Exploring The Jungle: The True Impact of a Literary Masterpiece Essay

Literature is a powerful and persuasive tool. History holds the confirmation that a well-written novel, even a work of fiction, has the power to profoundly opposition society. One such novel is Upton Sinclairs 1906 expose of the American immigrant, infamously entitle The hobo camp. The story is of the trials and tribulations of a Lithuanian family struggling to earn a invigoration in the slaughterhouses of Chicago. The issues faced by this family are some of the most strike fictional depictions of the lower class, and some of the most well-read in the ancient coulomb. The Jungle, now hailed as a literary masterpiece, is credited with being the apprehension for the Pure Food and Drug issue and Meat Inspection Act of the early 1900s (Ewers). Though Sinclairs story is revered for supposedly helping to reform a corrupt industry, research of both the reliable day meat packing industry and life of the twenty-first century immigrant proves that the story actually had very little c onsequence. In addition, research around Sinclair himself raises a number of questions about his motives and credibility. Although Sinclairs novel was well sure and thought to have made a major impact on society, it actually had very little effect on anything but the American psyche. To further understand what has not changed because of The Jungle, it is first important to understand what the initial impact of the story was, and how it is perceived today. The very famous words of Upton Sinclair inform the forceful impact of his story perfectly, I aimed at the publics heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach (Cohen). When The Jungle was first published in 1906, it was a series of short stories describing the engross of the main character, Jurgis, and his poverty-stricken f... ...Regulation. Issues and Controversies on File. Facts on File News Services, 19 Dec. 2008. Web. 2 Mar 2011.Hinderliter, Justine. From Farm to Table How This Little Piggy was Dragged by dint of the M arket.University of San Fransisco Law Review. Vol. 40 Is. 3. P. 739-76, 2006.Klein, Julia M. Sinclair Redux. Columbia Journalism Review 45 no 2, 58-60. Aug 2006. Web. 2 show 2011.Preston, Julia. After Iowa Raid, Immigrants Fuel Labor Inquiries. New York Times, July 27, 2008. Web. 2 March 2011.Reed, Lawrence W. How a food safety myth became a legend. Consumers Research Magazine. Vol. 78, Is. 2, p. 23-24. Feb 1995. Web. 2 March 2011.The Jungle. New Republic, Vol. 236, Is. 1-3, p.7. 1 Jan, 2007. Web. 2 March 2011.Wenzel 8Walsh, Bryan. Americas Food Crisis and How to Fix It. Time, Vol. 174, Is. 8, p. 30-37. 31 Aug, 2009. Web. 2 March 2011.