In the book The Jungle, Upton Sinclair depicts a tremendous truth that how people are treated, their state, is a part of the process of factory in capitalism. I believe Sinclair wants to claim that capitalism considers a laborer not as a person but disposable products through the figure of Jurgis. After Jurgis injured his leg and returns to his job, Sinclair describes that "They had got the best out of him, there was the truth---they had worn him out, with their speeding up and their damned carelessness, and now they had thrown him away! And Jugris would make the acquaintance of some of these unemployed men; he would stroll away with them . . . . and he found that they had all had the same experience" (p.114). This experience must indicate the real situation that people are treated as a disposable product by capitalists in order to make productivity without the view of humanity. Therefore, Jugris is forced to engage the worst job in the factory of fertilizer.
However, I believe the reason why Jurgis feels torture and mental anguish is because of not only the fertilizer factory but also his character that he cannot adapt to the environment at all. In the beginning of story, he is described as a man who has a confidence his power and ability for labor. In spite of the fact, the real situation always conflicts with him against his belief. Therefore, the real deprives his confidence gradually through the chapters. However, he cannot adapt to the environment that he has to be at the mercy of the factory and capitalism, because he has a free will that he has to protect his family, especially children and his wife, Ona. His free will would always give him doubt and question about the situation that people are treated as a part of the process, like as machine. Therefore, he finally hits his boss because he has to protect his injured wife from the insistence of sex in chapter 15. In addition to the truth that this novel exposes the true states of laborers, furthermore, I believe that this novel also indicates the conflict between naturalism and free will.
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Thank you, Ryosuke. After reading your posting I could think about Jurgis and his condition in the society. First, I agree the view that the industry regards Jurgis not as a member of worker who can claim his benefit and proper rights, but as a part of the system. If he is not efficient for the system, he has to move his position immediately. It seems that there is not any help or consideration for people with giving time to get another job or set up another home. Though, the novel does not tell that directly capitalism is bad for human because of its cruelty, but it apparently shows the possibility that how capitalism makes inhumane environments for people. By reflecting the main character’s tragic life which is getting severe, the novel warns not to ignore the rights of working class in the society, regardless whether the society represents capitalism or not. Especially, the novel pays attention to Jurgis’s pain and suffering in the immigrant life that it brings out similar possibilities to the miserable condition, because all people can fall into the condition Jurgis is struggling to. Hence, the novel using tragic factors helps us evaluate the ideology of society and suggest a light how we should construct a working system in the society, and protect workers’ rights.
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