The Jungle is a 1906 novel written by author and socialist
journalist Upton Sinclair. It was written about the corruption of the American
meatpacking industry during the early 20th century. The novel depicts in harsh
tones the poverty, absence of social programs, unpleasant living and working
conditions, and hopelessness prevalent among the "have-nots", which is
contrasted with the deeply rooted corruption on the part of the "haves". The sad
state of turn-of-the-century labor is placed front and center for the American
public to see, suggesting that something needed to be changed to get rid of
American "wage slavery". The novel is also an important example of the
"muckraking" tradition begun by journalists such as Jacob Riis. Sinclair wanted
to persuade his readers that the mainstream American political parties offered
little means for progressive change.
— Excerpted from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
