The History of Literature 607 Upton Sinclair and the Muckraking Novelist (with Adelle Waldman) | My Last Book with Edward Chamberlin
May 13, 2024
Novelist Adelle Waldman discusses the impact of Upton Sinclair's 'The Jungle' and her new novel set in a big box store. The episode explores how novelists can effect social change and the challenges they face in the 21st century.
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Storytelling As Policy Primer
- Upton Sinclair used vivid storytelling to educate readers about systemic labor abuses rather than argue in abstract for socialism.
- That narrative exposure helped push regulatory reforms like the Pure Food and Drug Act and meat inspection laws.
Undercover Reporting In The Stockyards
- Upton Sinclair spent seven weeks undercover in Chicago meatpacking plants to gather material for The Jungle.
- His immersive reporting produced a bestseller that exposed horrifying working and sanitary conditions.
From Novel To Regulation
- The Jungle's vivid depictions shifted public attention from abstract political debates to concrete risks in food safety.
- That shift prompted federal action to regulate meatpacking and create enforcement mechanisms.