The Role Of Individualism In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle

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The period between 1865 and 1910 raised many speculations that questioned the government’s growth of power and the definition of freedom in the United States. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, delivers an accurate representation of the difficulties that unfortunate immigrants had to endure without sugar coating the harsh reality of the working conditions. People like the main character by the name of Jurgis Rudkus are not truly exercising their freedom or equality rights, because capitalistic forces have corrupted economic, political, and social systems, resulting in the limitation of freedom for the lower, working class.
The idea of individualism was introduced during this time period. This concept was defined by society as being responsible for oneself, leading into the belief of equality of opportunity, which …show more content…

The proof of these selfish standards can be traced back to the Jungle as Jurgis quickly finds out that, “They use everything about the hog except the squeal.” (Sinclair, 37). This reveal sets a negative tone for the era as health standards were of little to no importance, and the workers of these factories endured a slave like atmosphere. In order to protest against the corruption of these political forces, workers, such as Jurgis Rudkus, formed unions like the knights of labor, which was led by Terence V. Powderly. The knights of labor were an early form of unionism that allowed all races, genders, and nationalities to become members. These labor unions provided a political voice for the workers who could not speak for themselves and had long lost the taste of equality and freedom. (Pettengill, 1-24-18). Unfortunately, many of these unions were unsuccessful such as the Haymarket Affair of 1886. The affair held a rally for an eight-hour work day that failed and turned deadly, however the rally did result in the increased fear of radicalism. (Pettengill,

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