Towards the Comparison of The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser - Essay Example

Other Topic: Two books comparison essayIntroduction The hidden agenda of the American food industry is highly disturbing. Corrupt ethics has been adopted as the regular business practice. The facts revealed in the books “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair and “Fast Food Nation” by Eric Schlosser, open the curtain of the gruesome developments that take place at the production units of the food manufacturing factories and their marketing strategies to sell the popular everyday food. The health of the coming generations of America is in peril with the consumption of fast food items, and the awesome results are the wake up calls for those who administer the health issues of this country. The facts revealed by both the authors after their painstaking research are unassailable and tangible steps need to be taken to avert this malicious avalanche that has engulfed the lifestyles of the people, younger generation in particular. Consumption of fast food has done enough damage to the people of America, their lifestyles and culture; do the writings of Upton Sinclair and Eric Schlosser have the latent strength to change the value systems and political philosophy of the country on a permanent basis? Both the authors have provided the awesome procedures adopted at the slaughterhouses, where cruelty is part of the procedure of converting live and kicking animals to packed meat. “The Jungle” provides the details of such cruelties in the beginning of the story, and “Fast Food Nation” holds on till midway through the book. Sinclair mentions about the demonic mechanical procedures adopted for slaughter of hogs in particular. The subject matters of both the authors, broadly speaking, are the same. Sinclair is a political personality, but Schlosser pleads for the social cause more effectively. He puts forth his viewpoints clearly with an appeal to the public to introspect their food habits and their responsibility in changing the prevailing conditions in the food industry. He calls for the boycott of the eating joints selling such junk food items. Sinclair presents it more as a social cause, details the virtues of socialism in comparison to the evils of capitalism. Schlosser tries to create a deep impact on the conscience of the people judging the reader’s sense of ethos, pathos and logos to achieve a great social cause and merciful disposition towards the animal kingdom. Schlosser has a specified perspective about the story of the book, and achieves it very well. To Sinclair, description of animal cruelty is part of his overall strategy to plead for the introduction of socialism in the political system of America, his main argument being the pathetic living conditions of the working class of the industry. Schlosser’s plot is restricted; Sinclair’s plot is broad, and transcends the borders of America, and he has in mind the welfare of working class of the world. His avowed objective is to introduce socialist revolution in America. Schlosser’s writing style appeals to the emotions of the readers, he has tendered relevant statistics and leaves no doubts about his credentials. Many readers must have given up the habit of fast food, on the strength of his arguments. So strong is its impact and it has the capacity to change the lifestyles of the people. But he does not condemn capitalism directly and restricts his attack to the unethical practices followed by the fast food industry for aggrandizement of wealth. Fiction vs. Facts: The scope for fictional elements in Schlosser’s novel is limited. It is a research-based, cause-oriented story. As the story meanders through different areas and stages, readers feel compelled to accept what he has stated. The book is a research-based document. The fictional elements in Sinclair’s writing are obvious and as the story progresses, the propaganda aspects of pleading for socialism become obvious, and this deviation may not acceptable to most of the readers. This story certainly will not pave way for socialist revolution in America. Working conditions, health and emotions: Both the authors have administered the shock therapy to the society through their stories, but the areas of shocks are different. “The Jungle” highlights the poor lifestyles of the immigrants in the early 1900s, and their unimaginable working conditions. The food is a secondary issue though it is dealt with in the first chapter of the novel. That is the ploy of the author to introduce more serious issues that have national and international repercussions, that of introducing socialism by overthrowing capitalism. On the other hand, Schlosser introduces twin issues that concern the health of humankind and cruelty to animals and articulates his case well and invites the readers to make a fair assessment of the issues and take appropriate decisions. This is the correct democratic approach in keeping with the traditions of the American society. In Sinclair’s writing, his extra-territorial leanings as far as his political ideology is concerned, are evident in the later part of the story. Overall effects of the books on America: “The Jungle” did not usher socialism in America, but it generated enough shock waves in the political/social system with calls for labor and agricultural reforms. It created a political impact in the country. He explains how the politicians and industrialists (meatpacking industry in particular) with vested interests are in a position to hold the workers to ransom. In effect, the book is an important contribution to the labor history/movement in America and food industry in particular and makes a case for rigorous government controls and inspection systems in the meat processing industry. Contribution of Eric Schlosser: Through “Fast Food Nation”, Schlosser has given the wake up call to the American government as well as to the people. The fast food manufacturers can no more build paper dams on the ocean with the help of copy editors of their advertisement agencies. The author has proved that pen is mightier than the sword and his articulation that a society that treats millionaires and billionaires only as part of their culture, to the detriment of the interest of the common man has no future. American courts will have a tough time in interpreting as to what food is good for the citizens of America. In the name of free economy, the powerful fast food industry giants cannot hold the population of the country to ransom as for their eating habits. Agreed, the working mothers have no time to cook food at home; but that doesn’t mean they will watch silently when poison is fed to their children. Schlosser makes his objectives of writing the book clear. He writes, “This is a book about fast food, the values it embodies, and the world it has made….I am interested in it both as a commodity and as a metaphor. What people eat (or don’t eat) has always been determined by a complex interplay of social, economic and technological forces”. (3) Fast food has left a telling impact on the popular culture and homely traditions of the American families. Schlosser provides the legal solution to the issue also and he argues, “The prosecution of a few meat packing executives for the deaths or injuries of their workers will serve as a wake-up call for the industries. It will convey a blunt message that most Americans would instinctively support: allowing innocent people to be maimed and killed as a crime.” (p 265) His advice to the people is just and reasonable. He argues, “Nobody in the United States is forced to buy fast food. The first step toward meaningful change is by far the easiest: stop buying it. The executives who run the fast food industry are not bad men. They are business men. Even in this fast food nation, you can still have it your way.” (269-270) He also has the correct analysis and assessment of the labor vs. the management. He argues, “When labor unions have too much influence, they can become corrupt and encourage inefficiencies. But the absence of unions can permit corporations to behave like continuing criminal enterprises, to violate labor laws with impunity.” (p.265) The two books belong to the two different eras, and their perception has to be different. Contribution of Sinclair: Sinclair discusses the negative aspects of capitalism, and thinks that socialism is the only solution for problems confronting America. About the plight of the workers, who are mostly immigrants, he writes, “Here is a population, low-class and mostly foreign, hanging always on the verge of starvation and dependent for its opportunities of life upon the whim of men every bit as brutal and unscrupulous as the old-time slave drivers; under such circumstances, immorality is exactly as inevitable, and as prevalent, as it is under the system of chattel slavery." (126) The repeated references to working class make it look like the propaganda literature of the communists/socialists. Conclusion Upton Sinclair and Eric Schlosser have given their best on the subject even though their approaches vary. The dangers of consuming fast food, the unfair labor practices prevailing in the industry, the cruelties inflicted on the animals with an appeal to change the lifestyles have been well-articulated in both the books. Sinclair goes one step ahead and makes a case for socialistic pattern of society in America and comes out vehemently against capitalism. He does not mince words to condemn capitalism and thinks that it is destructive, inhuman, brutal, violent and unjust. How far America will change on the strength of the ideas articulated by both the authors, is the moot question. Works Cited Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation. Harper Perennial; 2005. Print. Sinclair, Upton. The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition. See Sharp Press; 2003. Print. Read More