In this essay I will explore the ideas surrounding an "underworld" in The Jungle. The Jungle was written in 1906 by American novelist Upton Sinclair, to show the world the evils of the American capitalist system. Sinclair documents the journey of a Lithuanian immigrant family moving to America and their subsequent realization that they are extremely disillusioned with dreams of a financially stable life in a better country. From the beginning of the novel, the idea of ​​being dragged by happiness and hope into an underground world of desperation created by capitalism is present. The opening scene is that of a typical Lithuanian wedding, one of the few if not the only moments of pure happiness in the entire novel; Jurgis then leaves the city center and goes to the countryside where he feels a strong nostalgia for his past life in his home country. This creates a significant juxtaposition between the characters' lives in their current, dehumanizing lives and the escape to a happier past. It is the well-established capitalist system in the United States that forms the “underworld” in the novel, as it undermines less wealthy members of the population by handing wealth over to those who are already wealthy, leading to immense suffering and exploitation. in a world characterized by appalling conditions such as excessive alcoholism and prostitution, child labor, crime and socio-political corruption. This “underworld” is kept hidden beneath the fast-paced lifestyle of twentieth-century America and the allure of the American dream, forcing those caught in the capitalist trap to be dishonest to survive, a vice that extends from the poorest people who cheat others in competition for the humblest goods. jobs to salespeople who lie about their products and politicians who buy the support, or votes, of their public. Throughout the novel this idea of ​​transformation into an inferior being is represented, a sort of dehumanization in which, in the "underworld", men are transformed into machines to help capitalism and create greater profit. An example of this is Jurgis, whose initial position for his job at the meatpacking factory is that of an honest, hard-working man, but ultimately resorts to drinking, crime, and abandoning his family after being emotionally tortured; the moment of his dehumanization is when he returns to the factory to knowingly work for corrupt men. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Throughout the novel, food is used to symbolize the evil side of capitalism's nature and is the linchpin that allows the "underworld" to continue thriving. Basically, food is something that nourishes the body and mind and plays a significant role in family life, as in the wedding scene at the book's opening. The food in Packingtown is dangerous and toxic, and the cans of rotten meat perfectly symbolize the corrupt American dream; they have a shiny, silver exterior but contain a product not suitable for human consumption. It is also important to note here that the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906 was almost entirely due to public reaction to the depiction of meat processing in The Jungle. Citizens have suddenly realized that they are part of an “underworld” that they may not have even known existed, and have pushed for reform those in power who have an evident disdain for the fact that, due to their own greed and industrialism, their workforce was forced to forage for food in unsanitary conditions. From the point of.