Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Government As An Institution Of Social Control - 991 Words

While each system of government is set up differently, in general the purpose of government is to be an institution of social control. The American government was set up to protect the rights of all of its citizens, particularly to protect the minority from the will of the majority. The foundation of the American government is the Constitution, and it is from this document that we can understand the basic role of the American government. Beyond what is outlined in the Constitution, the American government also has the duty to protect its citizens basic human rights. As outlined by the United Nations, some basic human rights are: life and liberty, freedom of speech, to hold religious beliefs without persecution, quality education, right to health, not to be murdered, tortured, or enslaved or imprisoned without charge. It is the duty of every government to make sure each one of these rights are upheld for each of its citizens. other than this, it is up to each collective society to decided how their government will be run. This being said, I believe in order to uphold basic human rights the American government needs more control in areas such as health care and education. Access to quality health care is a basic human right. This being said it is the duty of a nation to ensure that its citizens have equal access to quality health care. This basic human right is unfortunately not upheld very well in the United States. The United States has the highest cost of healthShow MoreRelatedSociology : The Social Problem Of Poverty1251 Words   |  6 Pagespublic issues of social structure. Mills also believed that without a sociological imagination, individualistic bias makes people think that individuals are the source of trouble, when some of the worst problems are caused by social forces. You could use a sociological imagination to examine the social problem of poverty by looking at the social forces that are relevant to the problem. Poverty is a social proble m rather than an individual problem because it is a deeply embedded social issue that permeatesRead More Social Institutions Essay1243 Words   |  5 Pages The Military Social Institution is one of the three Primary Social Institutions. The military was initially established to help protect, as well as unify a country, but since it’s development, it’s done so plus more. The Military as a social institution has led to domination and conquering of sorts, while trying to balance morals and justifications. Since the military is run by the government, it can be assumed that not only does this institution try to control and rationalize, but also continueRead MoreSocial Institutions Essay examples1268 Words   |  6 PagesThe Military Social Institution is one of the three Primary Social Institutions. The military was initially established to help protect, as well as unify a country, but since its development, its done so plus more. The Military as a social institution has led to domination and conquering of sorts, while trying to balance morals and justifications. Since the military is run by the government, it can be assumed that not only does this institution try to control and rationalize, but also continueRead MorePower And Institutional Control / Domination Essay1356 Words   |  6 Pageswriting will reflect on power and institutional control/ domination. This paper will discuss how supplemental readings #4 Emile Durkheim- The Rules of Sociological Method, #14 Karl Marx- The Communist Manifesto, #16 Max Weber- Economy and Society #20 M. Foucault- Docile Bodies from Discipline and Punish all contribute to a true meaning understanding of power and institutions control/ domination. The key components that deals with power, and institutions control/ domination are family relationships betweenRead MoreHow Much Power Should the American Government Yield901 Words   |  4 Pagescitizens of the United States of America is on government, and more spe cifically on how much power the government should yield. The philosophical question I will be posing in this article is ‘what should the government have the power to do’. All the way to the left, we have liberals who believe in a big government and a government that is involved with supporting the people and curbing social inequalities and social hierarchy while supporting social equality. On the other side of the spectrum weRead MoreIn The Immortal Words Of Thomas Paine, â€Å"A Constitution1435 Words   |  6 PagesIn the immortal words of Thomas Paine, â€Å"a constitution defines and limits the powers of the government it creates† (Paine 1805). One of the great debates among Constitutional scholars is just what the exact purpose of Constitutions are. Some argue that Constitutions function as expressions of values of the populace at the time. Others theorize that Constitutions serve as tools of social coordination. While both of these theories have merit, at the end of the day, Constitutions primarily functionRead MoreThe American Dream1183 Words   |  5 Pagesachievable freedoms, yet crime rates are high and constant here in America, unlike other countries. How did this happen? Is it due to the desired American dream, social institutions, and institutional imbalances or is it due to the culture style, structure of the institution and the economy that has shaped these American social institutions? The authors of Crime and the American Dream, Robert Messner and Richard Rosenfeld Institutional anomie theory suggest