The Jungle

It's The Jungle out there.

  • Course Length: 3 weeks
  • Course Type: Short Course
  • Category:
    • English
    • Literature
    • High School

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If there's one thing we can say about author Upton Sinclair, it's that he holds no literary punches. A social crusader devoted to exposing the seedy underbelly of American capitalism, Sinclair fills his famed novel with fun things, like

  • people dying of starvation, cold and assorted diseases.
  • children being used for slave labor, then getting gnawed to death by rats.
  • factory workers falling into vats of chemicals, because working conditions in turn-of-the-century America were whack.

Okay, so maybe subtlety wasn't the guy's forte. But the sensationalism in The Jungle serves a clear purpose: to get readers' blood boiling about the living and working conditions of poor, immigrant workers in early 20th Century U.S. After all, you can't start a social revolution using euphemism.

The Jungle follows the hopes, dreams, and crushing disappointments of the members of a small town Lithuanian family, who move to America and immediately find themselves working in a sketchy meatpacking district. Characters die, characters get laid off, and those that survive find themselves living in cramped quarters with their in-laws and their fiancé's extended family—basically, they're not having the funky fresh time they'd been promised.

And that's the high point of the book.

Suffice to say, you shouldn't pick up The Jungle if you're looking for a cheerful, nostalgic romp through early 1900s America. But if you're interested in

  • how literature can be used as a vehicle for sociopolitical discourse;
  • how relevant a book about the exploitation of the poor, the working class, and immigrants is still today (short answer: very; long answer: read the book);
  • how language can be used to make you stop, think, and/or hurl;

then this just may be the book (and course) for you.

Intrigued? Appalled? Can't look but can't look away? Crack that spine and let's get started.


Unit Breakdown

1 The Jungle - The Jungle

The Jungle was defined, by one turn-of-the-century critic, as "gloom and horror unrelieved." We can't say we disagree. But in this course, we aim to relieve students of some of that gloom and doom by focusing on literary craft, historical context, and the political message behind Sinclair's classic novel. Which doesn't mean we won't be looking at the horror head-on, too. 'Cause we'll do that. We'll do lots of that.


Sample Lesson - Introduction

Lesson 1.06: Save a Time Clock, Punch Your Boss

A man swearing an oath in court
"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth—oh, wait, you or your friends are rich? Then don't worry about it. Say whatever you want."
(Source)

So Jurgis and his crew have been living and working in Packingtown for a while now. Although it seems like they've been doing more working than living.

Come to think of it, it's pretty amazing that any of them are still living at all, considering it seems like, especially in Packingtown, literally everything is trying to kill you.

Seriously. We mean, let's say that you don't get crushed to death working in the stockyards or get some nasty cut on your hand trimming beef that will probably make part of your hand fall off even if it doesn't end your life. Let's say you don't get melted down by chemicals and used to make pound cake for some family of three living somewhere in Chicago or another part of the country.

At this point in the reading, it's perfectly natural for you to be wondering why it is that Jurgis and all of the other characters don't get together and do something about it. We mean, for crying out loud, you're talking about just a few guys who have all this money, and the workers are the ones who keep everything running.

If you're looking for a reason why things are still as downright awful as they are, you won't have to look for long. The entire system is set up to make sure that people like Jurgis, Ona, Marija, Jonas, and their pals never get very far. And, Sinclair being Sinclair, he's going to give you front-row seats to some pretty horrible stuff.

Along the way, he's also going to do his best to completely destroy any and all faith you have in the way things are supposed to work in the land of the free and the home of the brave. He's a sweetheart, our Upton. And, while we've spent most of our time in the squalor and filth of Chicago's Packingtown, Sinclair is putting us on the move so we can see for ourselves that all of that Packingtown horribleness is really just the beginning.

Our first stop? Well, we don't want to spoil it, but it ain't Disneyland. And the ride we have to take to get there is gonna be pretty nasty.


Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 1.1.06: The Jungle, Chapters 13 to 15

Oh, poor Shmoopers. We apologize in advance. Just when you thought The Jungle couldn't get any more miserable, along come Chapters 13, 14, and 15. We solemnly request that you read them.

