Stafford, AmLit Naturalism Your Name: ______
The beginning of the twentieth century is often depicted as an era for advancement of the human condition. Sinclair writes about a conflicting reality by exposing horrible injustices in Chicago’s meat packing industry as Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant and Sinclair’s protagonist, discovers different truths about opportunity and prosperity in America (adapted from The Penguin Group’s Signet Classics).
Written at the beginning of the 1900s, The Jungle was not intended as mere entertainment but as cause of social reform, making Upton Sinclair one of the early “muckrakers.” Muckraker was a name that was first given in the early twentieth century to American writers who exposed corruption and scandals in business and politics (definition adapted from Pace University).
I. In groups of two-three, discuss questions a & b; please take notes in space provided:
a. The United States has long been considered the “land of opportunity.” What are the expectations of many immigrants? Does the reality meet their expectations? What might be similarities and differences between what America offered to immigrants a hundred years ago and what it offers today?
b. What traits distinguish people of one social class from another in United States society today? Money? Job? Home? Education? Family? Ethnicity? Religion? Can you tell people of different classes apart? What advantages do some classes have over others? Why do most societies have class distinctions?
II. Read Chapter Three from The Jungle and annotate in the margins, with special attention to places where you see a commentary on the following:
a) Immigration
b) Industrialization
c) Urbanization
d)The American Dream
III. After reading the chapter, answer the chapter questions on the back side of this paper.
CHAPTER QUESTIONS/The Jungle
1) What are Jurgis’s expectations for his new job?
2) Where might you find metaphors of human destiny? You may consider the quote, “Dieve—but I’m glad I’m not a hog!” or “the hog squeal of the universe” (3, n.p.).
3) What is the purpose of the government inspector? Describe him. What might Sinclair be saying about effectiveness of government?
4) Reflect on the following quote: “He had the feeling that this whole huge establishment had taken him under its protection, and had become responsible for his welfare.” (3, 45-6) What is Jurgis’s impression of the meat packing industry? What is yours?
5) After reading this chapter, write a specific and defining sentence that explains why we might consider Upton Sinclair an early muckraker.
6) After the reception of this novel, Upton Sinclair famously declared, “I aimed for the public’s heart…and hit it in the stomach.” What do you think he meant by this?