, the working class that was the star of “The Jungle” was unable to read it due to the very social concerns that Sinclair illustrates. In 1906, the majority of the working class was illiterate or not financial able to purchase luxuries such as a book 7.Working hours didn’t allow time for reading. Even though “The Jungle” was printed in several different languages, it still excluded many immigrants 9. Those who may have benefited most from Sinclair’s message were generally excluded because of their class. The conditions that held back the character of the book also held them back in reality. Sinclair obviously didn’t feel that the working class was capable of making changes on their own. He condemned attempts at unionization, feeling that the results were inadequate and dangerous 10.
He underestimated the working classes sense of morality and ability to think for themselves without political intervention. He states that, ”Packinghouse workers were ‘rats in a trap,’ that prostitutes fared better than ‘decent’ girls, and that ‘if you met a man who was risingyou met a knave’” 11. Despite wanting to champion for their rights, Sinclair clearly holds a low view of the working class himself.
4,5,7,8, &9. Upton sinclair’s the jungle failed to deliver its socialist message . (2011, March 2). Retrieved from http://thejunglebookproject.blogspot.com/2011/03/upton-sinclairs-jungle-failed-to.html
6 &11.Sinclair, U. (2001). The jungle. Dover Publications.
The Evils of Capitalism
“The Jungle” presents those evils of capitalism throughout all twenty seven chapters. The character of Jurgis, presents a working class immigrant that is subject to the inhuman injustice of capitalism . Sinclair wishes to deconstruct the “American Dream” of an idealistic opportunity of success and equality. Hard work and success are not always synonymous, as shown through Jurgis’ struggles . Jurgis symbolizes all of the down trodden, while the cans of rotten meat symbolizes politics as a whole, shiny and promising on the outside and rotten on the inside 13.Sinclair’s portrayal of capitalism as evil and socialism as the ultimate good, doesn’t accurately analyze both sides. In reality, it is unlikely that American can exist without both. To say that one is all evil and one is all good is narrow sighted.
“The Jungle” relied on the very people it condemned to make it either successful or not. Most publishing companies were run by large businesses and didn’t want to support Sinclair’s anti-capitalist agenda that went against their own. As a result “The Jungle” received very little in terms of promotion or review. The middle and upper class were naturally very hesitant to buy a book that labeled them as corrupt and un-Christian .
The Failure of an Author
Many felt that Sinclair distorted the facts to present his own agenda. For example, Sinclair accuses the meat packing industry of having human parts mixed in with their sausages, while in truth examination of the meat packers accused by Sinclair provided no evidence to support his claims. His lack of evidence to support his beliefs led him to slander major industries in support of propaganda for the socialist cause. Industries accused by Sinclair retaliated by making a “beef trust” whose goal was to ruin Sinclair’s credibility .
Sinclair eventually admitted that his own financial woes affected his writing. He was destitute and unable to support his family at the time “The Jungle” was written. His bitterness towards capitalism led to put forward unjust statements. He admits to not following up on accusations he made because of his own financial inability to travel to packing districts to substantiate the facts .
Conclusion
In conclusion, there were many factors that prevented “The Jungle” from achieving the goals it had proposed. Not only did the main characters not have the ability to change the issues at hand, society at the time was also unable to substantiate Sinclair’s pleas. The failure of “The Jungle” was in part to Sinclair’s writing and in part to societal and political concerns. However he was successful in bring attention to some food safety concerns. “The Jungle” led to the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906 that may have very well saved many lives from contaminated food supplies and did improve conditions for some workers by insuring a safer protocol. The unsanitary working conditions highlighted within “The Jungle” showed how dire it was to ensure food safety and make sure that workers were treated in an ethical manner. Sinclair made some mistakes in his portrayal of this issue but his contribution to the issue of human rights has left a lasting impression on the American public. Sinclair’s intended audience was unwilling to accept Sinclair’s message due to social and political concerns, the working class on the most part were unable to read this book, it was not until many years later that audiences realized what Sinclair’s true intentions in writing “The Jungle” were.
Works Cited
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Kitsuse, John, and Malcolm Spector. "Toward a Sociology of Social Problems: Social Conditions, Value-Judgments, and Social Problems." Social Problems 20.4 (1973): -. Print.
Montagna, J. "The Industrial Revolution." Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2013.
The jungle by upton sinclair . (2011, March 2). Web. 12 Jan. 2013. http://thejunglebookproject.blogspot.com/2011/03/thesis-evolution.html
Toynbee, Arnold. The industrial revolution. Boston: Beacon Press, 1956. Print.
Upton sinclair’s the jungle failed to deliver its socialist message . (2011, March 2). Retrieved from http://thejunglebookproject.blogspot.com/2011/03/upton-sinclairs-jungle-failed-to.html
Vries, Jan De. "The Industrial Revolution and the Industrious Revolution." The Journal of Economic History 54.2 (1994): 249-270. -. Web. 12 Jan. 2013.
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