that the lawful road to gain successRead MoreDefinition Of A Social Institution1281 Words   |  6 Pagesassignment and familiarized myself with the concept of a social institution from our textbook. ‘Pay Gap Is Because Of Gender, Not Job’ is the title of the article I chose. I identified the social institution in the article as ‘economic’. Economic Institution There are five common types of social institutions: economic, governmental, family, educational, religious. They are the principal structures in all societies and relate to general factors of social life and life overall. The chosen article relatesRead MoreStalins Methods for Removing the Opposition802 Words   |  3 Pageswith his increased and radicalized input of terror compared to Lenin’s use of terror during the Civil War in 1917-1921, which does not equate to the same economic success that Stalin achieved with his policies. This is similar but different to the social and economic change after the 1905 revolution with Stolypin’s Duma and October manifesto used to supress revolutionaries but resulted in another assassination after reforms in 1911 with Stolypin and Alexander 2nd in 1881 with the Emancipation EdictRead MoreThe Age Of The Renaissance1287 Words   |  6 Pagesmodern era. In Europe, the renaissance was a time of social and cultural changes. Many of t he current social, cultural, and political structures in the USA have ties to the influences of this time period. During the renaissance there were three basic forms of Government: princedoms, monarchies and oligarchies. Political institutions are organizations which create, enforce, and apply the laws; mediating conflict; creating policies for economic and social systems; and to provide a representation for the

Monday, December 16, 2019

Manners and Etiquette of Pride and Prejudice - 1801 Words

Rebekah Johnson Mrs. Tencza Late European History 21 November 2012 Do’s and Donts of Pride and Prejudice In 19th century England, manners played a big role. In her book Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays many different aspects of English social manners in the 1800s, and these facets of English etiquette, including traveling etiquette, social propriety, and dancing, greatly affect the plot of the book. One aspect of English social etiquette was the set of strict rules for how one was to act to appear as a socially adept person and therefore a desirable match for marriage. They were for the most part unspoken rules, but during the 19th century there began to be a growing selection of etiquette books available, for instance, Dr.†¦show more content†¦He dances every dance, is very courteous, and pays special attention to Jane (Austen 278-279). Because of these two characters’ different behavior at this first ball, they establish their reputations; Darcy gets a bad reputation as a proud and disagreeable man, and Mr. Bingley gets a reputation as an amiable man who is fun to be around. Mr. Bingley through dancing also got an opportunity to show Jane that he cared about her; in the 1800s, if a gentleman asked to dance with a lady twice it usually meant that said gentleman was interested in the lady. At the first ball, â€Å"Mr. Bingley danced with [Jane] twice†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Austen 279) and thereby showed his affection for her, an affection that grows stronger throughout Pride and Prejudice. Dancing also affects the plot of Pride and Prejudice. During the ball at Netherfield, Darcy dances with Elizabeth, and two important things happen during this dance. First, Darcy’s affection for Elizabeth begins to flourish. As he is dancing with her, they have a little argument. After the dance, Darcy begins to be angry at Elizabeth, but â€Å"†¦in Darcy’s breast there was a tolerable powerful feeling towards [Elizabeth], which soon procured her pardon, and directed all his anger against another.† Also, during this dance Elizabeth’s view of what happened between Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham, that Mr. Darcy has shamelessly exploited Mr. Wickham, is established in her own mind. Without dancing, the plot of Pride andShow MoreRelatedEssay about Importance of Manners in Pride and Prejudice822 Words   |  4 PagesImportance of Manners in Pride and Prejudice Manners have survived throughout the many passing years of history and culture to influence the ways human beings interact even today in the way we relate to one another: what is acceptable and unacceptable social behavior. Proper manners in everything from conversation to eating have long been distinguishing mark of social status. Even now they are often important in business and social situations. But in the eighteenth century, manners wereRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1152 Words   |  5 PagesAusten’s Pride and Prejudice. The character Mr. Bingley could be considered gentlemen because of his manners, and the way he treats others. Mr. Darcy was not a gentleman to start, but changed by the end of the story, while the character of Mr. Wickham shows no resemblance to gentlemen at all. The title of gentlemen had a lot of rules and responsibilities that had to be kept in order to garner the respect of the people in the community (Gentleman). The majorit y of the male characters in Pride and PrejudiceRead MorePride and Prejudice by Jane Austen859 Words   |  3 PagesIn Jane Austen’s 1813 Pride and Prejudice displayed the 1800’s culture revolving around marriage, gentry, and the Rights of Women. The time era in Pride and prejudice, wealth influenced social