Exploring The Jungle: The True Impact of a Literary Masterpiece

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Literature is a powerful and persuasive tool. History holds the proof that a well-written novel, even a work of fiction, has the power to profoundly impact society. One such novel is Upton Sinclair’s 1906 expose of the American immigrant, infamously titled The Jungle. The story is of the trials and tribulations of a Lithuanian family struggling to earn a living in the slaughterhouses of Chicago. The issues faced by this family are some of the most disturbing fictional depictions of the lower class, and some of the most well-read in the past century. The Jungle, now hailed as a literary masterpiece, is credited with being the reason for the Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act of the early 1900’s (Ewers). Though Sinclair’s story is revered for supposedly helping to reform a corrupt industry, research of both the current day meat packing industry and life of the twenty-first century immigrant proves that the story actually had very little consequence. In addition, research about Sinclair himself raises a number of questions about his motives and credibility. Although Sinclair’s novel was well received and thought to have made a major impact on society, it actually had very little effect on anything but the American psyche.

To further understand what has not changed because of The Jungle, it is first important to understand what the initial impact of the story was, and how it is perceived today. The very famous words of Upton Sinclair explain the forceful impact of his story perfectly, “I aimed at the public’s heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach (Cohen).” When The Jungle was first published in 1906, it was a series of short stories describing the plight of the main character, Jurgis, and his poverty-stricken f...

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Hinderliter, Justine. “From Farm to Table: “How This Little Piggy was Dragged Through the Market.”University of San Fransisco Law Review. Vol. 40 Is. 3. P. 739-76, 2006.

Klein, Julia M. “Sinclair Redux.” Columbia Journalism Review 45 no 2, 58-60. Aug 2006. Web. 2 March 2011.

Preston, Julia. “After Iowa Raid, Immigrants Fuel Labor Inquiries.” New York Times, July 27, 2008. Web. 2 March 2011.

Reed, Lawrence W. “How a food safety myth became a legend.” Consumer’s Research Magazine. Vol. 78, Is. 2, p. 23-24. Feb 1995. Web. 2 March 2011.

“The Jungle.” New Republic, Vol. 236, Is. 1-3, p.7. 1 Jan, 2007. Web. 2 March 2011.

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Walsh, Bryan. “America’s Food Crisis and How to Fix It.” Time, Vol. 174, Is. 8, p. 30-37. 31 Aug, 2009. Web. 2 March 2011.

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