Final answer:
In 'The Jungle,' Upton Sinclair depicted the dreadful conditions of the meat-packing industry and the workers' reactions, including Jurgis Rudkus turning to Socialism. Public reaction to the novel's vivid descriptions led to significant regulatory reforms, highlighting the power of muckraking literature in effecting change.
Step-by-step explanation:
Upton Sinclair's novel The Jungle is a profound commentary on the hazardous conditions that the immigrant workers faced in the meat-packing industry in the early 20th century. The textual details vividly describe how the protagonist, Jurgis Rudkus, reacts to the horrendous work environment. Initially, Jurgis believes that hard work is the solution to his problems, but he is eventually disillusioned by the extreme exploitation and turns to Socialism as a means of advocacy for better conditions and equality.
In The Jungle, Sinclair graphically illustrates unsanitary conditions such as meat being stored in damp rooms where it became infested with rats, and poisons meant to kill the rats also contaminating the meat products. Workers' reactions to these conditions included attempts to ignore the despair by focusing on work, but as the novel progresses, the cumulative effects of exploitation and the horror of their work environment lead to Jurgis's radicalization and awakening to the systemic issues at play.
While Sinclair hoped to inspire a rejection of Capitalism and an embrace of Socialism by highlighting the plight of workers like Jurgis, readers were more shocked by the revelations of the risks to consumers. This public outcry contributed to President Roosevelt's action, resulting in regulatory reforms such as the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906. The novel became a catalyst for change, proving the power of literature in influencing social and political movements.