Sinclair's claim through Jurgis

As we talked about in class, The Jungle portrays the truth about how people are treated and how their state can play a huge role in the process of factory in capitalism. I believe Sinclair wants to show that capitalism makes a laborer not as a person, but a something non-worthy. Especially shown through the figure of Jurgis. After Jurgis injuries his leg and returns to work, Sinclair says "They had got the best out of him, there was the truth---they had worn him out, with their speeding up and their damned carelessness, and now they had thrown him away! And Jugris would make the acquaintance of some of these unemployed men; he would stroll away with them . . . . and he found that they had all had the same experience" (p.114). This experience shows that people are treated inhuman by capitalists in order for success without the view of humanity. Jugris is then forced to engage the worst job in the factory of fertilizer.

The reason why Jurgis feels this way is not because of the factory, but also him not being able to adapt.  In the beginning of story, he is described as a man who is very confidence and a strong commitment to work. The reality of Chicago ruins his confidence throughout the chapters. It is obvious he cannot adapt to the environment, that he has to be at the factory, because he has a free will that he has to protect his family. His free will would always give him doubt and question about the situation that people are treated as a part of the process, "like as machine" as Sinclair describes. Jurgis finally gets to his limit and he has to protect his injured wife from being treated so cruel in chapter 15. Not only does this novel exposes the true states of laborers, it also indicates the conflict between naturalism and free will.