Jungle Essay, Research Paper
The Jungle, written by Upton Sinclair in 1905, the author supports Socialism over Capitalism and used the struggle to keep the house in order to portray the evils of Capitalism on the family and the society in General.
The struggle to buy the house and to try keeping it is a symbol of unity in the family represented by the house, which they battle against Capitalism to try to keep it. It takes virtually all their money to get the house, and it will take almost all to keep it. Jurgis worked in Durham?s earning about one dollar and nineteen cents a day. The rest of the family worked in other similar jobs to support each other and the house. The industries and bosses who ran them took their toll on what the employees salary would be. This entire Capitalistic environment exploited the worker and used every ounce of the worker just like the pigs in order to help the companies make money. Their constant struggle to work and keep the house was overwhelming and little by little it became more difficult. ? Here was Durham?s, for instance, owned by a man who was trying to make as much money out of it as he could, and did not care in the least how he did it; and underneath him, ranged in ranks and grades like an army, were managers and superintendents and foremen, each one driving the man below him and trying to squeeze out of him as much work as possible.?(63) Socialism is always a win-win situation for everyone in which the community help amongst each other. Whereas in Capitalism, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and the rich manipulate the hard working men to their benefit.
The hours worked were inflexible and not safe. Workers would be rushed to work faster increasing the chance of an accident to occur. The working conditions were unsanitary, dreadful, and dangerous. Even kids under the age of sixteen had to work to help the family. Basically, being a decent working person at that time was not enough to maintain a healthy family. ? Little Juozapas, who was near crazy with hunger these days, had gone out on the street to beg for himself.?(201) The C