Metaphor in the Jungle

In the story The Jungle, whenever Jugris is exhausted by the work in the fertilizer factory, he seems to be supported with alcohol in order to forget the severe labor. I believe an element such as alcohol could be considered a metaphor that it leads the readers into the idea of catharsis. In Gi Hyun's presentation today, he introduced one of the meanings of catharsis is that it "leaves an audience feeling not depressed but relieved".

In chapter 14, Upton Sinclair depicts that "They might drink together, and escape from the horror---escape for a while, come what would" (p.129). At first sight for this statement, it is capable of making the audience (the readers) depressed because they may consider the situation that Jugris only depends on the agency of alcohol in order to escape his real life. However, for laborers at that time, this statement would have another interpretation because this statement must be shared as same experience for them. This interpretation is based on this story's scrupulosity of the truth on the laborers. Because one of the characters of this story is considered muckraker, this story would be believed not only just tragedy but also the opportunity which the situation of the laborers is overturned from poverty and capitalism. Therefore, the element of alcohol would be considered not the means to escape from the reality but the object which people can share their experience as common information against capitalism, and finally they are relieved. Therefore, I believe the reason why the element of alcohol is used in the chapter is because alcohol contains not only the association of purification, but also the means which it is shared as common information for the laborers.