Upton Sinclairs novel The Jungle

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Conflict Theory Perspective
Capitalism and Class Differentiation
Labor Unions
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The end of the nineteenth century and the first several decades of the twentieth were extremely difficult for the world and especially for the working class in terms of working conditions and wages. Inequality and corruption which were present in the society back then were appalling and resenting them could hardly change the situation. Upton Sinclairs novel The Jungle tells a story of a family which moved from Lithuania to the United States in search of a better life but instead faced unemployment and unjust working conditions which they had to bear to survive. In The Jungle Sinclair presents a continual struggle between the rich and the poor which was so typical for the capitalist world; viewing this issue from the conflict theory perspective allows appreciating the significance of labor unions in the society ruled by capitalism.

Conflict Theory Perspective

The Jungle can be viewed from the perspective of conflict theory because it presents a vivid contrast between different classes of society. The conflict theory suggests that social behavior is best understood in terms of a tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, including housing, money, access to services, and political representation (Schaefer 16). The Jungle abounds with examples when people from lower social classes were subordinate to wealthier people, which resulted in the uneven allocation of resources, social injustice, and rich people getting wealthier at the cost of the poor ones. For instance, Antanas after long hunting for a job eventually got a chance to obtain it; a man offered him to get him a job, provided that he was willing to pay one-third of his wages for it (Sinclair 69). This, however, is not the only injustice described in this book. Another example is Mary, a woman whose working place Marija took as a result of unethical practice.

Mary was fired because she missed one day at work due to her being ill, and her forelady did not even consider the fact that this woman had worked her job for fifteen years (Sinclair 72).This all led to people fighting for their rights and demanding equality.

Capitalism and Class Differentiation

Capitalism is another issue raised in The Jungle with its consequences for the society being discussed. Capitalism may be defined as an economic system in which the means of production are held largely in private hands and the main incentive for economic activity is the accumulation of profits (Schaefer 219). Marx distinguished between two main classes which existed in the capitalist society, namely, bourgeoisie (the capitalist class) and proletariat (the working class) (Schaefer 219). Division of society into these classes is vividly depicted in Sinclairs The Jungle. The fact that Jurgis and other workers of the factory were exploited is evident. Sinclair criticizes capitalist economy describing how people worked till nine or ten, or even twelve or one oclock & without a single instant for a bite of supper (Sinclair 103) and how terrible the conditions in which they worked were. At this, after all the hard work a man did, he was paid for only part of it (Sinclair 104). According to Marx, such differentiation and especially exploitation of proletariat could lead to the workers revolting (Schaefer 220), though what Marx did not anticipate was the establishment of labor unions which limited the capitalists power over the workers.

Labor Unions

Labor unions have emerged as a response to capitalist employers exploitation of their workers. In general, labor unions consist of organized workers who share either the same skill (as in electronics) or the same employer (as in the case of postal employees) (Schaefer 150). In The Jungle the labor unions emerged in response to inequality and rights violation, as well as due to the workers idea that by combining they might be able to make a stand (Sinclair 105). The fact that the union did not prevent Marias factory from closing down and, correspondingly, from her losing her job, shows that the labor union described in the book belonged to those early unions organized spontaneously by exploited workers (Sinclair 151), rather than to a full-fledged organization able to protect its members. Despite this, unions were still beneficial for the then society for they educated people and eliminated illiterateness (for instance, Jurgis membership in the labor union resulted in his learning English and become proficient in political issues). However, their greatest merit was that they united people who worked to reach a common goal.

Conclusion

The beginning of the twentieth century can be characterized by poverty, poor working conditions, and the working class subordination throughout the world. All these issues are discussed in Sinclairs The Jungle which views the then society from the conflict theory perspective and perfectly illustrates the flaws of the capitalist economy and importance of the labor unions in the proletariats fighting for its rights and social equality. Sinclair called this society of discrimination and inequality an amoral jungle, which until now serves as a speaking title of his book.

Works Cited

Schaefer, Richard T. Sociology by Richard T. Schaefer (11th Edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2005

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Upton Sinclairs novel The Jungle

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