Men of Power in “The Jungle” Free Essays

A Summary and Review of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle Upton’s Sinclair’s book portrayed a wide variety of characters to convey his messages. Only one character can be considered a major character, Jurgis Rudkus. The book revolves around Jurgis’ life in Packingtown. We will write a custom essay sample on Men of Power in â€Å"The Jungle† or any similar topic only for you Order Now The supporting characters, transitioned in and out of the story with great frequency. When Jurgis initially arrives in Packingtown from his native Lithuania he can best be described as being large and powerful. He believes in the work ethic to a point of naivete. His sole answer to any setback: â€Å"I will work harder. † Eventually Jurgis learns that no laborer can make enough to be the sole provider for his family. His only recourse is to send his wife and children out to work. Soon Jurgis begins to discover certain injustices that the meat packers employ to exploit their workers. Workers are worn out by a â€Å"speed-up† system, they are not compensated for illnesses or injury incurred from their work, and they are literally paid by the hour, anything less than a hour does not get compensated. Jurgis, frustrated with the current conditions in the meat packing industry, that uses the men the same way they use swine (every part), joins a Union, as does Marjia, and various other members of his family. Investing money into a home and life into his job gets a Jurgis no where. Positions of power tend to go only to the corrupted characters. Bribes and kickbacks come as commonly as unemployment and job insecurity. He finally realizes that even a physically strong man, willing to work hard, can be beaten by the system; indeed, the system must defeat and discard him as part of its â€Å"progress† through exploitation of people for profits. Eventually his luck runs out and Jurgis is injured upon his the killing beds at the meat packing plant. His foot swells and he has no other recourse but to lay in bed and wait until his foot heals. Ironically, he is free to enjoy the company of his son only when he is laid off from work. In just a few years after immigrating to the country, he is brutalized by circumstances to the point of ruin. His once mighty stature has been reduced to rubble, and looks seedy and wretched. He acts dull and beats young Stanislovas into going to work. After two months of waiting, with bills pilling up, Jurgis goes back to work to find his job filled by another man. Due to his large house payment and the need to eat, Jurgis takes the worst possible job in Packing town, the Glue factory. By this time he has taken to the bottle and has started to move father and farther away from his family. The children have all been put to work, as well as his wife, Ona and his Grandfather-in-law Deda Antonias. To make matters even worse, Jurgis finds out that Ona has been forced have sex with her Boss. This totally enrages Jurgis, he runs to the Packing house to find the boss, Connor, and then beats him savagely. After his arrest he must serve on month in jail. During his stay in jail he meets Jack Duane, and becomes somewhat good friends with him. Within the month his family is in shambles. The children now, for the most part, live on their own, various family member are dead, Ona is about to deliver a child, everyone has lost their jobs, and the house that they struggled so hard for has vanished away. By the time he finds Ona she is in mid child birth and in need of medical assistance. Due to his current lack of funds, Jurgis finds a Dutch lady to deliver his child for $1. 25. Even with the help of the Dutch lady Ona and the child dies. After Ona’s death in premature childbirth, their son’s dies in an accidental drowning while his father is at work. Jurgis then takes to the country as a tramp. Through his journey in the country he gets somewhat rejuvenated, and returns to his old stature. He works when he needs to, and travels and sleeps when he wants. By winter it becomes obvious to him that he can not survive out in the country for the duration of the winter, and is forced to seek work in the city he left behind. He becomes a bum, and drinks extremely heavily. While begging and wandering through the streets he, falls into a bit of luck and meets a young man named Frederick (â€Å"Freddie†) Jones. Freddie, being the son of rich Old Man Jones, takes Jurgis back to his home, giving Jurgis $100 and the privilege of dining and drinking with him. Eventually when the young man falls asleep, the butler throws Jurgis out. With the hundred dollars firmly in his possession Jurgis decides that the only place he could probably get change for the bill would be at a bar. Jurgis goes into the bar when no one is looking, and asks the bartender to give him change for the bill. The bartender makes him buy a drink, and then hands him a handful of change. Jurgis becomes enraged, and pounces on the man. Jurgis gets arrested again for battery and lands in jail. With the assistance of Jack Duane he drifts into crime and the corrupt world of politics. Jurgis make himself available now as an assistant to a robber or to a political boss rigging elections. Ironically, under these evil conditions, he discovers a new confidence and a talent for management. With a bit of luck and some help from newly acquired acquaintances Jurgis gets a cushy job in the meat packing factory. To keep this job, all Jurgis had to do was get the Democratic ticket elected, making the common man think that it was the best choice. During the 1904 meat packer’s strike, he gets a golden opportunity to become a scab and