The Jungle was first published in 1906. Contemporary critics disagree about whether or not the novel has any “relevance” to modern readers. What do you think? I believe this novel has some relevance for modern readers in today's society. In the world of economic competition we live in today, many prosper and many are left digging in garbage cans. It has been a constant struggle throughout the company's modern history. A widely cited example of this struggle is Upton Sinclair's breakthrough novel, The Jungle. The Jungle takes the reader on a journey with a group of recent Lithuanian immigrants to America. In addition to a physical journey, this is a journey into a new world for them. They came to America, where in the early 20th century it was said that any man willing to work honestly would earn a living and be able to support his family. It is an ideal that all Americans know, one of the foundations that has brought American society to where it is today. However, as he tells this story, Upton Sinclair involves the reader in a symbolic and metaphorical war against capitalism. Sinclair's contempt for capitalist society is present throughout the novel, from top to bottom, personified in Jurgis' enthusiasm for work, in the constant struggle for survival of the workers of Packingtown, in the corruption of "man" at all levels of society, and in many other ways. To understand how political systems are important to this novel, it is necessary to define both capitalism and socialism as they are relevant to The Jungle. Capitalism, and more specifically laissez-faire capitalism, is the economic system in America. It basically means that producers and consumers have the right... middle of paper... an era, an era where social critics looked at everything that was wrong and corrupt in business and politics and responded against it. The Jungle was written primarily as a stark indictment of wage slavery, but its vivid descriptions of the deplorable lack of sanitation involved in Chicago's meatpacking industry sparked public outrage to the point that Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection. Act. The Jungle was a product of the era when the industry was rapidly evolving and millions of immigrants were arriving in America, the land of milk and honey. What they often found instead was a lack of jobs, low-paying jobs in deplorable conditions, and the knowledge that the American dream was not equally accessible to all. Even the American dream today is no walk in the park, which is why I believe The Jungle has some relevance for modern readers.