The Jungle: American literary masterpiece and social critique

¶ … Upton Sinclair's the Jungle

The most obvious metaphor in the novel, the Jungle, by Upton Sinclair is its title. The metaphor means to demean the capitalist system by pointing out the savage nature of the beasts living within it. This is a stark contrast the dream Jurgis and his family is searching for in America. In the jungle, the strong survive and the weak fall underfoot. This image of the weak being underfoot is carried throughout the entire novel. There is nothing civil in the jungle as things are only bound to become worse as industrialization eats the poor people alive. To emphasize the brutality of this jungle, Sinclair uses the stockyards as metaphors as well. They cattle and hogs in these yards represent the people working in the stockyard. The workers are nothing extensions of the machinery that kill the animals. The plant workers are packed into the yards and slaughtered not much different from the animals. The messy, corrupt meatpacking industry is a representation of the larger machine of capitalism, ready to butcher its next victim.

The banks are another metaphor for the corruption taking place in Chicago. Things are so bad that she takes to sewing coins to her clothing. She fears she will sink into the earth with the extra weight on her and this image serves as a metaphor of the oppression that money puts on her and countless others. Another metaphor Sinclair uses is the house, which at first, looks like it is too good to be true. As with all things that look that way, the house was too good to be true. Like the rest of the meatpacking district, the house does look somewhat appealing from the outside. However, once inside, the truth makes its way known. The house is rotten just like the plants are. The family was convinced into making a deal in which they were not privy to all of the facts.

Jurgis cannot blame fate for everything that happens to him in the first part of the novel. First, he chooses to accept the job at the plant. In fact, we read that after he gets the job, he runs home as "if upon wings" (35) because he is so excited. Sinclair spends a good amount of time describing the horrors of the packing plant. He leaves no gory detail out for his readers. While he is attempted to educate his reader, we must also realize Jurgis knew very well what he was getting into with this job. Once he realizes he is a "part of it all" (45), he continues to work. While we can say he was working to support his family, we must also admit Jurgis is not completely innocent here. He takes his money when he is paid. Jurgis falls into the same trap many disenchanted people do. He gives up just when probably should not have. Right around the corner, he may have found a better job but he would not he know if he stopped looking.

Jurgis even commits to staying at this miserable job when he decides to rent the house he does. It is true the family was exploited with the house but the family still committed to paying for it. Had the house been everything they dreamed, it still would have attached Jurgis to his job. This is something the family should have considered before jumping into the house. Jurgis' excuse for no being "able to figure" (51) how the family was to afford the house is not good enough. They talked of looking for more house but did not. They signed the papers knowing "in matters of business all men are accounted to be liars" (53). If they know this, they should either not do business with them or not complained when they are taken. In addition, Jurgis cannot blame anyone else but himself for his drinking. There can be no doubt he has suffered tough times. However, lots of people endure and come out better people for it in the end. Sinclair wants to portray Jurgis' situation as monumentally intolerable when it is not. Jurgis chooses to drink and blames society and his hard luck for when he becomes alcoholic.

Jurgis even abandons his family for alcohol. He allows Connor to take everything from him and, instead of mustering up enough courage to fight, he turns to drinking. This is not to deny things are tough for Jurgis. Anyone can see that they are. How he decides to cope with his problems only bring him more problems. We all have moments where we want to give up and we all have moments when we are weak. Jurgis knows he has a problem and simply cannot stay away from alcohol. Jurgis also has a problem dealing with his anger. He knows picking a fight with Connor can result in nothing but more trouble but he goes after him anyway. He does not think before he acts and his actions land him in jail when his family loses their home and their jobs. At time, Jurgis does not step up to be the man he needs to be. Again, this is not to say that he has had an easy life because he has not. Jurgis compounds things when he flies off the handle and acts irrationally. Every member of his family suffers when he lands in jail and Jurgis has no one to blame but himself.

Journal of Ona, after Jurgis finds out about Connor and the rape:

One: I have to believe the worst days are over. Now that Jurgis knows about Connor, I hope things will be better but probably only for a little while. When I write those words, I see how foolish they are. I know there will be trouble for Jurgis. He was so angry when he left. I could not stop him but I do not want any more trouble from that man. While I think of what kind of trouble my husband might be making for himself I can only hope that things will be better for me. I will not have to do those awful things anymore. This will be the best thing for us since the baby is coming and Connor did say he was getting tired of me. Oh, I feel so selfish knowing I will not have to give of myself anymore but I know Jurgis will have to pay one way or another. Maybe be will all have to pay -- that is how Connor and his kind operate.

To think of everything that has happened since we came here is startling. I would have never believed that my life would turn to this but here I am doing what I must do for those I love. They did not tell us of this when they spoke of the great American Dream. They did not speak of many things and as I lay here thinking of the kind of trouble Jurgis is getting into, I can only wonder how much worse it could have been had we never moved an inch. Would life have been so bad? Would I have such painful memories as I do now?

Two: Jurgis is still not home. I am frightened for him and I wish he had never found out. I could have gone on like I did without him ever knowing anything. The night is so unfriendly here. What will our future look like now? We will have this baby in addition to everything else and we will also have the burden of Connor wanting to kill us or destroy us. Maybe he has already killed Jurgis and that is why he is not here. Maybe he has gone on a rampage and has decided to kill all of us and he just has not made it to me yet.