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Upton Sinclair, The Flivver King
reviewed by Jacob Powers
Henry Ford. That national icon that we all learned at a young age is credited for making the automobile an accessible necessity to the American lifestyle. Because of his automobile metropolis, people from all over the world migrated to Detroit to be given the opportunity to work a five-dollar-a-day job on his assembly lines. Yes, Henry Ford is usually seen as the epitome man, successfully bronzing himself in Michigan history (to further prove this point, The Ford Museum recently changed its slogan to "America's Greatest History Attraction"). All in all, the Ford American icon makes him look like one hell of a guy. But, of course, there's more to the story than the simple assumption that Ford was a flawless man; after all, even icons have their faults.
That is why there is The Flivver King: A Story of Ford-America by the renowned author Upton Sinclair. Sinclair, best known for his novel The Jungle, uses true documented history of Ford's rise—from the early years as a man simply trying to build a working automobile all the way to the industrial giant that he became. In the process, the author does not forget about the men behind the scenes of the Ford Empire. By creating a fictional character named Abner Shutt, whose life continuously crosses paths with Ford, Sinclair presents a straightforward story of those who are often overshadowed by Ford's fame and success as an American icon, presenting a socialist perspective—yet a very easy read—of a history that is often one-sided.
Because of his attempts to capture history from multiple perspectives, Sinclair does not solely pinpoint Ford's strengths and successes. Instead, the author refuses to idolize Ford into a cultural celebrity, showing that even those who help mold society have their faults. In fact, the book itself could be split into two sections regarding Ford's image. The first focuses on how Ford's initial ideas on the auto industry were a blessing for those fortunate enough to work for him. After all, Ford was a revolutionary when it came to creating successful jobs for the average man, and Sinclair continuously emphasizes that actions such as these were the start to a wonderful life for the American citizen.
Yet nothing lasts forever, and with the second part, Sinclair holds back no punches or cynicism to Ford's follies. He centers on the downfall and visible cracks of the Ford Empire for the blue-collar worker—i.e., the abolishing of the five-dollar-a-day plan, the decentralization of Ford's plants, the wage cuts, the forced overtime, the layoffs—again represented through Abner Shutt's life. Sinclair further focuses on the blue-collar workers revolts through the struggling attempts to forming unions. Not to forget Ford himself, the author also exposes the industrial king's bloody retaliation on the linemen who were against him. History, again, is represented through both sides.
For those interested in Ford but tired of the endless amounts of biographies on the man who changed America, Sinclair's The Flivver King is the book to read. Although at times it may be a little overbearing on Ford's follies, the book does a great job at representing history in multiple perspectives. Not only does he focus on the figureheads who inspired and changed the American culture, but the author does not forget the little guys—the men who struggled with and against the Ford Empire.
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Jacob Powers is a senior at Grand Valley State University, graduating in the winter of 2006 with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in English. After graduating, he plans to take a year off and then apply to graduate programs.
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