THE JUNGLE
Upton Sinclair
The Jungle
The Jungle
by Upton Sinclair (1878-1968)
It is the end of the 19th century. Like thousands of others, the Rudkus family has emigrated from Lithuania to America in search of a better life. As they settle into the Packingtown neighborhood of Chicago, they find their dreams are unlikely to be realized. Jurgis, the main character of the novel, has brought his father, his fiancee Ona, her stepmother Teta Elzbieta, Teta Elzbieta’s brother and her six children, and Ona’s cousin along. The family, naive to the ways of Chicago, quickly falls prey to con men and makes a series of bad decisions that lead them into wretched poverty and terrible living conditions. All are forced to find jobs in dismal working conditions for their very survival. Jurgis, broken and discouraged, eventually finds solace in the American Socialist movement.
An ardent socialist, Sinclair wrote The Jungle to expose the corruption and the grim working conditions of immigrant laborers in Chicago’s meat packing industry. Published in 1906, The Jungle had a major impact on public opinion and led to labor and food quality reforms.
Total running time: 16:02:48 Read by Tom Weiss
Cover design by Kathryn Delaney, painting by Everett Shinn, Docks of New York City (detail), (1901)
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