then a typical boss, driving his workers and taking bribes. A chance encounter with Connor proves to be Jurgis’ moral salvation. Jurgis gets arrested again for furiously beating his wife’s seducer and realizes that he must jump bail. He has proven himself capable once more of moral fury, and he realizes bitterly which side he is really on. Cold and looking for a place to sleep, Jurgis stumbles into a Socialist meeting. He is profoundly moved by an orator who describes the life of the working class and how workers can take active measures to improve society. It dawns on Jurgis that he is entitled to join this movement. â€Å"A new man had been born. † He is no longer an isolated victim of circumstances; â€Å"he would have friends and allies. † Finally Jurgis reunites with Marjia, a doped up prostitute supporting the remains of his family. They have definitely become two different types of people. Her the victim, and him the fighter, still struggling for justice. With the idea, that he might be able to once again support his family Jurgis goes out in search of a job. Apparently by luck, he finds a job in a hotel, run by socialists. By the end of the book Upton Sinclair, through Jurgis and various other characters, makes various speeches, and arguments for the use of Socialism with opposition to capitalism. Personal conflict was not the key theme of this book, but rather social conflict within the corporate structures. There is, however, some conflict among various characters. The most notable instance occurs when Jurgis batters his wife’s Boss Connor, upon two occasions. This is his way to release his rage and anger at the man who abused, seduced, and molested his wife. Jurgis also has a conflicting view on how he looked at the people in the factories. He saw them as weak and lazy people, complaining because they could not handle their jobs. After the death of his wife and child, Jurgis goes on as self-destructive rampage through the city and the country. Not only does Jurgis conflict with others he finds himself in conflict with the legal system, and the factory system. This causes him to make a mental shift to socialism. This also brings up the conflicting types of government, Socialism vs. Capitalism, in a obviously biased portrayal. The most important message of conflict that Upton Sinclair wanted to deliver was his idea that the individual is constantly conflicting with the trusts and work machines that enslave him. The Jungle contains numerous themes which create the perfect atmosphere for Upton Sinclair’s tragic book. In 1900 – 1904, industrialized America is a jungle. The only real law is the law of the jungle: might makes right. The main problem is that the economic system fosters greed and ruthless competition as a way of life. Greed prompts people to sell spoiled meat, engage in false advertising, pollute, bribe and be bribed. In such a system, the hired worker lives at a distinct disadvantage. He is trapped, exploited, and cheated by employers who, in competition with other employers, must consider profits more important than people. The worker in early twentieth-century America is brutalized and stultified. Only that part of his personality needed to perform a monotonous task is kept alive; the rest is crushed. Under these conditions, love is reduced to mere bestiality; the tender aspects of marriage and the raising of children are harshly overshadowed by the agonies of the economic struggle; and indeed, marriage itself becomes an economic trap. Big Business has complete control of, but no responsibility for, the well-being of the masses. Big Business ultimately, deviously, controls government and the courts for its own benefit. In order to foster its corruption of politics, Big Business needs and thrives on crime and ultimately works in alliance with the criminal world. Capitalist democracy is therefore a fraud, a contradiction in terms. There can be no true democracy in a society controlled by one class with hereditary economic power. Turn-of-the-century immigrants to America were lured into a trap. They were attracted by promises of economic well-being and political equality; instead, they were sacrificed on the altar of â€Å"progress,† the generation that built industrial society for its native owners. â€Å"Here, precisely as in Russia [1904] . . . rich men owned everything. † American greatness is due to exploitation. If we are the greatest nation the sun has ever shone upon, it would seem to be mainly because we have been able to goad wage earners to [a] pitch of frenzy. † By using the characters in the meat-packing industry, Upton Sinclair is able to portray his Socialistic messages. In the end, Jurgis’ life is turned around because the character finds true â€Å"freedom† and happiness in Socialism. The entire book is a large piece of propaganda supporting Socialism. To say that it was only meant to be a piece of propaganda would be ignorant, and foolish upon any readers part. Through his characters, Mr. Sinclair exposes a corrupt and brutal system in which on the law of the jungle reigns true. This belief is maintained by every single character in the piece. The author obvious had strong beliefs and motives for writing this book. Mr. Sinclair used his beliefs on socialism to provided an answer to how America trusts could be broken up. This book, (from American History Class) aided the common man to understand the horrid conditions of the meat packing industry, as did books like Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beacher Stowe, ironically a white woman fighting for the freedom of slaves in the 19th century. How to cite Men of Power in â€Å"The Jungle†, Essay examples

