Similarities in The Jungle and The Age of Innocence
In both, Wharton’s novel “The Age of Innocence” and Sinclair’s “The Jungle,” society has a direct effect on the characters. I am going to discuss the effects society has on a social type, immigrants, found in both novels; from Wharton’s novel, Ellen Olenska, and from Sinclair’s character Jurgis. Both are outsiders to the world around them and do not find it easy to join into society because of the social codes and standards of their new world. It is important for the reader to understand the times of the societies in both novels and how these two characters were affected by these codes. Both were not easily accepted into society and went through painful trial and tribulation. Immigrants, unaware of their new society, were expected to understand and follow along with their new society or be an outcast. These two characters’s found this a difficult task to accomplish. In “The Jungle,” Jurgis’s journey through the judicial system, the economic system, and his personal moral system ends in failure leading him to sudden conversion of socialism. He starts out as innocent and trusting, but gradually grows wise to the ways of the world. Jurgis’ t . . .
If, however, the van der Luydens extend a dinner invitation to socially accept Ellen, then the New Yorkers have a clear signal of what is expected. Jurgis’ relationship with his family demonstrates that the capitalistic system, of which he is enslaved, is contrary to and in fact destroys the family unit. Thus the density of the population of “Packingtown” is 75 to the acre, which may be compared with a density of 40 to the acre in the 480-acre tract immediately south bounded by 51st and 55th streets, Halsted and Robey (396). Without knowledge of these conditions, a reader may not feel the sometimes deserved sympathy for Jurgis. To be married to a despicable husband who has numerous affairs and treats his wife badly is condoned by the social code, to divorce that husband is not. Not only is it important to see how these immigrants to America were outcasts in their new society, but also a reader must understand the mass amount of immigrants that lived in these areas. The majority of these unskilled workers of the packing industry occupied this area. The living conditions of these people is hard to believe and therefore a reader should be aware that this was in the days before there were codes and laws on living conditions, wages, and sanitation. ransformation is gradual, mirroring his gradual acceptance of socialism. No matter how much they love each other, they must not act on it in order to maintain social integrity. All of New York turns out for the annual Beaufort Ball, but under the surface they know he is scandalous. The total area of the section between 39th Street on North, 51st Street on the south, Halsted Street on the east, and including streets, parks, etc. New York worries about its social code-wedding details, the season, rituals, and rules-passing its time in total ignorance of what is to come. Archer clearly explains this understood social code when she says that men are expected to have affairs as in “boys will be boys,” but women are expected to be faithful to the end. Quickly, because she has lived in a less dissembling culture, she learns that beneath the surface are cruelty, judgement, and hypocrisy.
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