Sinclair’s novel, the Jungle, tells the story of a Lithuanian family of impoverished immigrants who settle down in Packingtown, the heart of Chicago’s meatpacking district. While describing the tribulations the family faces in Chicago (discrimination, corruption, and abject poverty), the novel also highlights the role ethics plays in American life, specifically in regards to dishonesty and cheating. There are several examples of struggling honest folks who are constantly swindled by con artists, thieves, and slackers. This is first illustrated by the dishonesty of the guests at Jurgis and Ona’s wedding. Lithuanian custom dictates that wedding guests provide a monetary gift to the new couple as compensation for the costs associated with the wedding celebration, however, after eating and drinking to their heart’s delight, many guests sneak out of the fete without contributing.
Although Sinclair’s investigation tells a story of the toll the meatpacking industry took on families nearly a hundred years ago, he still offers insight into the deceiving side of America’s food corruptions. Both writers brilliantly offer realization and awareness in their books that will benefit anyone who reads them to make better decisions daily. The description of the factory farming slaughterhouses in both books is enough to send chills down almost anyone’s spine; The Jungle opens with the cruel tactics, yet Fast Food Nation did not mention the slaughterhouses until midway. As Jurgis and his family tour the packinghouse where he will be working as a shoveler,(shoveling blood and guts) they first see what seems to be millions of cows. There are rail yards that carry the cattle to the slaughterhouse where the mechanics of the process are awe-inspiring.
Bob Jones moved to Los Angeles from Cleveland because he was tired of being passed over for work while white boys were hired. Eventually Bob Jones does find work and has an important position as a Leaderman in a shipyard. In spite of his position he deals with racism at work especially from his supervisor. Easy Rawlins moved to Los Angeles from Houston after returning from the war and encountering an old friend. Mouse burdens Easy with the fact that he has committed a senseless murder.
She had a feeling that something horrid was to happen. An officer knocked on their door. He said, “Your son was caught in the meat grinder. We are woeful of your loss.” He handed the husband £2,000 for compensation. The wife was distraught.
Jarvis Mckneil Justice in Sweat In all societies there is some form of government or law that regulates how justice is distributed. This story is about a hard working lady named Delia who washes clothes for a living to try to make ends meet for her family. She has been married for fifteen years to a man named Sykes Jones who basically is an ungrateful man that doesn’t appreciate his wife’s hard work. He is hated throughout the town for his flirtatious ways along with his arrogance. This man treats his wife like the scum of the earth but at the end justice will be served.
In John Steinbeck's novel, The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck illustrates and advocates drastic change in the economy during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl of the early 1930's. He depicts this transformation using the Joad family, illuminating their struggle in these hard times. In this novel there is an agricultural evolution with three distinct stages. "Grampa took up the land, and he had to kill the Indians and drive them away. And Pa was born here... Then a bad year came and he had to borrow a little money.
His only main reason for staying in Bayonne is because of the love of his life Vivian. Grants life then takes a huge turn when his cousin Jefferson is convicted of a shooting that had taken place in a liquor store. He is then pressed with charges, and has to be executed. Before the time of execution Jefferson’s aunt, and godmother want Grant to teach Jefferson how to become and man before he dies, because in his trial he is called a hog by the white jury and judge. This takes a
Like many others, Jurgis and all of his eleven companions were in search for a happy successful life, but only came to find struggles and hardship. After a long trip to America the explorers lost a majority of their money due to thieves, politicians, and resources. They reach a destination in Packingtown, Chicago, home of the meat packing industry, which
Workers were paid low wages, were forced to perform in unsafe working conditions, and lack of job security caused the workers to form unions. Workers began an effective sit-down strike at factories which prevented the employers from hiring other people to replace the workers. The women organized a first aid station, child care, and collected money and food to aid the strikers and their families. Laborers united across the country and organized strikes against other business. In 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act (hereinafter referred to as
In Upton Sinclirs intriguing novel The Jungle, a Lithuanian family moves to America in search for their own American dream. To begin with, Jurgis, the main character and provider for the family, Antanas Jurgis’s grandfather, Ona, Jurgisis wife and other various characters move to Chicago particularly to the locations of the stockyards. Due to this action, the family becomes a victim to sly businessmen and heinous crimes which causes their savings to diminish. (Paraphrase quote). After a difficult time, the family managed to accustom to the "American Life”, but a series of tragic events occur.