Chemistry of crime Essay Example For Students

Chemistry of crime Essay pic The case of jonbenet ramseyPresented to: Rehka IyerpicThe RamseysHomeSubmitted by:Sarah Pinsonneault9845735The first images of JonBenet Ramsey that were broadcast to the world showeda pretty little girl in heavy make-up and flamboyant costumes paradingacross a stage. At the time, the media described her as being a paintedbaby, a sexualized toddler beauty queen. From the day in 1996, whenJonBenet was found dead in the basement of her home in Boulder Colorado,the Boulder police and a large proportion of the worlds media believedthat her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, were responsible for her death. Prior to the murder of their daughter, John and Patsy Ramseys life seemedalmost ideal. Patsy, a former beauty queen, was married to a successfulbusinessman. They had moved to Boulder in 1991 where John ran a computercompany that had started in his garage. The Ramseys readily adapted totheir new life in Colorado and made several new friends. They built a largehouse in an elite suburb, and entertained often. Their last party inBoulder, just three days before the murder, was particularly happy. Over ahundred guests were present at a Christmas function with a difference asthe Ramseys had good reason to celebrate. Patsy had warded off cancer andJohn had been voted Boulders businessman of the year.According to the Ramseys testimony, they drove home the few blocks from aparty at a friends house on Christmas night. JonBenet had fallen asleep inthe car so they carried her up the stairs to her room and put her to bed at9:30 pm. Shortly after, Patsy and John went to bed as they planned to getup early to prepare for a trip to their holiday home on Lake Michigan. The next day, Patsy woke just after 5:00 am and walked down the stairs tothe kitchen. At the foot of the staircase, she found a two-and-a-half pageransom note that said that JonBenet had been kidnapped by a small localfaction and was being held for a ransom of $118,000. She was to beexchanged for the money later the same day. The letter warned that if themoney were not delivered, the child would be beheaded. Patsy yelled to Johnas she ran back up the stairs and opened the door to JonBenets room. Finding she wasnt there they made the decision to phone the police. The911 dispatcher recorded Patsys call at 5:25 am. The police arrived at thehouse seven minutes later. The uniformed police officers that attended were openly suspicious from thestart. The Ramseys, treating the demand seriously, were already takingsteps to raise the ransom. The note said that the kidnappers would callJohn Ramsey between 8-10 am but no call came. It was while the police werewaiting for the call that they made several critical mistakes. They did notconduct a proper search of the house, the area was not sealed off andfriends were allowed to walk in and out at their leisure. No moves weremade to protect any forensic evidence. The scale of their mistakes becameapparent later. On December 27, the Rocky Mountain News quoted anAssistant District Attorney as saying, It was very unusual for a kidnapvictims body to be found at home its not adding up. According toCharlie Brennan, the journalist who wrote the story, the police had alsoindicated to him that they held a strong belief that the parents wereresponsible. Julie Hayden, a television reporter for Denvers Channel 7,also co vered the story on the same day and drew the same conclusion. Shelater explained that from her first exposure to the case, the police hadmade it very clear that they were not scouring the area looking for somemad kidnapper but instead, concentrating their efforts on John and PatsyRamsey. While spokespersons for the Ramseys have contended that the Boulder policefailed to investigate anyone but the Ramseys, this is untrue. There was awide-ranging investigation. Other suspects:1.All present and former employees of Access Graphics (and their spouses) which had 360 employees in July 1997 were asked to give handwritingsamples. Women's Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean EssayThe police quickly eliminated John Ramsey as author of the ransom note, butafter a series of handwriting samples from Patsy Ramsey (five altogether),the police refused to eliminate her as the possible author of the note. Det. Thomas a handwriting specialist said that after studying all thewriting samples I believe I am going to conclude the ransom note was thework of a single individual: Patsy Ramsey. Thomas explains that histextual analysis work is based on much more than one letter looking likeanother. Even the slightest things, such as the use of periods or the spacebefore the start of a paragraph, could create a distinctive linguisticfingerprint