The Jungle Pt.1

The book that we are reading, Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, was pretty surprising to me already. This is going to be my first time reading this book and even though we are only through the first couple chapters, there was a lot that I found interesting and not really in a good way. 

First off, I was not expecting this book to have an optimistic tone to it at all. From everything that I have heard about this book, I expected it to have a very dark, grim, and negative tone. That really caught me off guard. 


Next, I thought it was interesting that Jurgis was happy to be doing the work that he was doing. I mean I guess he is just happy to have work in general. After all thats the whole reason why he came to America anyway. He was searching for the "American Dream" but after only earning about $2 per day is that really going to become a reality? He works over 12 hours a day and doesn't get paid that much at all. He is sweeping the entrails of cattle that have been slaughtered and loves it; even with that horrible smell everyday, all day long. He also has to just watch as so many sanitation infractions are occurring. He is literally watching as contaminated is packaged and sent out. I don't think I could live with myself knowing that there are families out there that will be feeding this meat to their children. I mean the conditions and sanitation is a lot better now (or at least I hope so) but still its just not something that I could do. Then again, I guess he's just happy to have a job in the first place.