Throughout the progressive era, many were deemed as being deserving of a place in history. However, unarguably, one of the most deserving is a man by the name of Upton Sinclair.
Growing up in a poor family in the city of Baltimore, young Upton Sinclair had to overcome many feats in order to do what he strived for… help improve lives for the average American working class family. Because of his noted accomplishments, Upton Sinclair can be seen, without a doubt, as one of the most influential people of the early 1900’s.
Sinclair’s early life as a child was very rough compared to that of a normal child today. It is said that, “Sinclair was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the scion of a father who suffered from alcoholism and a mother who had descended from an affluent …show more content…
That being said, it was in his early teens where he found his talent for writing. “At 14 Upton entered the College of the City of New York. He graduated in 1897 and went to Columbia University to study law. Through these years he supported himself by writing for adventure-story magazines.” (Cengage Learning). Looking back, young Upton Sinclair came from almost nothing. Being not quite famous yet, he can be seen as a role model for some who can believe that all it takes is hard work and determination to become something.
After working hard at getting an education, Sinclair pursued a career in what he loved, writing. His first few attempts at becoming a well established author weren’t so great. However, in 1906, “...The Jungle, exposing unfair labor practices and unsanitary conditions in the packing houses of Chicago, scored a huge success.” (Cengage Learning). This one book eventually let him become nationally known as a muckraker. Exposing the disgusting packing plant conditions, many people became repulsed and saw Sinclair as a hero for going against the practices of those
UPTON SINCLAIR 3 involved in big business. In fact, his book was such a big deal that, “President