The Jungle - Upton Sinclair

Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) achieved popularity in the first half of the 20th century, acquiring particular fame for THE JUNGLE. It exposed conditions in the U.S. meat-packing industry, causing a public uproar that contributed to the passage of the Pure Food & Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act. THE JUNGLE portrays the life of the immigrant in the United States and the corruption of the American meatpacking industry. The novel harshly depicts poverty, absence of social programs, unpleasant living and working conditions, and hopelessness prevalent among the working-class, which is contrasted with the deeply-rooted corruption of those in power. Sinclair placed these problems front and center for the American public to see, suggesting that something needed to be changed to get rid of American low-wage slavery. The book was thought too controversial and so it was self-published at first before it became big, and has been in print ever since.