...political freedom, and to escape the mass poverty in Europe. This new group of immigrants were often poor and uneducated and were likely considered peasants in their own countries. Jurgis Rudkus, a fictionalized character in Upton Sinclair's novel, The Jungle is an example of such a person. Jurgis is from Lithuania and comes to America in search of the American dream. At the beginning of the novel Jurgis comes to America as any other typical European immigrant. He dreams of America as being a land where a man with little can rise through the ranks and ultimately become a man with wealth and prosperity. Jurgis quickly realizes that industrial America is a land of heartache, where a willing man is exploited and used as energy to fuel the never ending industrial machine. At the end of the novel Jurgis learns that the great land of America has its limitations, but at a cost as he loses his wife and child and spends stints in jail for trying to defy the machine. Thus, the novel, The Jungle exemplifies how immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe in the early 1900s could not fully realize and achieve the American dream no matter how hard they toiled and worked in the brutal American factories of the time. A jungle is an area of madness and chaos where animals roam free and one either eats or is eaten. Upton Sinclair titled his novel, The Jungle because urban Chicago exemplified all of the same traits that a jungle possessed except for the fact that the jungle of...
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...The Horrors of Packingtown Living and Dying in Packingtown, Chicago is an expert from Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, which told the story of Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant trying to survive in Chicago. Sinclair wrote The Jungle with hopes to achieve better working conditions all around the United States, but also to show the corruption and evil that come with capitalism. His book was an instant best seller and caused massive reform of the meatpacking industry, however, this reform was focused on health concerns rather than concerns for the workers. “‘I aimed at the public's heart, and by accident I hit it in the stomach,’ he said.” (BLACKWELL) Living and Dying in Packingtown, Chicago opens into the struggles of life at home for immigrant family with the painful death of their child, Kristoforas, who had eaten some tubercular beef which was unfit for export. The family could not afford a grave so the mother, Elzbieta, went in tears to beg from their local neighbors for a proper burial. This opening brings the reader instantly into the situation this family is in and what dire state of poverty they faced. Jurgis, having no job and a family to feed, went to the dreaded fertilizer plants which were talked about mostly in feared rumor. “Few visitors ever saw them, and the few who did would come out looking like Dante, of whom the peasants declared that he had been into hell.” (p. 74) Only the desperate resort to working at the fertilizer plants which was where all the “tankage”...
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...ASSIGNMENT 10 PROJECT WORK a) Project for primary classroom THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST UNITOVERVIEW This primary unit takes across curricular approach involving language arts, math, science, and social studies. Art, music and movement education activities are also used to develop the concepts in this unit. Students will learn about the rainforest through a variety of activities to complete both on-line and in downloadable format for use in the classroom. In addition there is a resource bank of print and non-print resources included. Each lesson develops a particular focus and may take one class or several classes to complete. Extending activities are also provided as well as assessment and evaluation tools and templates. Foundational Objectives: Knowledge ! Students will increase their knowledge about the rainforest. Skills and habits * Learn about and practice the skills and strategies of effective listeners, speakers, readers, writers and representers. * Speak and write to express thoughts, information, feelings and experiences in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences. * Read and view a range of grade-level appropriate oral, print, and other media texts in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes. * Assess personal and group strengths...
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...In The Jungle, Jurgis Rudkis is a man who leaves his homeland of Lithuania to pursue the American Dream and all it might offer him, his fiancé Ona and her family. Along the way he and his immigrant family face horrendous living and working conditions, cruelty and unimaginable heartache. Jurgis values and morals are in direct opposition with the capitalist society he encounters. These oppositions and the harsh living and working conditions change him and cloud his judgment, but the cruelest irony is that life in America robs him of his most treasured possession: Ona’s love. To better understand why Jurgis is challenged by living in America, we need to look at his past and history with his intended bride, Ona. He was a big, strong country boy with broad shoulders and giant hands. Jurgis was raised in “the midst of the wilderness” (Sinclair 30) in Lithuania, a decedent from generations of peasant class. When he saw tiny,...
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...Michele Graham Biology 102 The Overall Impact of Massive Rainforest Deforestation Tropical rainforests are an invaluable resource to wildlife and humanity. The level of biodiversity is unlike anywhere else in the world. A plethora of unknown species of plants and animals thrive in tropical rainforests, and many of them may offer medicinal benefits to humans; however, with the rapid deforestation of these areas, the Earth is losing some of the most precious resources. Logging, agriculture, and cattle-ranching are the main forces that drive deforestation and heavily contribute to the resulting environmental issues. By developing sustainable methods of forest usage and eliminating excess deforestation efforts, the Earth’s tropical rainforests can continue to hold the treasures of wildlife. Forests make up thirty percent of the Earth’s land surface. Wildlife is abundant and plant life is so diverse that many species are still unknown. With forests areas the size of Panama being wiped away each year, in one hundred years the world’s rainforests could completely vanish (National Geographic). Countless trees are cut down every year by the logging industry, which supplies the world with paper and wood products. Its effects extend beyond the loss of trees. For example, several indigenous tribes of Papua, New Guinea have lost huge portions of their land to government-backed logging operations (Shearman, Phil, and Jane Bryan). For tribal peoples who subsist on the land, it is a major...
