Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, was a realist writer born in 1878. He endured many hardships in his life, which led to him becoming a complex person. He based many of his characters off of himself. This caused his works to be filled with complex characters as well as critical views of the capitalist American society. These traits of realism are prominent in Sinclair’s writing and life. Upton Sinclair suffered through an unstable childhood as well as independence at an early age, resulting in his need to carefully craft complex characters in his writing. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Sinclair stated, “I was brought up in a very secluded way with high traditions and delicate sensibilities, and then turned loose in our modern commercial
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Sinclair used this novel to show the world his critical opinions on capitalism in America. Sinclair found his life purpose in Socialism, as well as his purpose for this book. With his novel, he was asked by a Socialist paper to “show how the working conditions were driving the working-man into socialism (What Life Means 593).” He also wanted to “draw attention to the appalling conditions and squalor of wage-labourers under capitalism (Trott).” His purpose for writing The Jungle shows how he used his critical views of society as a way to fuel his writing as well as inform the people of America. To write this book, Sinclair spent time in Chicago observing the laborers of the Stockyard and their lives. He says, “I had spent seven weeks in Packingtown, and had been able to find no ray of sunshine in the lives of the people, save such as they were able to get out of drunkenness (What Life Means 593).” This shows how Sinclair found problems in America’s capitalist society and worked to inform others as well as encourage change. He wrote harsh truths of the people of Packingtown and made sure to never ‘sugarcoat’ any of his writing. He did this because he “wished to frighten the country by a picture of what its industrial masters were doing to their victims (What Life Means 594).” Sinclair was critical of the capitalist society and showed his displeasure through his writings, especially the novel, The
Sinclair used this novel to show the world his critical opinions on capitalism in America. Sinclair found his life purpose in Socialism, as well as his purpose for this book. With his novel, he was asked by a Socialist paper to “show how the working conditions were driving the working-man into socialism (What Life Means 593).” He also wanted to “draw attention to the appalling conditions and squalor of wage-labourers under capitalism (Trott).” His purpose for writing The Jungle shows how he used his critical views of society as a way to fuel his writing as well as inform the people of America. To write this book, Sinclair spent time in Chicago observing the laborers of the Stockyard and their lives. He says, “I had spent seven weeks in Packingtown, and had been able to find no ray of sunshine in the lives of the people, save such as they were able to get out of drunkenness (What Life Means 593).” This shows how Sinclair found problems in America’s capitalist society and worked to inform others as well as encourage change. He wrote harsh truths of the people of Packingtown and made sure to never ‘sugarcoat’ any of his writing. He did this because he “wished to frighten the country by a picture of what its industrial masters were doing to their victims (What Life Means 594).” Sinclair was critical of the capitalist society and showed his displeasure through his writings, especially the novel, The