FREE ESSAY ON JUNGLE

JUNGLE

The Jungle, written by Upton Sinclair in 1905, the author supports Socialism over
Capitalism and used the struggle to keep the house in order to portray the evils of
Capitalism on the family and the society in General.
The struggle to buy the house and to try keeping it is a symbol of unity in the family
represented by the house, which they battle against Capitalism to try to keep it. It
takes virtually all their money to get the house, and it will take almost all to keep it.
Jurgis worked in Durham's earning about one dollar and nineteen cents a day. The rest of
the family worked in other similar jobs to support each other and the house. The
industries and bosses who ran them took their toll on what the employees salary would be.
This entire Capitalistic environment exploited the worker and used every ounce of the
worker just like the pigs in order to help the companies make money. Their constant
struggle to work and keep the house was overwhelming and little by little it became more
difficult. " Here was Durham's, for instance, owned by a man who was trying to make as
much money out of it as he could, and did not care in the least how he did it; and
underneath him, ranged in ranks and grades like an army, were managers and
superintendents and foremen, each one driving the man below him and trying to squeeze out
of him as much work as possible."(63) Socialism is always a win-win situation for
everyone in which the community help amongst each other. Whereas in Capitalism, the rich
get richer and the poor get poorer, and the rich manipulate the hard working men to their
benefit.
The hours worked were inflexible and not safe. Workers would be rushed to work faster
increasing the chance of an accident to occur. The working conditions were unsanitary,
dreadful, and dangerous. Even kids under the age of sixteen had to work to help the
family. Basically, being a decent working person at that time was not enough to maintain
a healthy family. " Little Juozapas, who was near crazy with hunger these days, had gone
out on the street to beg for himself."(201) The C