A Rhetorical Analysis Of Upton Sinclair

Additionally, by using dashes and exclamatory remarks, Upton Sinclair recognizes that the effort put in by humans under poor circumstances is not always returned in the way they would imagine. Once the Rudkus family realizes their seller deceived them while purchasing their first home in America, Jurgis exclaims, “It was monstrous, it was unthinkable- they could not do it- it could not be true! Only think what he had suffered for it- the price they had paid for it!” (Sinclair 147). When Robert Lovett writes in his article “Upton Sinclair,” he acknowledges Sinclair’s attachment to his message when he notes:

And the fiction, the story of the Lithuanian peasant family which comes to America with ardent hope and meets exploitation and degradation

at the hands of a system nakedly based on human selfishness… as anyone acquainted with the phenomena of immigration hope and in an industrial society will recognize. (Lovett 709-710)
Sinclair writes using dashes when discussing the pain the Rudkus family endures to further express how detrimental losing their most prized possession is to their well-being.

With the application of consistent pauses, it becomes obvious that their hurt is genuine. The breaks in the sentence structure act as hesitations; it lets the readers understand the extent to which Jurgis himself feels misery and how it is hard for him to grasp reality. Realizing this, readers can then infer that not all are capable of achieving the success they would like. Even though one may work harder or put in more hours than anyone out there, that does not consequently lead to absolute prosperity. There are many mental obstacles that could be in the way; a lack of understanding, a miscommunication, little support. But all in all, if the world is continuously holding man back and is constantly putting blocks in his path, maybe it is not meant to be. Lovett supports this argument in his assertion that in an unfair system it is hard, if not impossible, to flourish given the conditions of the Rudkus family. Sinclair’s use of exclamation also in this area contributes to Jurgis’s reluctance to accept the truth that his hard work has gone down the drain. As readers, Sinclair makes it easier to sympathize with Jurgis’s suffering as the world has turned against him and made his potential for success wither through his use of exclamation. The utilization of syntax in Sinclair’s novel highlights that

society ultimately deems some as more successful than others due to their cultural background.
Through Upton Sinclair’s application of imagery, he illustrates to his readers that the “American Dream” is sometimes unattainable, even though one may undergo severe obstacles to attempt to achieve it.

The author’s utilization of kinesthetic imagery exemplifies how strong desires can be overpowered by the harsh circumstances an individual must conquer to reach their goal. When Jurgis’s new job at the fertilizer plant causes him much pain, Sinclair expresses, “And still Jurgis stuck it out! In spite of splitting headaches he would stagger down to the plant and take up his stand once more… and though his head never stopped aching, it ceased to be so bad that he could not work” (Sinclair 108-109). While writing about the poor living conditions of the Rudkus family in his article "Upton Sinclair: Overview," William Heim asserts, “Despite certain well-constructed scenes of genuinely human life, such as the Lithuanian wedding of Jurgis and Ona, it is evident to most readers that Jurgis's family exists primarily as a means by which to gauge the failures of the social system that destroys them” (Heim 1). By describing Jurgis’s harmful experience so vividly, it becomes easier for the reader to understand the anguish tolerated by a man who would do anything short of dying to achieve the “American Dream” he came so far for. If zealous individuals sacrifice their whole selves for the slim chance that they could prosper, it is certainly unjust that there is no social fluctuation that

gives them the opportunity to achieve what they have dreamed of. Through the description of Jurgis’s nonstop headaches, the author paints a clear picture in the reader’s heads; allowing them to feel the suffering alongside of Jurgis. Also, enduring physical pain due to an extreme work environment just to earn the money necessary for surviving illuminates the perseverance it takes to obtain what one needs when it seems as if the whole world is pushing one down. Supported as well by critic William Heim’s article, although some scenes have undeniable happiness, the Rudkus family lives as the result of social defeats.