He was the typical immigrant who sought to make his way in America but the harsh realities of American capitalist system left him battered and broken with a dead wife and child. After wandering through a life of crime and corruption, Jurgis is finally redeemed through socialism; just as American society could be redeemed through socialism. The Jungle ends with the socialist making some progress in the American political landscape but with a long way to go. However, whatever message that Sinclair hoped to make about the American economic system became overshadowed by his descriptions of the actual conditions in the meatpacking industry. And the ultimate impact of the book was to alter the way industries were regulated to ensure the safety of the public.
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