interactions, and matrimonies. Pride and prejudice revolved around a conservative view of social life gradually branching throughout â€Å"wants and needs† into an ongoing profession of modern day marriages. Mainly focused on the Bennet family regarding marriage due to Mrs. Bennet advocates her five daughters toRead MoreWuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen1016 Words   |  5 PagesThe novels Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen each present a story in which the precariousness of social class and the perniciousness of love constitute a central conflict. Both the protagonist from Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff, and the protagonist from Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet, share a confident, yet stubborn demeanor; however, there are many characteristics and events that distinguish each of them as strong central characters in their own rightRead MoreThe Marriage Between Elizabeth And Mrs. Darcy1742 Words   |  7 PagesThe eventual marriage between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice comes as a result of their profound personal rediscoveries. Initially, a slew of misunderstandings between the two characters, stemming from their first encounter at a ball in Meryton, had plagued the relationship, nearly rendering it irreconcilable. They both left that first ball with wildly different interpretations of each other’s intentions; Darcy’s refusal to dance with Elizabeth instilled her with a budding resentmentRead MoreInterpretation Of Everything That Rises, Must Converge986 Words   |  4 Pagesstatements and ideas. He disdains her bigotry and prejudices. O’Connor portrays racial prejudices and the unwelcome assimilation of integration in the South through irony, theme, and symbolism. O Connor uses various kinds of irony in Everything That Rises Must Converge to scorn racial prejudices at the same time as representing Julian s attitudes of superiority and his mother s undesirable intentions. Julian is of the younger generation and prides himself with being more accepting of African AmericansRead MoreMarriage Proposals in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice Essay1128 Words   |  5 PagesMarriage Proposals in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice Romance Versus Security. It is universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. These are the words of Jane Austen, and like many people of her time, she believed very much in the importance of finding a wealthy husband for young women. Jane Austens novel reflects the importance of marriage to many people around 1775. Although events such as theRead MoreAlice s Adventures : A Satire1132 Words   |  5 Pagesyou might just as well say that ‘I see what I eat’ is the same thing as ‘I eat what I see’!’†(Carroll 45). The creatures preciousness and their illogical understandings mock the precision of the Victorian era. In Victorian times, having manners and etiquette were as important as being educated and chivalry and gentility were prized and honored. Women of the era were to be angels of the home, and to be quiet, discreet, and domestic. Obviously, this does not apply to Alice. Alice is brave, adventurousRead MoreAnalysis of Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice and Forsters A Room With A View1652 Words   |  7 PagesJane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ utilises setting to reveal Darcy’s true character and allows Elizabeth to gain a true understanding of his nature. Pemberley estate is placed at the centre of the novel both literally and figuratively. In terms of Pemberley’s literal meaning, it informs the reader that the estate belongs to Darcy, while figuratively it reflects the charm of his character. Elizabeth Bennet’s visit to Pemeberly illuminates’ Darcy’s moral fibre, she is enchanted by its beauty andRead More Pride and Prejudice Essay: The Function Of Dance2224 Words   |  9 PagesThe Function Of Dance in Pride And Prejudice      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Jane Austens novel Pride and Prejudice, set in the Regency Period, dance performs several important functions.   Dance patterns emulate courtship rituals, marking dance as a microcosm for courtship and marriage - two main themes of the novel.   The Regency period propagated the belief that no ingredient was more essential to a courtship than dancing:   To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love... (Austen 7).   Therefore

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Engaging In Sustainable Social Responsibility of New Belgium Brewing

Question: 1.What environmental issues does the New Belgium Brewing Company work to address? How has NBB taken a strategic approach to addressing these issues? Why do you think the company has taken such a strong stance toward sustainability? 