The Jungle

Reflect on your answer in the Personal Connection Prompt. Is your understanding of the word “exploit” similar to Sinclair’s? Consider the exploitation that immigrant workers experienced at the turn of the century. Do you believe this exploitation has changed since this book was published? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This question invites students to link directly with their Personal Connection Prompt. Sinclair focuses much of his novel, particularly in the last few chapters, on the exploitation of the working class by big corporations. While he makes this argument generally for all working-class people, contemporary arguments further dissect Sinclair’s discussion of the additional barriers that POC, women, LGBTQ+, and working-class immigrants experience daily. Such exploitation is one of the main reasons that proponents of Socialism argue for The Nature and Necessity of Socialism.