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...Andrew Middleton 2/23/15 History 100c The Jungle: Diluted Dreams From the 1880’s though the 1920’s, industries in America were steadily on the rise, followed diligently by its population. Immigrant’s traveled from across the world with a single shared fantasy in mind: that the wealthy and prosperous America, through its abundant opportunities, would provide them with a respectable form of employment and a presentable household for the upbringing of their families. The Jungle is a very distinct type of book that looks at various aspects of the past and modern day inter-workings of the American society. Witten by Upton Sinclair, his main purpose was to raise awareness of his anit-capitalism message by means of specific details and cunning symbolism. The arrangement of the novel depicts the corrupt capitalism in the years of the early 1900's. The book captures the dramatic changes occurring at the turn of the turn of the turn of the century. Its central focus is to portray the unspeakable working conditions in the meat-packing industry in many large cities and specifically in Chicago. Western America was known as the frontier because of its undeveloped landscape but Manifest Destiny was initiating industrial growth that was disperse throughout the country. All these job openings attracted thousands and thousands of immigrants into America and especially into the urban parts of major cities because most of them had no other means of bringing in money. They were unaware of the...
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...By SENGA K unle said a silent prayer as he followed Baba John on this journey that could only be made in the dead of the night. Their progress was further hindered by overgrowths that have taken over the narrow path leading into the heart of the dense jungle. His mind was blank this time as he followed his escort into the dark forest just a few minutes past 1:00am. He had thought so much about his boy that every other thought have been banished from his troubled heart. Even the thought of his beautiful wife Margaret failed to cross his mind. All he could see, hear and think about was Peter! Peter!!Peter!!! The picture of his son sitting in that darkened room flashed across his mind. He has been in a sort of a trance for the past 3 days. From all indication, he was not even aware that he has left his house in Lagos and is now sitting on the un-cemented floor of a mud house in their village in Odigbo. He responds to nothing but the voice only he could hear. Suddenly, Baba John, his escort on this scary midnight journey signaled for him to stop. He peered into the darkness ahead, though he could see how anyone could see anything in the pitch blackness that surrounds them. Baba John began to say the same incantation he said earlier before they left their village. After about a minute, he signaled for them to resume their journey. Then all of a sudden, the entire forest was illuminated by a blinding flash of lightning revealing a little house which Kunle was pretty sure wasn’t...
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...The Jungle by Upton Sinclair Compared to Modern Day Meat Processing The theme of Upton Sinclair’s novel The Jungle is that capitalism is the devil. In the novel, capitalism is made out to be absolutely evil, one reason being that they (the meat companies) willfully put contaminated meat on the market for the oblivious consumers. There are several ways that the meat-packing practices from the novel are similar to how meat is processed today. The first similarity is that slaughterhouses were and have been treating animals very brutally; also, the slaughterhouses in the book were just as unsafe to work in as the slaughterhouses today. People are taking major risks just by going to work. The second similarity is that contaminated meat is being sold and served to the consumers. Another similarity is that if you get hurt on the job and become disabled for several months, a lot of companies will stop paying you or possibly lay you off. The last similarity between The Jungle and modern-day meat processing is that meat companies can and will sue you or throw you in jail if you “spill the beans” or defend yourself or your family. First of all, the slaughterhouses and meat factories are just as filthy, cruel, and unsafe as the slaughterhouses and meat factories from the early nineteen-hundreds (time period in which The Jungle takes place). The novel says that animals are brought into pens, suffer, and are slaughtered. In slaughterhouses today, animals are rounded up, placed somewhere...
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...English 101A09 Sherman Avatar : When life and Greed Hang In The Balance The film Avatar takes place in the distant future, on a planet called Pandora. It is inhabited by both beautiful, and dangerous creatures. The indigenous people called the Na’Vi reside in the rainforest. Planet Earth is experiencing serious environmental problems causing this big corporation to start mining on Pandora in search for Unobtainium. Throughout the movie, you will see how far greed and the search for power will drive people to do terrible things. You will see how technology destroys Mother Earth and how humans lose sight of the beauty around them. During the film, you will observe the rainforest and nature through the eyes of the Na’Vi people. Jake, one of the main characters in the movie, becomes more and more like them with every encounter with the alien race. The film, Avatar, depicts the differences between characters and their views on nature and the world. Most of the humans are portrayed as arrogant and selfish, showing no remorce or respect for the indigenous people or their environment. In contrast, the Na'Vi people love their mother planet, Pandora, and live in harmony with each other and all its creatures because they respect it. During the first couple of scenes in the movie, you can already get the feeling that money and greed drives the humans. Jake, the protagonist, was an e...
