The Jungle Group

Question:

symoneee
symoneee
Student
High School - 11th Grade

How does Upton Sinclair depict the failure of attempts to improve wage laborer's lives by working from within capitalism ?

... focusing mostly on legal, social, and philanthropic effort

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Posted by symoneee on Sunday September 6, 2009 at 3:59 PM and tagged with capitalism, themes.

Answers:


  1. akannan Teacher
    Middle School

    eNotes Editor

    Sinclair's depiction of capitalism is one where individuals are driven by self serving means of profit.  This vision of capitalism is an isolating one, as each individual is compelled to subscribe to a vision of profit based success where the more money one can generate determines failure or triumph.  Sinclair suggests that such a premise is doomed to failure because it fails to recognize a collective vision where individuals can act with larger interests in mind.  Regardless of any type of modification one can make within a capitalist structure, Sinclair argues that if profit based motives are the sole determinant of success, solidarity, collectivity, and a sense of social progress will always be denied.  This is what dooms capitalism in Sinclair's mind, which is why the book ends with a call for individuals to continue to strive for material success, but do so within a schematic where the advancement of a rights based agenda is also pursued and demanded.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/jungle/themes

    Rate answer:

    Posted by akannan on Sunday September 6, 2009 at 4:21 PM