2.Do you agree that the New Belgiums focus on social responsibility provides a key competitive advantage for the company? Why or why not? 3.Some segments of society contend that companies that sell alcoholic beverages and tobacco products cannot be socially responsible organization because of their nature of primary products. Do you believe that New Belgiums actions and initiatives are indicative of a socially responsible corporation? Why or why not? Answer: Introduction Sustainable social responsibility has become one of the vital issues for all the organizations working all over the world. It is a big challenge for companies to fulfil the parameters of sustainability in their organization. New Belgium Brewery is a company at Belgium that met the standards of sustainable social responsibility. This company sets as an example for other companies too. We cannot judge the status of the company whether it is good or bad. The greatness of the company can be depending on many elements. It can be either the higher amount of dividends to its shareholders or it can be a huge amount of monthly income earned by a company. Hence, there are many ways by which one can judge a company. There is a company that not only achieves such standards but also exceeds the benchmarks set for it. In this study, we learn how New Belgium Brewery achieved such sustainable development. We will also discuss about the all the strategies and approaches related to environment. The company has a strong focus on the environmental issues related to Belgium. The learners will understand the importance of sustainability in every organization. The company has also taken many measures and initiatives for an ethical and social conduct of environment. NBB had faced many environmental issues but due to its strategic approaches, the company is able to survive and set a remarkable position n the markets of Belgium. 1. The Environmental Issues Faced by New Belgium Brewery There are basically three issues faced by new Belgium Brewery which are- Cost-efficient energy-saving alternatives to conduct the business operations, Decreasing the impact of its operation on environment, Developing reuse, recycle and green building techniques. Steps Taken by NBB to Address these issues To achieve all the above desires, the company initiated a cost-efficient and energy saving technology to perform the operations so that the impact of the same on the environment can be reduced (Tongo, 2011). According to the core values and beliefs of the company, the owners of NBB unanimously allowed investing the money in a wind turbine. It was the first company in USA that was fully-wind powered. Afterwards, they started using coal power that helped new Belgium to decrease the CO2 emissions by 1800 metric tons per year. Then, NBB invested its money in a steam condenser to reduce its energy use. The steam condenser collects and reuses the hot water that helps to boil the barely and hops in the process of production and start the next brew. The steam is then used to heaten up the floors, tiles, etc. and to de-iced the docks in winters. They also save the energy by using the sun tubes. Sun tubes helps to transmit natural daytime lighting to all over premise of NBB throughout the year. New Belgium also involved them in reducing the wastes by recycling of the same and also through reuse strategies. The company stated recycling many waste like boxes, caps, office scarp, glass, bottles, etc. Brewery also collects (Aras and Crowther, 2010) the waste from barley and hop and asked the farmers to collect the grains to fed their pigs that too free of charge. They encouraged the employees to use alternative transport to reduce the pollution. For this, they provide cruiser bikes for its employees and asked them ride it while coming for work. The Company has taken such a Strong Stance Toward Sustainability Because It has a long term interest in green building techniques. The expansion of this company facilitates the incorporation of new technology in the organization and learned new chapters of sustainability. In the year of 2002, the company participated in the environment design for existing buildings (LEED-EB) and the United States green building councils leadership in energy. With the expansion of time and brewery, they continue to capture the new technologies to close loops and conserve energy and resources (Leszczynska, 2011). They initialize the program of reuse, recycle, and reduce- the three Rs of environment safeguard in their organization. Such as- The program of reuse comprises of heat emits while brewing process, cleaning of chemicals, water etc. waste products into some useful like spent grain to fed the cattle. The program of recycling includes converting to keg caps into surfaces of tables, paper to office furniture, etc. they also purchased recycled products (Barter and Bebbington, 2012). Reduction of energy includes, the motion sensors of lights in entire premise, induction fans that helps to chill the beer, etc helps the company to offset the need of energy to being environmentally efficient and effective. The director of new Belgium brewery said, To operate a profitable Brewery which makes our love and talent manifest. By this line, we can identify the core (Keys, 2009) values and beliefs of NBB. The role of the company is an environment concerned and socially responsible brewer that comprises of- Brewery is producing a world-class beers in Belgium They are also promoting the culture of beer and the enjoyment one has while drinking beer The company has adopted a constant change in the quality and efficiency in improvements Meeting the expectations of the clients and customers Environment stewardship: By minimizing the consumption of resources and maximizing the efficiency to use energy. Managing social, cultural and environmental changes Act as business model for other organizations. Analyzing the potential by learning new things, management and by adopting new opportunities The company also tries to balance the needs of staff, employees and families. NBB also commit authentic relations with the employees The flow of communication internally and externally is also effective The employees enjoy while working (Capaldi, 2016) 2. I agree with the new statement that new