The Jungle

Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle” Moves the Government


To Clean Up the Food Supply





Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle,” gave the most in-depth discreption of the horrid


truths about   the way America’s food companies, “the only source of food for people


living in the city’s,” are preparing the food they sell. “The Jungle” describes the terrible


conditions of a Lithuanian family that moved to the US, and had to work, live, and die for


the food companies in Chicago. “The Jungle” spurred a movement in the American


people to do something about the problems facing the American food supply. Because of


the growing concern about the quality of food in America the government took action to


prevent further problems. Thus the Food and Drug Act of 1906 was passed to fix the


problems. The Food and Drug Act was a true example of how the people of our nation


influenced the government to take action, to solve a growing problem effecting the


American people.


“The Jungle” talks about a couple who move to an area of Chicago, “known as


Packtown,” from Lithuania. Packtown is the center of Chicago’s meat packing industry. It


is a hard, dangerous, and   filthy place where it is difficult to find a job. Some relatives of


the couple and themselves get a house, but find out it is a swindle. Expenses increase and


forces the children of the family to find work like the adults. Jobs in Packtown are


back-breaking , unsafe, and have no regard for individual workers. The oldest of the


family gets a job, but it is to difficult for the old man and he quickly dies. The man of the


couple, “Jurgis,” is forced to work in an unheated packing house during the winter. Jurgis


is injured and cant work for three months receiving no pay. One of the children dies of


food poisoning. Jurgis joins a union and slowly...