A West Point Treasure
Jan 2022 · Otbebookpublishing
Ebook
182
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About this ebook
Excerpt: ""Dear Mark: Whenever I sit down to write to you it seems to me I can think of nothing to say, but to marvel at the extraordinary rumpus you have kicked up at West Point. Every time I hear from there you are doing still more incredibly impossible acts, until I expect to hear next that you have been made superintendent or something. However, in this letter I really have something else to tell you about, but I shall put it off to the last and keep you in suspense. "Well, I hear that, not satisfied with defying the yearlings to haze you, and actually keeping them from doing it, which is something no plebe has ever dared to dream of before, you have gone on to still further recklessness. They say that you have gotten half a dozen other plebes to back you up, and that, to cap the climax, you actually dared to go to one of the hops. Well, I do not know what to say to that; it simply takes my breath away. I should like to have been there to see him doing it. They say that Grace Fuller, the girl you saved from drowning, got all the girls to promise to dance with you, and that the end of the whole business was the yearlings stopped the music and the hop and left in disgust. I fairly gasp when I picture that scene. "I hesitate to give an original person like you advice. You never heeded what I gave you anyway, but went right ahead in your own contrariness to do what you pleased. I guess you were right. But I want to warn you a little. By your unheard-of daring in going to that hop you have incurred the enmity of not only the yearlings, whom you have beaten at every turn, but also of the powerful first class as well. And they will never stop until they subdue you. I don't know what they'll try, but it will be something desperate, and you must stand the consequences. You'll probably have to take turns fighting every man in the class. When I come back I expect to find you buried six feet deep in court-plaster.""
About the author
Upton Sinclair (1878-1968) was a prolific American author and social reformer whose works left an indelible mark on 20th-century literature and politics. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Sinclair's early experiences with poverty and wealth disparity profoundly influenced his writing and activism. He is best known for his groundbreaking novel "The Jungle" (1906), which exposed the appalling conditions in the U.S. meatpacking industry, leading to public outcry and significant reforms, including the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act.Sinclair's career spanned over 90 books, encompassing novels, plays, essays, and non-fiction works. His writing often tackled social injustices, labor exploitation, and the corrupting power of wealth. A committed socialist, Sinclair ran for political office several times, most notably his 1934 campaign for Governor of California under the platform "End Poverty in California" (EPIC), which, despite its failure, influenced New Deal policies.Sinclair's influence extended beyond literature into the realms of journalism and film. His muckraking style inspired contemporaries and future generations of investigative journalists. He was a controversial figure, often criticized for his radical views and unflinching portrayal of societal ills, yet he remained steadfast in his commitment to social change.Modern readers may find Sinclair's life and work particularly resonant in today's socio-political climate, as issues of economic inequality, workers' rights, and corporate malfeasance continue to dominate public discourse. His legacy as a writer who wielded his pen as a weapon for justice remains a powerful testament to the enduring impact of literature on society.
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