Sarah
05-24-2005, 06:07 PM
I read this novel for my US Literature class. I found that parts of it were very wordy and unnecesary. However, I think that overall, it sends a great message about human nature. It shows how someone respectable (Jurgis) can turn into a professional criminal. I also liked the details about the corruption and filth in the meat-packing industry. It definately wasn't something to read right before or after eating, but I found it interesting that people didn't know what was going on. This was an important element in food and drug reform. It opened up a can of worms that showed the corruption in not only the meat-packing industry, but also in society at the time.