111 pages 3 hours read

Upton Sinclair

The Jungle

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1905

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

The Jungle follows Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus and his family as they navigate the harsh realities of life in Chicago’s meatpacking district at the turn of the century, facing relentless exploitation, corruption, and tragedy, ultimately leading Jurgis towards the socialist movement as a means of fighting back against systemic injustice. Graphically depicts workplace injuries, sexual assault, and child mortality.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Upton Sinclair's The Jungle receives acclaim for its vivid depiction of early 20th-century immigrant life and its successful exposure of meatpacking industry abuses. Readers praise its impactful narrative and social reform impetus, yet criticize its graphic content and melodramatic tones. While influential, some find its prose challenging and overly didactic.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Jungle?

Readers of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, who are interested in early 20th-century social issues, labor rights, and muckraking journalism, will find this novel compelling. Similar audiences might appreciate Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, due to its focus on social justice and the plight of the working class.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Lexile Level

1170L

Book Details

Themes

Relationships: Family

Society: Immigration

Society: Economics

Genre

American Literature

Education

Historical Fiction

Period

Industrial Revolution

Naturalism

Topics

Education

History: World

Politics / Government