Upton Sinclair

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Upton SinclairsThe Jungle
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Who was Upton Sinclair?
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Immigrant Story

• Family in Chicago

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Tenement Building
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Pork Industry- Chicago
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Beef Industry- Chicago
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Themes in the Jungle

• Evils of Capitalism
• The Immigrant Experience
• The American Dream
• Corruption
• Child Labor
• Working Conditions
• Living Conditions
• Family Traditions
• Social Darwinism
• The Jungle

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Push Factors

• A dramatic population increase
• The spread of commercial agriculture
• The rise of the factory system

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• After President Theodore Roosevelt read The
  Jungle ordered an investigation of the
  meat-packing industry.
• He also met Sinclair and told him that while he
  disapproved of the way the book preached
  socialism
• he agreed that "radical action must be taken to
  do away with the efforts of arrogant and selfish
  greed on the part of the capitalist."

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• With the passing of the Pure Food and Drugs Act
  (1906) and the Meat Inspection Act (1906),
  Sinclair was able to show that novelists could
  help change the law. This in itself inspired a
  tremendous growth in investigative journalism.
  Theodore Roosevelt became concerned at this
  development and described it as muckraking.
  Sinclair was now a well-known national figure
  and decided to accept the offer of the Socialist
  Party to become its candidate for Congress in New
  Jersey. The venture was unsuccessful with
  Sinclair winning only 750 out of 24,000 votes.

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How do Americans feel about Immigrants?

• Nativism

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• Felt immigrants were ignorant
• Associated with lawlessness
• Losing Protestant Character- Catholic influx of
  immigrants
• Hostility towards Jews
• Doubted the nations capactiy to absorb such
  large numbers of immigrants