1In the early 1900s there was a dramatic increase in the number of immigrants arriving on America's eastern shores. Many were attracted to America for its economic opportunities, freedom, need for labor, and its beautiful country. Immigrants were excited to come to America and were driven from their home countries due to food shortages, overpopulation, war, and political instability. This was during an important era in American history called the “Gilded Age.” It was a time of economic growth and industrialization, but it also had high rates of poverty especially in urban environments. Most immigrants intended to advance westward, but actually settled in eastern cities. In the book The Jungle, Jargis and his family moved to the Americas hoping to live the "American dream", but when they arrived, exactly the opposite happened. Jurgis, his wife Ona, and the rest of the Lithuanian family struggled with working conditions, living conditions, health problems, and maintaining a stable job. They all faced disgusting conditions in boarding houses and a brutal work environment in Packingtown. In 1905, when the book was written, there were very few government regulations, especially in the meatpacking industry, leading to unsafe working conditions and sanitation problems. The lack of government intervention was causing major problems and riots throughout the 1900s. Places like Packingtown took advantage of the limited regulations imposed by the government and tried to maximize their profits. This has led to many problems for factory workers and meat consumers. First of all, the working hours were very long. A typical day at that time consisted of a... twelve to four... middle of paper... and rooms that were open sewers. (Chapter 26, Page, 295) This quote describes life in the jungle and why people didn't want to live there. Jargis was a troubled man after losing his job and the deaths of his family members, but he realized that prison had better living conditions than the jungle environment of Packingtown. This is one of the reasons why he frequented prison so often. This book was also called jungle because there were animals everywhere; both cows and mice surrounded Packingtown. Some people have actually been declared dead after drowning in mud puddles. The jungle is probably the only other place where this could happen. In the real jungle there are no rules or regulations. Furthermore, there is no government intervention or regulation in America during the time this book was written. Sinclair showed how cruel America was and how America reacted to it