The Role Of Individualism In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle

The period between 1865 and 1910 raised many speculations that questioned the government’s growth of power and the definition of freedom in the United States. The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, delivers an accurate representation of the difficulties that unfortunate immigrants had to endure without sugar coating the harsh reality of the working conditions. People like the main character by the name of Jurgis Rudkus are not truly exercising their freedom or equality rights, because capitalistic forces have corrupted economic, political, and social systems, resulting in the limitation of freedom for the lower, working class.

The idea of individualism was introduced during this time period. This concept was defined by society as being responsible for oneself, leading into the belief of equality of opportunity, which

simply translated to mean that on paper, everyone was equal. (Pettengill, 1-19-2018). However, having these words written on paper did little to aid in the poor treatment and lack of opportunities presented to those who were not fortunate enough to have been born with a silver spoon in the United States. The result was an unparalleled economic expansion from 1865 to 1900. This can be translated back to the jungle in which Jurgis, “learned that America differed from Russia in that its government existed under the form of a democracy.” (Sinclair, 101). This was a harsh realization for the working class at the time of the Gilded age as many immigrants fled their home countries in search of the life changing opportunities this free country was said to provide. However, the definition of freedom was obscured as the United States government was only transforming itself into a corrupt system of democracy, infatuated with making profits and mass production, unbothered by the well-being of their citizens. The transportation revolution played a major role in this era as it resulted in the construction of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. Chicago was transformed into the biggest industrial center during this period. (Pettengill, 1-19-18). Therefore, the demand of production was stretched, leading to poor working conditions and the maltreatment of employers, limiting their freedom in order to meet demands.
The Gilded age became famous for acquiring shallow values and establishing the rise of monopolies.

The proof of these selfish standards can be traced back to the Jungle as Jurgis quickly finds out that, “They use everything about the hog except the squeal.” (Sinclair, 37). This reveal sets a negative tone for the era as health standards were of little to no importance, and the workers of these factories endured a slave like atmosphere. In order to protest against the corruption of these political forces, workers, such as Jurgis Rudkus, formed unions like the knights of labor, which was led by Terence V. Powderly. The knights of labor were an early form of unionism that allowed all races, genders, and nationalities to become members. These labor unions provided a political voice for the workers who could not speak for themselves and had long lost the taste of equality and freedom. (Pettengill, 1-24-18). Unfortunately, many of these unions were unsuccessful such as the Haymarket Affair of 1886. The affair held a rally for an eight-hour work day that failed and turned deadly, however the rally did result in the increased fear of radicalism. (Pettengill,

1-24-18).
The restrictions that affected the freedom and equal treatment of immigrant workers, such as Jurgis, rooted directly from the workplace. With a lack of sanitation and precaution laws, many factory and mine workers lost limbs and even their lives. It is stated in the Jungle that “you could scarcely find a person who had the use of his thumb; time and time again the base of it had been slashed, till it was a mere lump of flesh.” (Sinclair, 107). The raw, uncut truth behind Sinclair’s graphic images reveals that these immigrant workers were not given the equal opportunities that those of a higher class could easily claim. The newly formed corrupt system of democracy took advantage of, and abused the rights and man power of the lower class, working immigrants. In his excerpt, The Bitter Cry of Children, John Spargo supports this idea, as he delivered further insight into the foul work setting of the children in the coal mines. Spargo elaborated on the fact that, “some of them had never been inside of a school.” (TAN, 56). This discovery verified the fact that the children raised in poverty were not given opportunities equal to those who were raised in the middle or higher classes. In other words, the lives of these impoverished children was shaped in a manner that kept them from striving outside of the lower class, eliminating any chances of equal treatment and their right to exercise their freedom.
The class system of the Gilded age during the period between 1865-1910 kept the poor, poor, and the rich, rich. This corrupt form of democracy became widespread and working immigrants, like Jurgis Rudkis, were never truly free or equal. These basic rights were limited for individuals in order for the government to acquire cheap labor and make a handsome profit.