We cant falsify who we are, Sentence structure, word usage,and identifying features can be a signature, says Det. Thomas. Thomas hadstudied Patsy Ramseys writing samples from both before and after themurder of her daughter. According to Thomas he noted to the investigatorsNot only did certain letters change, but her entire writing style seemedto have been transformed after the homicide. There were new ways ofindenting, spelling, and writing out long numbers that contrasted with herearlier examples, and she was the only suspect who altered her usualprefere nces when supplying writing samples to the police.These findings alone, considering they were coming from the top-mostauthority in the nation in textual analysis the same expert who hadunmasked the anonymous author of the sensational best-seller Primary Colorsand that the FBI had used to identify Theodore Kacznski as the Unabomber would have been more than enough evidence for the Boulder Grand Jury toreturn an indictment against Patsy Ramsey, but the Boulder DistrictAttorneys office chose not to permit Foster to testify before the grandjury. A year after JonBenets murder, police basically have two theories aboutthe case:That someone entered the Ramseys house through unknown means, possiblysexually abused then brutally, yet silently, killed JonBenet, hid her body,took the time to write a long ransom note, then left unheard and unseen;Or that someone who was in the house that night committed the horriblecrime. However the investigation is concluded, police will have three options:make an arrest, ask for a grand jury investigation, or deactivate the caseuntil new information is obtained. As things stand, it is highly unlikely that anyone will ever be charged orprosecuted for the murder of JonBent Ramsey unless someone were to comeforward and confess. Time is on the Ramseys side. When the grand jury failed to indict them,they passed their gravest test. In the Ramseys book, The Death ofInnocence, they describe in great detail the fear they had of the grandjury and how they expected an indictment against both of them. They were sosure they would be indicted that they returned to Boulder in the daysbefore the grand jury was mandated to finish its deliberations. They wanteddesperately to avoid the ignominy of being arrested in Atlanta and forcedto spend several days in the Fulton County Jail before being extradited toColorado. Both had a deep revulsion to the image of their being arrestedand handcuffed. Above all, they did not want to be handcuffed. They wantedto be able to just turn themselves in to the District Attorneys office andhave bond posted immediately for their release. Chances that the new district attorney, Mary Keenan, will convene anothergrand jury are not strong, but not so fast, there is another shoe thatcould drop. The Ramsey case is spawning a number of lawsuits, both criminaland civil, and, no doubt, more will be filed down the road. Two civil suitsthat are perking their way through the legal system could be of particularvalue in breaking the case open if they make it into a courtroom. picThe Ramseys talk with CNN on New Years DayBottom of Form

Big Pimpin essays

Big Pimpin essays 1.Describe general characteristics of fossils categorized as Archaic homo sapiens, their temporal and geographic range. Exclude Neandertals. Discuss some of the problems associated with the understanding of this fossil taxon. (b) Appear more similar to modern humans (c) Reduced face, less prognathic, greater frontal lobe Archaic fossils have been found in Europe, Africa and Asia. Problems arise because there is very little fossil record and they are too young to date with pot/argon and too old to date with radiocarbon. 2.Over time neandertals have been considered both extremely primitive and nearly modern. Discuss morphological characteristics that distinguish them from both Homo Erectus and anatomically modern sapiens. What does post-cranial morphology indicate about their life histories and life ways in general? 2. Shape of the skulls differed, football shaped They appear to be built to endure very cold conditions, they lived during descent into a full glacial period. They needed to be able to conserve heat in a very strenuous environment. 3.Fossil evidence indicates that neadertals were extinct by 25,000 years ago. Identify features of their skeletal morphology, mortality profiles and apparent life ways that might explain their disappearance from the fossil record. Neadertals were very robust, short limbs, barreled rib cage and strong hands that required high levels of calories to survive. They lived very short lives and they exhibited bone fractures and cranial injuries. Bone fractures consistent with rodeo cowboys, suggests that they were taking larg ...

