How does Jacob Riis connect with the booklll The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Jacob Riis and Upton Sinclair both focused on social reform and the plight of the urban poor in their respective works, though they approached these issues from different angles and contexts. ### Jacob Riis: - **Background**: A Danish immigrant and social reformer, Riis is best known for his book "How the Other Half Lives" (1890), which used photography and firsthand accounts to expose the harsh realities of life in New York City's tenements. - **Focus**: His work highlighted the living conditions of the poor, particularly immigrants, and aimed to raise public awareness about poverty, crime, and health issues in urban environments. - **Impact**: Riis's combination of photography and narrative was instrumental in provoking social reform and influencing legislation related to housing and labor. ### Upton Sinclair: - **Background**: Sinclair was a journalist and novelist whose most famous work, "The Jungle" (1906), is a fictional account of the lives of immigrants in the Chicago meatpacking industry. - **Focus**: "The Jungle" exposes the brutal working conditions, exploitation, and unsanitary practices in the meatpacking industry, aiming to draw attention to the plight of workers and the dangerous conditions they faced. - **Impact**: The novel had a significant influence on public perceptions of food safety and labor rights, ultimately leading to reforms in food inspection laws and working conditions. ### Connections: - **Social Reform**: Both Riis and Sinclair sought to bring attention to social injustices and promote reform. Riis focused more on living conditions, while Sinclair tackled labor issues and food safety. - **Immigrant Experience**: Both authors highlighted the struggles of immigrants in America, revealing how they were often subjected to harsh conditions and exploitation in order to survive. - **Realism and Exposure**: Both used realism to depict the harsh realities faced by the poor—Riis through his photographs and reports, and Sinclair through his compelling storytelling and vivid descriptions. - **Public Outrage**: Their works aimed to incite public outrage and provoke change. Riis's photography brought urban poverty to the forefront of American consciousness, while Sinclair's novel prompted widespread calls for food safety regulation. In summary, Jacob Riis and Upton Sinclair both addressed the struggles of the underprivileged in society and advocated for reform, each using different methods to raise awareness and drive change in early 20th-century America.