The Jungle and Fast Food Nation both demonstrate different patterns of social, political, and economic interaction. The Jungle, a story that is intense and emotional, tells of the journey taken by a Lithuanian immigrant family to Chicago. What they did not realize was that the place where their dream life was to be lived was a place of political arrogance and corruption. Fast Food Nation focuses on the influence of fast food industries in all countries. The information contained in these books can be used to show just how unsettling the fast food industry is.
These novels describe the struggles workers have faced since the early 1900s. Fast Food Nation centers on the fast-food industry across the country, while the Jungle revolves around the Chicago meatpacking industry. Both novels deal with the social issues of mistreatment of workers and low wages; they also discuss the political issue of bias against workers in the fast food industry.
The Jungle was a place where politics could interfere with the fairness and safety of business. In one of these instances, which was unfortunately very common in this period, sickly meat was used to make the maximum profits. Instead of throwing out the cattle, they were sliced up into all possible portions of meat to sell. The same thing happened when making sausages. Everything was used, including old rejected sausages, meat dumped on sawdust-covered floor that workers spit on, meat with water leaking from roofs, and meat on which rats would run. This disgusting, damaged meat is injected chemically and colored to make it look good. Businesses did everything they could to maximize profits and pay workers the least amount of money possible. In 1906, both the Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act passed. The Pure Food and Drug Act was passed to stop the sale and production poisonous foods and other products. The Meat Inspection Act mandated that the carcasses of the meat after it had been sliced be inspected. Since these acts were passed, many other acts have also been passed to ensure that the meat in America is as sterile as possible.
Other aspects of meatpacking were cut off decades later, however, when the industry grew and the demand for meat for hamburgers increased. Fast Food Nation reports that one of manufacturing’s best jobs became one of its worst jobs. It had an immigrant workforce and did not consider injuries. The business had a three-fold higher injury rate than a typical factory. It also had a trauma rate that was 33 percent higher. Companies would keep a log of the actual accidents at work and then turn it over to OSHA to ensure that the business ran smoothly. Fast Food Nation, an ironic reference, explains the importance of Upton’s The Jungle in bringing attention to the issue by the government and Theodore Roosevelt. Over time, multiple unions in the United States were able get the pay and treatment that they wanted.
The way big business interacts socially involves them doing anything to gain publicity, including pursuing kids. Fast Food Nation describes the business model that relies on children to generate income. To attract children, they use mascots and toys, playgrounds or other “kid friendly” materials. Around two to three years old, children are usually able identify the names of objects, especially those that they like. The mascots of companies are used to develop a strong emotional connection with children, which can grow over time. Mascots are used to target children in order to sell food and increase sales, even when the products aren’t healthy or beneficial. It is more probable that children will buy products from a specific company if they can identify the mascot.
They also take their advertising to schools. School districts in troubled times would pay large sums to advertising big businesses like Coca-Cola or Burger King. According to the American School Food Service Association at one time, around 30% of US public high schools offered fast food brands as lunch. In 1985, however, a federal act was passed to ban the sale of foods with “minimal nutritional value” during school lunch. Maine became the first State to pass legislation in 2007 that prohibited advertising unhealthy food or beverages in schools. Phil Connor represents one of The Jungle’s more serious social and political interactions. Phil Connor is a political powerhouse, which means he has the ability to get whatever he desires and anything that benefits him. He threatens Ona’s financial stability if she doesn’t sleep with him. Of course, Ona does not want to put her family’s lives at risk so she caves in. Ona is not the only woman who has been assaulted. Sexual harassment was not a serious problem until the 1980s. Sexual harassment was prohibited by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which also referred to it as a form or sexism.
As the socialist movement was developing, Jurgis realized that the comparison between workers and hogs was very similar. The packers were looking for everything possible from a hog. This was exactly what they wanted of the workers. Both workers and hogs had their feelings and thoughts dismissed. Fast Food Nation portrays the workers in food establishments as hogs. The majority are teenagers. The Fair Labor Standards Act was often broken, the workers received the minimum wage, sometimes even less, and they worked more than necessary, without knowing what to do. In essence, peers treat humans like animals.
The Jungle was a complex social and political environment. The novels are a perfect match and show how the fast food and meatpacking industries operate. Some of these practices have changed over the years, but others are still prevalent today.
