Jurgis is like any new convert: He is fanatical about his new belief. socialism becomes the answer to all of life's problems. From a literary perspective, this chapter is too contrived: Jurgis just happens to find employment at a hotel whose proprietor is one of the leaders of the socialist movement. Throughout The Jungle chance has played a major part in the events of Jurgis' life, but only after Jurgis embraces socialism does a chance encounter end up benefiting him.
Sinclair also refers to the newspaper Appeal to Reason, rightfully acknowledging it as a propaganda paper. Later, Sinclair claims that the Appeal could be serious, but he does not afford a way for readers to distinguish between the two. This mirrors a problem with The Jungle itself. The fictional accounts gloss over the seriousness of the novel, resulting in a piece of propaganda rather than an enduring literary accomplishment.