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...In the 1900s , meat industry workers worked in awful conditions . A muckraker named Upton Sinclair exposed the meat industry in his book “ The Jungle “ . A muckraker is someone who seeks out the secrets of business or scandel and exposes them for the public to see . Sinclair himself was a writer . The meat produced in the plants was extremely unsanitary . When they first read it , the public was absolutely horrified . In the slaughterhouses , there would be meat that had tumbled onto the floor , in dirt and sawdust , and had billions of germs on it . When it rained , water would fall onto it through cracks in the ceiling . Rats would often gather round the meat , and the meat itself was often covered in rat waste . Dead rats would be thrown...
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...The Jungle by Upton Sinclair was a very interesting novel, for example, throughout the novel Upton Sinclair tells a story about a family who immigrated to Chicago from Lithuania who wanted to purse a better life. Furthermore, Sinclair uses objective language because he gives all the details of the ups and downs of the events of Jurgis family having to face in the U.S. meat-packing industry. The intended audience of The Jungle is the citizen of Chicago who wants to know more about historican events. In addition, Sinclair uses serious and informal tone in the novel. For example, Sinclair uses serious tone to show how the truth behind business of Chicago jobs, also he uses informal tone to demonstrate the business of Chicago as well. However, there are enough evidence offered throughout the novel, Sinclair uses imagery to give readers a sense of what to think of when they are reading the events of the...
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...“The Jungle” American Protest Literature Analysis 211 In Class Essay In the early 20th century, America was in the process of becoming the most industrial cities in the world. With the increase of factories across the country, stories were becoming more popular. One the most well-known stories from the novel titled “The Jungle”, written by Upton Sinclair. In the American Protest Literature text, I was able to see certain chapters of Upton Sinclair’s novel which peeked my interest. Upton’s techniques of persuading the readers, during that time, were able to have the realization of the harsh conditions of working the factory, however many of the readers have had a negative opinion towards his novel, believing it supporting communistic views. While I was unable to read the full novel, I was able to read certain important chapters from “The Jungle” by reading its section in American Protest. The story is about the Sinclair’s main protagonist named “Jurgis”, who is an immigrant from Europe. When he moves to America with his family, he starts to witness the harsh...
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...married a woman by the name of Miss Mets H. Fuller. Their marriage was a very unhappy one and only lasted 11 years (1911). Their divorce led to the writing of Sinclair’s book, “Springtime and Harvest”. It was about penniless lovers. Upton Sinclair wanted the divorce due to the fact that Meta had a secret lover. In all, Upton Sinclair has had three wives, two out of the three passed away. When Meta and Upton had a son, David, their financial situations became horrid. However, he didn’t get an additional job to help; he had faith on his writing. He stuck to writing through the worst times. In 1904, Upton Sinclair switched his writing genre, he switched to realistic fiction. This led him to his fame of “The Jungle”. Upton Sinclair made a difference in the meat packing history. “The Jungle” was a revealing novel that discussed what happened behind factory doors. He exposed the conditions in meat packing factories. His description of the environment was horrid and it led to a new federal food safety law. In the novel, he described the meat to be contaminated and rotten.. His description of the meat shocked the public. Upton Sinclair actually went in disguise and worked at the factory to investigate. The novel was even more popular due to the fact that it was based on his own experience. His exposure to the public led to the “progressive era” and meat packing businesses being controlled and handled. These letters are from Upton Sinclair to President Theodore Roosevelt...
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...This Jungle was composed in 1905. Upton Sinclair abhorred huge business and was against capitalism.Sinclair wanted America to be a communist country (that implies everybody makes the same sum and there are no rich and no needy individuals). The novel's title alludes to the American wilderness of processing plant, where just the solid survive and individuals act and get treated like creatures. The principle character Jurgis Rudkus is Lithuanian and gets pushed around by the framework. He begins off at a low point and goes into an existence of wrongdoing. At that point he is spared by turning into a communist. this novel exhibit how organizations controlled individuals' lives and how heaps of men were voracious. Upton Sinclair utilizes the life...
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...Hassaan Zainul Ms. Luongo English 10 2 November 2015 Upton Sinclair is one of the most recognized authors in history for his writing of “The Jungle”. Upton Sinclair was born is Baltimore, Maryland and he was raised in New York City. His parents were poor while his grandparents were rich and his aunt was wealthy marrying a millionaire. Sinclair often spent night at his grandparents’ house this allowing him insight on how the rich and the poor lived. Sinclair was a keen student, he entered New York City College at the age of fourteen, and he funded his education by writing newspaper and magazine stories. By the age of seventeen he was adequately successful at that time, owning his own apartment and able to give financial support to his parents....
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