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Upton Sinclair was an activist writer whose works, including 'The
Jungle' and 'Boston,' often uncovered social injustices
Synopsis
Upton Sinclair was born in Maryland in 1878. His involvement with socialism led to a writing
assignment about the plight of workers in the meatpacking industry, eventually resulting in the bestselling novel The Jungle (1906). Although many of his later works and bids for political office were
unsuccessful, Sinclair earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1943 for Dragon's Teeth. He died in New Jersey in 1968.
Between Two Worlds
Upton Sinclair was born in a small row house in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 20, 1878. From
birth he was exposed to dichotomies that would have a profound effect on his young mind and greatly
influence his thinking later in life. The only child of an alcoholic liquor salesman and a puritanical, strong-willed mother,
he was raised on the edge of poverty, but was also exposed to the privileges of the upper class through visits with his
mother’s wealthy family.
When Sinclair was 10 years old, his father moved the family from Baltimore to New York City. By this time, Sinclair had
already begun to develop a keen intellect and was a voracious reader, consuming the works of Shakespeare and Percy
Bysshe Shelley at every waking moment. At age 14, he attended the City College of New York and started selling
children’s stories and humor pieces to magazines. After graduating in 1897, he enrolled at Columbia University to
continue his studies and, using a pseudonym, wrote dime novels to support himself.
'The Jungle'
Ultimately, it would be Sinclair’s political convictions that would lead to his first literary success
and the one for which he is most known. The contempt he had developed for the upper class as a
youth had led Sinclair to socialism in 1903, and in 1904 he was sent to Chicago by the socialist
newspaper Appeal to Reason to write an exposé on the mistreatment of workers in the
meatpacking industry. After spending several weeks conducting undercover research on his
subject matter, Sinclair threw himself into the manuscript that would become The Jungle.
Initially rejected by publishers, in 1906 the novel was finally released by Doubleday to great
public acclaim—and shock. Despite Sinclair’s intention to reveal the plight of laborers at the
meatpacking plants, his vivid descriptions of the cruelty to animals and unsanitary conditions
there caused great public outcry and ultimately changed the way people shopped for food.
Upon its release, Sinclair enlisted his fellow writer and friend Jack London to help publicize his
book and assist in getting his message across to the masses. The Jungle became a massive best seller, and was translated
into 17 languages within months of its release. Among its readers was President Theodore Roosevelt, who—despite his
aversion to Sinclair’s politics—invited Sinclair to the White House and ordered an inspection of the meatpacking industry.
As a result, the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act were both passed in 1906.
(Biography.com)
Understanding Upton Sinclair
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