Belgium brewery focus on the social responsibility that is a key competitive advantage fir the company. NBB is performing a lot of activities that proved that it is focusing on social responsibility. We can quote some examples like- Reuse the waste products, Recycle the products, reduce the use of natural resources, adopting the technology that helps to conserve the natural resources, etc. NBB continuously trying to improve the lives of community by providing corporate giving, sponsorships of events and occasions, mankind involvement and every year donates 1 percent of its profits to the needy people (Corporate Social Responsibility, 2016). The company also maintains a bulletin board in which they post an array of involvement activities of company to community and its proposals. In this way, new Belgium brewery brand has achieved a remarkable position. It has become famous for two things i.e., the commitment of sustainabity and high quality of products. The competitive advantage of company is its social responsibility and sustainability. It helps Brewery to achieve the trust of the customers as they want to use products of a company whose products are good and give maximum utilization. They want to believe in the products and felt good about NBB products. The most important asset of NBB is its brand image which is a corporate brand that remember because of its quality, responsibility, care for society and concern for natural resources. For these all above written reasons, we can believe that New Belgium brewery has more competitive advantage than any other companies in Belgium. The company has (Roosa, 2010) achieved many applauds for the sustainability activities done by them. It is said by the director of the Institute for Brewing studies at the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colorado, They have created a very positive image for their company in the brew- consuming public with smart decision making. Brewery is producing world-class beers in Belgium. They are also promoting the culture of beer and the enjoyment one has while drinking beer. The company has adopted a constant change in the quality and efficiency in improvements. They are Meeting the expectations of the clients and customers. They are also promoting Environment stewardship: By minimizing the consumption of resources and maximizing the efficiency to use energy. The company also trying to manage social, cultural and environmental changes that can impact the sustainability and NBB also acts as business model for other organizations. They try to analyze the potential by learning new things, management and by adopting new opportunities. The company also tries to balance the needs of staff, employees and families. NBB also commit authentic relations with the employees. The flow of communication internally and externally is also effective. The employees enjoy while working (Capaldi, 2016). 3.We believe that New Belgium Brewery is one of the responsible and ethical organizations. This company is very careful for the advertising and marketing strategy used by them. It is very good that the company advertises and promotes their products through sports that are human powered and results in minimum harm to the society. But still, there is a need to analyze the demographics of the fans of such sports. Many sports are very famous among children but it is the responsibility of the (Morse, 2008) company to make sure to pick such sports that are having fans of above 18 of age or of legal age to drink. They should choose a target market which always considered as a responsible drinker or do not have a myth in their minds that drinking make people cool. It is a good thought by NBB to return back to the society which is a very responsible thing to do. This though can be flourished through team up with some organizations like Mother against drunk driven that works for welfare of the society. It helps the company to achieve their desires to become responsible and socially active (Jaffeer, 2011). Yes, we do believe that New Belgiums actions and initiatives are indicative (Elder-Woodward, 2014) of a socially responsible corporation. They dreamt of a sustainable business that has paid off by loyalty. For this, the company has raised the number of tours to facilitate the demand of the customers (Sze kely, Moore and Komdeur, 2010). The company has achieved many awards that includes the Business Ethics Magazines Business Ethics Awards because of its dedication to environmental excellence in every part of its innovative brewing process, the involvement in the Wall Street Journals 15 best small places. I also awarded for Best Mid-sized Brewing Company of the Year and Best Mid-sized Brewmaster at the Great American Beer Festival. The company has been awarded medals for 3 special categories of brews: Abbey Belgian Style Ale Blue Paddle Pilsner La Folie specialty ale The company has (Roosa, 2010) achieved many applauds for the sustainability activities done by them. It is said by the director of the Institute for Brewing studies at the Brewers Association in Boulder, Colorado, They have created a very positive image for their company in the brew- consuming public with smart decisiosn making. But still there are some people who believe that an alcohol company can never be socially responsible. The company mentioned that alcohol is only for those who can take it with responsibility. They also said that they can do anything to help the society. There is a responsible participation of beer to support the culinary art. Beer helps to promote