Jungle, The

Grade Level: 9-12 27 Minutes The Jungle: Great Books Upton Sinclair's groundbreaking expose of Chicago's meatpacking industryis a horror story of unsanitary conditions, food poisoning, and child labor abuse. Learn what led Sinclair into this turn-of-the-century urban "jungle" and how his book prompted Congress to pass the first food-safety laws. This video introduces Sinclair's novel, the meat packing industry, and the American dream. The film sews together historical footage with modern reenacting to help bring the novel to life in several different dimensions. Most importantly, however, the film discusses public reaction to the work, and compares and contrasts this to Sinclair's intending effects.