These two books give readers the stark reality of the impoverishment of the American working class as well as the corruption of industry, big business, and even capitalism itself. Although their writing styles and subject matter are inherently different, the themes of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle and John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath are ultimately the same. In this essay I will examine and compare the social, political, and spiritual elements within these novels and how they relate to this class. Upton Sinclair's The Jungle tells of a Lithuanian family who travels to the United States attracted by the promise of a superior life. salary and the possibility of escaping from one's debts. As they begin their life in the Back of the Yards of Chicago, Illinois, they begin to realize that they have been scammed but continue to work harder. Unfortunately, the family continues to be exploited and from time to time falls deeper into poverty and illness. (Sinclair) Similarly, in The Grapes of Wrath, the Joad family suffers great losses in their homeland of Oklahoma, leading them to carry all their belongings and their entire twelve-member family across the country, in California. They continue despite others telling them that the advertisements of a lush, prosperous California with job opportunities are not true. When they get there they find themselves victims of prejudices and fears with very little work and even less money. (Steinbeck) In both books, families are tricked into leaving their situation for one that promises a better life. Companies hire advertisers to take advantage of those who are already in poverty and convince them to turn to them and become absolutely dependent on the industry. They transform these families from people into stand-ins...in the center of the paper...that indicate whether the criticism was negative or positive, was read, making it one of the most read novels in American history At the most basic level, these novels are examples of advocacy of inhumanity and change. It shows how the working class of the time is exploited and deceived for the well-being of industry and the growth of capital. These workers are not just replaceable cogs in a machine, they are just as moral and capable of good and evil as the more “civilized” classes. To solve this inhumanity Sinclair would suggest socialism as the cure, while Steinbeck would argue that the human spirit is the champion. These authors succeed in bringing the rot of the system to light and revealing the abuse of humanity. If it doesn't result in immediate change, then it will be a slow and steady change of heart for the American public and its government.