new Belgium beer dinners where beer is served with every course of meal (Behrendt, 2012). They constantly tried to create a socially responsible band image by examining its social, ethical and environmental responsibilities. In the year of 2004, the company was awarded as the environmental protection agencys regional environmental achievement award. This is the most reputed award won by the new Belgium Brewing company as it only give to those companies who deserves. Through such awards, we can say that company has proved as a socially responsible organization. These awards acted as motivators and honor for NBB. These all awards and recognitions are enough to prove that the New Belgium Brewing Company is one of the most socially responsible corporations as compared to other companies who are in manufacturing of alcohol and brewing beverages (Tilt, 2016). Conclusion At last we can conclude that, the NBB is one of the reputed companies being a brewer company of Belgium. This is the uniqueness of the company that lies within. The every pack of beer displays that, In this box is our labor of love, we feel incredibly lucky to be creating something fine that enhances people's lives." The company believes that this line helps the company to maintain their brand image. The companys concern for environmental and sustainable development gives it a competitive advantage because the customers want to get the best product out of all. They also want to feel good for the products and goods used by hem. The precious thing for NBB is its brand image. The company has still many ways to achieve and improve corporate citizen. They are not in a production of organic beers. The process of manufacturing is still far away from zero emissions and waste. The company always faces a dialogue with public about avoiding alcohol use. They have a long list of works. With the increase in the sale, company faces more challenges to maintain on a human scale and cultural authentic brand. It is the biggest challenge for NBB. Reference List Aras, G. and Crowther, D. (2010). NGOs and social responsibility. Bingley: Emerald. Barter, N. and Bebbington, J. (2012). Environmental paradigms and organisations with an environmental mission. IJISD, 6(2), p.120 Behrendt, R. (2012). The Evolved Structure of Human Social Behaviour and Personality. London: Karnac Books. Capaldi, N. (2016). New (Other?) Directions in Corporate Social Responsibility. Int J Corporate Soc Responsibility, 1(1). Corporate Social Responsibility. (2016). IJSR, 5(1), pp.1829-1831. Elder-Woodward, J. (2014). Living Well vs Neoliberal Social Welfare. Ethics and Social Welfare, 8(3), pp.306-313. Jaffeer, R. (2011). Environmental Performance and Sustainable Development. JSD, 4(6). Keys, T., (2009), Making the most of corporate social responsibility, [Online], Accessed on: 20 September 2016, Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/global-themes/leadership/making-the-most-of-corporate-social-responsibility Leszczynska, A. (2011). Cultural conditions of sustainable development of organisations. IJSE, 3(3), p.341. Morse, S. (2008). Post-sustainable development. Sustainable Development, 16(5), pp.341-352. Roosa, S. (2010). Sustainable development handbook. Lilburn, GA: Fairmont Press. Sze kely, T., Moore, A. and Komdeur, J. (2010). Social behaviour. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Tilt, C. (2016). Corporate social responsibility research: the importance of context. Int J Corporate Soc Responsibility, 1(1). Tongo, C. (2011). A conceptual model of cultural change for African indigenous organisations. WREMSD, 7(3), p.330.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Jungle Essays (300 words) - Jurgis, The Jungle, Upton Sinclair

Jungle As I opened the cover of The Jungle, I anticipated reading a tragic story about the cruelness inflicted upon a poor, working-class family. I had read an excerpt from the novel and had conversed with people who had read it; I thought the story was going to be solid, and perhaps even entertaining. I was incredibly wrong. The beginning of the story started out slow, as it was just another "American Dream" type story. Jurgis and family came to the States seeking a better life and freedom from their homeland's injustices. The story had potential, but the redundancy of the descriptions wore old. I only need to hear once or maybe even twice how cold the winters were, or how evil the packing bosses were. The only parts that I thought had any value were the descriptions of the working facilities and what foulness and corruption were found within. Such descriptions were there solely for the shock or disgust of the reader. The end of the story was extremely confusing. I can understand why Jurgis left his family after the death of his young wife, and then the death of his only son. After his time in the country and working for the political machines of Chicago, he became interested in the idea of socialism. With the introduction of a socialist Jurgis, I wanted to put down the book. Where had the whole socialist movement came from? I felt it made absolutely no sense to be in this story. The story, at that point, needed to concentrate more on the reunited family of Jurgis rather than the radical ideas circulating throughout Chicago. Upton Sinclair painted an accurate historical picture with The Jungle, but he wrote it without a sensible plot, with redundant and ambiguous details, and with no appeal as a readable story. I recommend leaving this book on the shelf for someone else to stumble through; I was not impressed.