Describing Sinclair’s vision of the American dream in The Jungle
Sinclair’s vision of the American Dream in the Jungle is a clear depiction of the myriad hardships and struggles locals encounter in their endeavors to achieve the elusive American Dream. From the deplorable working conditions, Jurgis finds himself into his sickness; Marija loses her job when her place of work is closed and Elzbieta’s son succumbs. Notably, the ordeals are not easy and the beneficiaries constitute individuals who own the means of production. The encumbrances that Jurgis, Elzbieta, and Marija go through paint a clear picture of what many middle and low-class citizens go through in their attempt to actualize their aspirations; the American Dream. The American Dream is the same today as it was in the 18th and 19th century.
The dream of every immigrant who arrives in the United States focus on having a family, own a home, have enough for domestic use and secure a well-paying job. Indeed, it is a system that keeps the middle and low class in a vicious cycle of struggle while those who own the means of production prosper and move the country forward. While Jurgis dreamt of family, riches, freedom, and the beauty of being in the fast developing world, factory proprietors, production units, and companies enjoyed the large labor force that was gradually streaming into the country. They are not least bothered on the worker’s welfare nor do they care about the plight of their hard struggles. Although Sinclair’s vision is a depiction of what many aspire in the land of freedom and plenty, the sacrifices, pain, and meager payment paint a different picture. The many aspirations and goals immigrants look forward to remains an elusive dream as they forsake their health and values to scramble and toil for what they consider the “American Dream.”
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The reality that hit women who went to check on an advertisement of a home is a clear depiction of the concealed factors of the evasive American dream. As Sinclair’s delineated the incidence, “The whole agony came back to him. Their sacrifices, in the beginning, their three hundred dollars that they have scraped together, all they owned in the world all that stood between them and starvation! And then their toil…” They were no doubt back to where they started. Sinclair’s picture is an unending cycle of struggles, pain, and sweat best captured in the statement; and their house was gone, they were back where they started from, flung out into the cold to starve and freeze!” Of course, they had held onto their dream, toiled hard and achieved it, and then it got lost, as simple as that! On the other hand, company owners, those who owned the means of production grew in wealth day by day, step by step, each day relying on the robust labor force offered by individuals who so passionately went after the American Dream, a clear picture of capitalism at its best! Such is the picture that Sinclair’s narration brings forth, a jungle!
Book’s characters and their experiences to show both the bright and dark sides of Sinclair’s vision
Poverty ranks as the driving force behind the deep aspiration to achieve the American Dream. Jurgis as the main character portrays much of what can be considered the painful exploitation of the poor for the good of those who own the means of production. Due to his frustration coupled with his injury, Jurgis gradually adopts numerous antisocial behaviors that include criminalism and alcoholism that sets him apart from what he had desired as the ultimate dream of his life. Despite his strong mentality towards work, Jurgis gradually loses the morale and stamina to pursue his dream, a situation that turns him into an antisocial being out to avenge his frustrations on others. For example, he turns his anger on little Stanislovas, physically abusing the young child, a clear indication of a frustrated and pained individual.
On the brighter side, Jurgis was happy to land a job when he got to America, an opportunity that he believed would open up numerous avenues of success and good living. He was able to save and acquire a home despite the uneventful loss he later faced. His savings enabled him envision a good and grand future. When he started working at the meat packing plant, he had a good feeling which he believed would catapult him to greatness towards realizing his America Dream. He is elated, blissful and euphoric about his job. However, he soon comes to realize that he is involved in unfair work practices in addition to handling unsafe foods. His experiences play a critical part in opening his eyes to the reality of the society as a jungle and unfair place for the penurious to realize their dreams. When he is involved in an accident, his injuries expose his family to untold misery, an incident that he acknowledges that no man should go through.
His troubles are compounded when he comes to realization that his wife is engaged in prostitution, a result of the many setbacks they suffer in their pursuit of the American Dream. He lost his dream to the greed and capitalistic system of the corporate machinery, an experience that left him torn and destitute. His engagement with socialism exposes him to painful experiences. According to Sinclair, it was incomprehensible to conceptualize the many pains Jurgis went through to realize his dreams.
Ona’s experiences in the workplace can only be explicated as ghastly. Although happily married, she is forced to prostitute with Connor with the intention of saving her job and that of all her family kins. At one time, Cannor raped her and thereafter forced her to the boardinghouse. She is left totally destroyed, her self-esteem torn apart, her marriage torn and her entire life exposed to ridicule. As a family together with Jurgis, they underwent a tumultuous time due to the incident which saw Jurgie sentenced to a jail term. No one listened to them, no law defined the offense and with nowhere to turn to, the corporate machinery led her to her demise.
From the experiences of Jurgis and Ona, it is not a dream, but an illusion to achieve the incomprehensible considering the capitalistic nature of the society. On the bright side, Jurgis and Ona had a bright and elaborate dream to own a home, set up a family and live happily after. They worked hard to save their meager salary; toiled and put away the dark side of their experiences just to achieve targeted goals. Their elaborate dream as a family was no doubt the aspiration of every immigrant who arrives in the United States. They are the simple and down to earth family out to make the best out of their abilities and struggles; the very true dream of every individual in the society. However, it is their dark experiences that portray the truth behind the reality of the elusive American Dream. The capitalistic system, according to Sinclair is not set to favor the working and low class in the society. It is a system aimed at protecting and helping persons with the means of production to prosper and grow.
How Sinclair’s vision of the American dream compare and contrast to that of Adams?
James Truslow focuses more on how the ordinary individual aspires to seek a living with the rights of life, pursuit of happiness and liberty. According to Adams, America has gradually grown to appreciate the ideology of a better and bigger life. Many within American society has endeavored to protect the “American Dream” by struggling to maintain the established order while the downtrodden aspire for a better life and improved living conditions. Adams depiction is a representation of how America has matured through the years to create its current social standing regarding opinion, character, and outlook. According to James Truslow’s definition of the American Dream, the book offers a preview into his ideals of America that entails the “aspiration of a place in which life is richer, fuller, and having in place opportunities for growth and achievement.” These represent the very dreams Jurgis aspired to achieve in America. Thus Jurgis is a representation of what Adams coined as the egalitarian ideology to a better lifestyle and living.
References
Adams, J. T. (2017). The epic of America . Routledge.
Sinclair, U., & Lee, E. (2003). Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition . See Sharp Press.
https://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Upton_Sinclair/The_Jungle/Chapter_2_p1.html