Compromise Is The Key Essays - Fertility Medicine, Free Essays

Compromise Is The Key Essays - Fertility Medicine, Free Essays Compromise Is The Key Compromise is the Key Laws are designed to protect all citizens, even though they are not clear when it comes to deciding on what happens to couples embryos. The judge, in the fact pattern case, is torn because the parents want different decisions. He also has to remember that he will be setting a legal precedent for which other cases will be based on. The decision will be ridiculed no matter the outcome. The embryos should not be destroyed because every living thing has the right to life, there are numerous loving couples who can not have children on their own, and children are still desired by one parent. An embryo is the young of something in an early stage of development. Although, it is not recognizable, two people conceived the embryo in question. Therefore, the fetus should have the same right to life that all existing creatures possess. No one person should be allowed to destroy something already in the process of living. The decision of destroying any living being should be left in the hands of the being, and in this case that is impossible. We have to wait until the child is old enough to ask her. Many couples, who can not have children of their own, want to adopt new born babies. If the embryo is allowed to live nothing but good will happen for it, because of the demand for newborn babies in the adoption market. The child would not end up in a foster home because the mother has feelings for it, and would see the baby is well taken care of. Adoptive parents are known to be loving and caring begetters, because they try hard to bring children into their lives. Consequently, the judge should at least allow another couple to make good use of the embryos. The lady in the fact pattern still has the desire for children. She gave her eggs fully expecting to use them when the time is right. The husband obviously wants nothing to do with the embryos, but the wife could make an agreement to take full responsibility. Therefore, relieving the husband of all liabilities, and placing them on the wife. She may also see these embryos as her last opportunity to have children. Even though, the father would be absent she manifestly has the need to be a mother. There is no easy way to satisfy both parties in the fact pattern case. But, if both sides try they could come to an accord on the issue. They have to realize that compromise is the key to any agreement. There is no good reason to order the embryos destroyed, however there is no rationalism for holding the husband responsible for something he no longer wants a part in. Consequently, the judge needs to give the wife control over the embryos and relieve the husband of liability. That would give an excellent legal precedent.

Continual support for returning veterans. Determine program success in Research Paper

Continual support for returning veterans. Determine program success in helping veterans enter the job market - Research Paper Example Together with the different health problems (PTSD, TBI, and disabilities among others) that they experience, some ultimately seek ways to reduce or hide their suffering by suicide or becoming alcoholics. There are government developed programs that offer rehabilitation, education and training programs, and in support to this, the government provides financial support to the programs and veterans after service. This document also gives the statistics of veterans’ issues on health and fatality in some states. Keywords: Veterans, Soldiers, Programs, PTSD, Homeless Veterans, Alcohol and Drugs Abuse, Troops, Treatment, Rehabilitation, Training, Military Service, Employment, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, Veterans’ Affairs, Health Care After the long and loyal service to their nations, military veterans deserve proper care and treatment back home. However short the period they served in military services battling for their countries, they all risked their lives, leaving behind their families and home places, just hoping that they will come back. Many of them lost their lives and can only be commemorated, while those who survived may have shortcomings in their lives that require to be addressed. Some do not have arms, though they can think straight and perform much better in other fields. Wars will never be over, since colonization, World War I and II, some nations are still at war with one another, and the world will need such patriotic military men and women to safeguard mankind. Terrorism is the norm of the day in this modern society, but it has been there and the soldiers have been active to combat the act that risks nations and world economies. Once the soldiers or military men retire or are kept offline the d uty due to physical or health issues, it should not mark the end of their productivity in life. Just like other people, they have an alternative of venturing into other

References Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

References - Research Paper Example To mitigate the risk of lacking industry personnel and laborers, robots have been created with the ability to perform duties of people in manufacturing plants and factories. The robot has revolutionized industries. Tough activities are carried out by robots in that they never get tired. All they require is enough power to complete the tasks assigned. â€Å"They also do not require salaries and reduce the cost of paying staff in production plants.† (Richardson, 2007). These robots have been used in production lines to build cars, sort materials and work in hazardous regions that cannot be accessed by human beings without risking their health or life. Richardson (2007) notes that there is a risky trend in the population of people that could jeopardize the employment sector. â€Å"The number of people aged over 65 years old in the US will be more than 20 percent of the country’s entire population.† These statistics mean that there will be a reduced labor force. As s uch, it might be necessary to have robots that are smart and intelligent enough to take over some duties performed by human beings. Having seen the fact that people are aging and not leaving behind a young generation that can fully replace them, it is important to also look at the fact that old people get sick quite easily. These illnesses include stroke, hypertension and diabetes, among others. With such kinds of illnesses, old people cannot work well, let alone take care of themselves. Thus, engineers have created robots that can emulate doctors and nurses so as to take care of the sick people. These robots include automatic wheel chairs that are intelligent enough to take one to the place they would like to go without any physical effort from the patient. Others communicate with patients and even give them their regular medicines according to the prescribed dosage. Cristina (2004), in her analysis of the attitudes towards the use of social robots in

Enterprise Data Warehousing and Data Mining Coursework

Enterprise Data Warehousing and Data Mining - Coursework Example To this end data mining systems are used, are they all they could be and are they really the only way of sorting the chaff from the wheat? Keywords: data, mining, search, find, information, business intelligence. Implementing Data Warehousing To bring a data warehousing system into a company means first analyzing the situation that exists, the size of the organization, its present systems and what they can do to improve the problem without extra costs, it is quite likely there are professional statisticians in the company who simply need help to get their work done a little faster. To bring a new system into the company means ensuring there is a business need as that must always drive implementation so there must be an emphasised need such as competitors are getting products to the marketplace first. Stated by Davis (1994). Once it has been decided there is no choice, but to purchase, then a study of what applications are available in the marketplace must be done, a needs definition will give information on just what is needed from the new system, it may need to be custom built or modified such as has been done for the data mining tool now used by Jaeger. Stated by Grant (2008). With a large company there are going to be many demands from different groups for something that addresses their needs, but as a person responsible for buying the tool it is important it can answer as many differing demands as possible. The implementation often means a company must upgrade its present IT, its hardware, networks and PC’s may need replacement or upgrading, so the cost of implementation becomes more than just the cost of purchasing the new system. Thearling, (2003). Figure 1: Convergence of Three Technologies for Data Mining, Thearling (2003) Once the data warehouse is in place data mining can begin, but the two things are separate, data warehousing is not data mining. For data mining to go ahead it is probable that software for this role will have to be bought, and implemented after the warehousing system is in place, creating a time delay. Applications available include: Sybase IQ 15.3 -- this business intelligence/analytics and data warehouse focused relational database management product is now powered by a so-called "new generation" of shared everything Massively Parallel Processing (MPP) technology. Bridgwater (2011). Another application is that used by Jaeger's new loss prevention programme aims to change managers' behaviour by giving them the data they need to take action. Jaeger went to UK loss prevention specialist Oris, which has a strategic partnership with product identity and shrink management company Checkpoint Systems. Oris also supplied IDM Systems' Oracle-based LossManager data mining application. Data from its electronic point of sale system lets Jaeger identify the source of losses, integrate information from other applications such as RFID and CCTV, monitor investigations, and provide action alerts for managers. "From data mining we knew that 84% of goods stolen were taken from near doors, despite 70% of our [more than 120] stores having tagging," Hearn said. Stated by Grant (2008). Benefits of a Data Warehousing System Data warehousing can be very useful in the right situation, it can give just the information needed from all