The Second-Story Man by Upton Sinclair
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"The Second-Story Man" by Upton Sinclair is a dramatic play written in the early 20th century. This work falls within the genre of social commentary and crime fiction, exploring the harsh realities and injustices faced by the working class. The narrative centers around a man turned criminal, reflecting broader themes of exploitation and moral accountability in a capitalist society. The story unfolds in a luxurious home where Jim Faraday, a desperate and
disillusioned burglar, breaks in, hoping to find something to eat. He encounters Helen Austin, the wife of a smooth-talking lawyer, Harvey Austin, who represents the steel company that exploited Jim and drove him to crime through their unscrupulous practices. As Jim shares his tragic backstory—how he lost his family due to the negligence of the company and its lawyers—Helen realizes the depth of her husband's complicity in the system that perpetuates such suffering. A confrontation ensues, highlighting the moral decay of the affluent at the expense of the vulnerable. Ultimately, Jim leaves, having addressed his pain while Helen is left grappling with her husband's role in the very evils she wished to condemn. The play poignantly critiques social injustices and reveals the personal toll of corporate greed. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Second-Story Man |
| Credits |
Text file produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading team HTML file produced by David Widger |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 96.4 (5th grade). Very easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | American drama -- 20th century |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 3302 |
| Release Date | Jul 1, 2002 |
| Last Update | Apr 25, 2013 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 336 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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