The American Dream In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle

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The book “The Jungle” written by Upton Sinclair provides a narrative of the negative aspects of of the working conditions in the early 20th century. this historic fiction novel begins with the introduction of a Lithuanian couple who have immigrated to America in hopes of achieving the American dream. In Lithuania, it is custom to leave money at a marriage to cover the costs, however in America, everyone leaves without paying. After Jurgis Rudkus and Ona Lukoszaite’s wedding, they realize they have several hundred dollars of debt. Jurgis, being faithful in the American dream vows he will work harder to pay off the debt. However as the story continues, their debt constantly increases and the low paying jobs with terrible conditions gradually…show more content…
Each chapter in the book demonstrates a specific aspect of the failures of capitalism. What has happened to Jurgis and his family is meant to symbolize how the economic conditions of America at the time affected the working class. Instead, Jurgis sees hope in socialism, which is portrayed as a solution for the destruction caused by capitalism. Sinclair incorporates how socialism works for the benefit of everyone and could even fulfill Christian morality. In addition, Ona and Jurgis are meant to represent the immigrants who come to America in hopes of making a new life for themselves and discovering that the American dream is not what they thought it was. This entire story demonstrates the corruption in the American society with unenforced laws, selfish politicians, scams where everyone is taking advantage of one another to become successful. At the beginning of the novel, the signs of corruption are minor, a few people don’tleave money to pay for the wedding. However, towards the end, Jurgis has become a thief, mugger, strikebreaker, and an agent in a political vote-buying scheme. The family itself has been subjected to swindles, manipulation, and even

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