Capitalism In Catch 22 Essay

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, is set in Chicago in the early 1900’s, during the height of social reform known as the Progressive era. The population of Chicago had grown substantially, from 29,000 in 1850 to 1.7million in 1900, due to the influx of immigrants in search of the “American dream”. America was the destination of all in search of freedom, equality and higher wages. The dream promised success in exchange for hard work, determination and morality. The reality was that the “American dream” was just an illusion. Public services were being overwhelmed with the number of immigrants flooding American cities resulting in unsanitary conditions, garbage littered streets and lack of clean water. The cities of New York and Chicago were being plagued with outbreaks of cholera and typhoid due to the raw sewage flowing in from Lake Michigan. Jurgis Rudkus and Ona Lukoszaite

being an individual was something to be forgotten in order to create a more perfect

Upton Sinclair was born in late September of 1878 in Baltimore, Maryland. His family relocated to New York City when he was ten years old. At the age of twenty, after completing his schooling, he decided to become a serious novelist. In 1904 Sinclair was sent to Chicago to write an exposé on the mistreatment of workers in the meatpacking industry. He spent several weeks undercover gathering the research that greatly contributed to The Jungle.

In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, Jurgis and his family attempt to survive in a malicious society. In this jungle of a town, rotten meat is being packaged in order to save money. Throughout the novel, the immigrants are faced with greedy capitalists who take advantage of the family’s ignorance and naivety in order to make money. The symbols of corruption, a jungle-like setting, and the tension between family and a work-based lifestyle transparently contribute to the unifying theme of anti-capitalism. In other words, this book is not art; this book is propaganda.

In the book The Outsiders, written by S.E. Hinton, a young “greaser” named Ponyboy learns, through brutal clashes with the Socs, the harsh reality of violence. The book focuses on Ponyboy and his gang’s battle with the richer class Socs, and the various effects. Many of these run-ins lead to horrific consequences, such as bad injuries and even death. The three topics addressed in the thought-provoking novel are the fight between rich and poor, what it means to be a hero, and the power of friendship.

Forster said that, "A work of literature must... tell us more than we already know," which means that literature has to show a something new, give us a new perspective on a subject or topic. Orwell 's "Animal Farm" and Vonnegut 's "Harrison Bergeron" both show a new perspective on equality by creating a dystopian universe.

Power. It is the world’s most dangerous asset anyone can hold on to. It can be used for prosperity or for a complete destruction depending on the person. As the famous Lord Acton 's quote says, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Animal Farm stands for the best example that can display this matter in a clearer and funnier version. It portrays the 1917 Russian Revolution atmosphere with the replacement of Russia into Animal Farm. The characters also did not fail to resemble the real people involved in the revolution. Power leads to greed, used to take advantage and manipulate.

The war forces people into situations where the pressure is too much and the environment forces a change on how one views himself. Curt Lemon and Norman Bowker held themselves to standards that they couldn’t reach. They let the war determine how they live and who they would become. The war causes the human spirit to change so vastly that it leads to a demise, so quick and drastic, that it is hard to

“I aimed at the public’s heart and by accident I hit in the stomach” stated the international famous Upton Sinclair, after writing his most prominent novel, The Jungle. The word jungle is constantly associated with a wild environment full of undomesticated animals, but in this authentic novel, it refers to the unethical actions practiced during the gilded age. Sinclair’s main idea was to end all the unjust activities experienced during this time by writing and using the experience of his main character. Throughout the novel, the audience can perceive themes such as capitalism and socialism, historical events and symbolism.

Early themes in the beginning of the book point to the feeling of guilt and shame from not making the choice of going to war the thought to flee or fight a common human instincts were you going to be a “coward” in the public view and not fight or make the choice to defend your countries freedoms

Tim discovers the violence and thirst for power from the death of his best friend. His father’s death shows him the disillusionment and reality of war. Finally, the execution of his only brother makes him aware of the injustice and disloyalty of both sides. The pain Tim experiences and the desolation he sees in those around him prove to him that the fight isn’t worth the cost. Throughout history, people have had to suffer immense amounts of pain not knowing whether or not their descendents have a chance at freedom. War may bring freedom and prosperity, but not without the cost of killing the innocent and bringing misery and sorrow into the

“How Should We Teach The Jungle” by Christopher Phelps has a more convincing argument than “Of Meat and Myth” by Lawrence W. Reed. It is incontrovertible that Phelps believes The Jungle should be taught. Phelps not only includes his ideas, but he also includes others’ ideas to support his own. This way, his argument is supported by more than just facts, unlike Reed’s argument. In “How Should We Teach The Jungle”, Phelps uses evidence, reasoning, and style to show that The Jungle is important in shaping the intellectual development of the youth.

In the story Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is ignorant and has been hypnotized by his government. His government censored his country’s past. Fahrenheit 451 is about a dystopian society where reading books or being in the possession of literature is illegal. In our society firemen put out fires and save people in danger. In the world of Fahrenheit 451 firemen burn the illegal books and leave people to burn if they possessed books. The main character, Guy Montag, is a fireman but he begins to wonder about the books and this leads him into trouble. In the novel Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury pinpoints the idea that the government’s censorship leads to the people's ignorance; this becomes clear to readers when Montag became interested in books

Power. It is the world’s most dangerous asset anyone can hold on to. It can be used for prosperity or for a complete destruction depending on the person. As the famous Lord Acton 's quote says, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Animal Farm stands for the best example that can display this matter in a clearer and funnier version. It portrays the 1917 Russian Revolution atmosphere with the replacement of Russia into Animal Farm. The characters also did not fail to resemble the real people involved in the revolution. Power leads to greed, used to take advantage and manipulate.

Social injustices have been an apparent theme throughout history for many years. Anti-Semitism and Racial discrimination are just two of the many examples of social injustices that have been exhibited in our society. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, both novels share the theme of Social Injustice. Narrated by Death, The Book Thief follows nine-year old Liesel Meminger during World War two in Germany. Liesel and her family are on their way to Molching when Liesel’s younger brother Werner dies on the train ride there. Liesel is given up by her mother, and is sent to live with Hans and Rosa Hubermann in a small town inside of Molching. The similarities between the two books is the common display of morality and ethics, and the similarity between the two characters, Liesel Meminger and Scout Finch. The difference is the types of social injustices that are taking place in both books.