There's a fair amount of reading this time around, so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to sink into this nightmarish stretch of storytelling. As you make your way through the frozen Midwestern wasteland, think about Jurgis's ultimate reaction to the news about Ona (which we won't spoil for you here). Why do you think Sinclair made him react this way?

If you need a hand keeping the disastrous developments straight, check the chapter summaries:


Sample Lesson - Activity

Activity 1.06a: Every Worker Has His Day…in Court

Well, it looks a lot like Jurgis finally up and lost it. Perhaps it goes without saying that there are better ways of dealing with anger and workplace issues than physically assaulting somebody, but hey.

We know that the hardships he had to endure drove him to his actions. You've probably read a few stories like that in the news of our own time. The injustices of society often drive people to extreme acts. Let's get our pens out—or keyboards; both are mightier than the sword, they say—and investigate a little deeper.

Step One

First, a deceptively simple question: Do you think that Jurgis was justified in doing what he did? Why or why not? Let us know in three complete sentences.

Step Two

Now let's dig a little deeper still into Jurgis's motivations. Why do you think he did what he did? Was it only because of how Ona was treated, or is there more to it? Three to five complete sentences, please.

Step Three

What are some of the other things that Jurgis could have done after he found out the truth? Based on what you've read, would it have done any good? Would it have changed anything? Let us know what you think, using—you guessed it—three to five complete sentences. Aren't sentences amazing? Way better than workplace assault, if you ask us.

For example, we might begin by noting that Jurgis could have attempted to take more official legal action, or Jurgis could have taken a really long walk around Chicago and blown off steam. (Though: yeah right.)

Step Four

Jurgis is a guy who just can't win. But Sinclair doesn't only want us to think about Jurgis. He wants us to see Jurgis as an example of an entire group of people: poor and oppressed working people.

Sinclair wants us to see that the whole problem is that the system is designed to protect and serve the people with the most power. This is part of the reason why Jurgis does what he does. Deep down, he knows there's nothing else he can do, and he's sick of getting pushed around and watching his family suffer.

Sinclair isn't saying that what he did was okay, but that American capitalism makes people do evil, awful things. For now, just let that sink in for a minute.

Step Five

Now, imagine that you're a famous lawyer who makes a point of standing up for the little guy and defending the underdog. You're going to deliver a speech, called a "statement," to the court on Jurgis's behalf, explaining why he did what he did and why he should receive either no sentence or a punishment less severe than jail time. You've probably seen a courtroom drama or a crime show before, so: that.

Take a couple of minutes right now and sketch out on paper a few basic ideas about what you might say, just to get things started. You might even try making a mind map—another way of taking notes and generating ideas.

Step Six

And now it's time to prepare the statement. Here are a few things to remember:

  • Your statement should be about one to one and a half pages long, typed in 12-point Times New Roman font, and double-spaced.
  • Mention what really happened, and explain why Jurgis was so upset. Try to paint a vivid picture of all the hardships and ugliness Jurgis has had to endure, using at least three examples from the text; explain how all of this suffering made Jurgis do what he did.
  • Include a strong conclusion where you ask the court for leniency—that is, you ask them to be nice to Jurgis when it comes to deciding what punishment he should get, if any. You may argue that there's no need for punishment.

When you're dunzo, upload your statement, along with your responses to Steps One, Two, and Three, below.


Sample Lesson - Activity

  1. This section of Sinclair's novel opens with the death of what character?

  2. We can't be sure, but what is it that likely led to this character's death?

  3. Where does the unemployed Jurgis eventually find work?

  4. Who is the character left in charge of the children who are too young to work?

  5. What, according to Sinclair, happens to meat that is too diseased or disgusting to be sold as-is on the market?

  6. For how many more years must the family work before the house is paid for completely?

  7. Why is little Antanas no longer smiling?

  8. What causes the family such worry at the beginning of Chapter 15?

  9. Where was Ona—really?

  10. What does Jurgis do that lands him in prison?