1. Explain the significance of The Jungle within the context of early 20th century progressivism. What was Upton Sinclair’s purpose for writing the book? And how did his novel reflect and/or influence the various activities of other progressives?
2. Outline the history of early 20th century progressivism. What were the various problems in society and how did people propose to address those problems? Provide specific examples from the book to explain the various forms of corruption in U.S. cities and the impact on working people.
3. What did you think of the book? Explain what you learned from this reading and what stood out as the most important (or interesting) theme of the story. What parallels do you see in today’s society for workers, immigrants, and food quality?
