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Upton Sinclair

Definition

Upton Sinclair was an American author who wrote nearly 100 books and other works across a number of genres. He is best known for his novel "The Jungle" (1906), which exposed the harsh conditions in the U.S. meatpacking industry, causing a public uproar that contributed to the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act and Meat Inspection Act.

Analogy

Think of Upton Sinclair as a detective with a pen instead of a magnifying glass. Just like detectives expose hidden crimes, Sinclair used his writing to uncover and expose the unsanitary conditions in the meatpacking industry.

Related terms

Muckraker: A journalist who investigates and publishes truthful reports to perform an auditing or watchdog function, often with the goal of spurring reform.

Progressive Era: A period of widespread social activism and political reform across the United States that spanned from the 1890s to the 1920s. The main objectives were eliminating problems caused by industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and corruption in government.

Pure Food and Drug Act: An act passed by Congress in 1906 designed to protect consumers from dangerous or misbranded food products.