The Jungle help.

[tactical]

I have an essay test coming up. I read this book, but it was very hard for me to understand. My teacher gave me the main points that the essay is going to be over. I was just wondering if any of you kind people here can help me out on these. The 3 points are the following:

1) Why did Upton Sinclair write this book?
2) What was he trying to prove?
3) What arguments about American society is he making and how?

Thank you in advance.

[tactical]

bump, is there anyone?

[PabloQ]

T,
I'm pretty opinionated on this work, because I'm not that big of a fan. I'm know expert, this is my opinion. It's not base on any literary study or expertise.
1. I think Sinclair's intention was show the plight of the immigrant worker in industrial America. He chose an industry that not only abused it's workers, but was unsafe and unsanitary. He got the attention of the upper class by hitting them in the stomachs. But Jurgis' story goes beyond his work in the stockyards, he stumbles through the rest of his life an uneducated man with the hope of reclaiming what to him seems to be a time of prosperity. He never quite gives up on going to back to work in the meat processing plant although his injuries limit the work he can perform to earn a livable wage.
2. Given the couple of chapters at the end, Sinclair views socialism as the key to ending the unfair labor practices from the time.
3. This is overly simplistic, but the Haves really lord it over the Have Nots. The Haves control the American dream. The American laborer is a victim of the Haves and has an enormous disadvantage. He is helpless to do anything about it. With Sinclair in this work, he's pretty transparent. Jurgis serves as a kind of everyman who walks through this litany of personal catastrophes. Using one character as the focus, it shows how the ills of the upper class are heaped on the working class man (and his whole family). The downfall of Jurgis is representative of the fate of all workers..
Or something like that.
I hope maybe I spur your thinking about what you read in the book and put into the context of the assigment you were given. You might find that Im completely wrong.

[PeterL]

It is a very straightforward book. If you just read it, you will be able to answer those questions.