The rise of Detroit began in the early 1900s, when Henry Ford was working in his shed on his "horseless carriage." At the time, he was considered a crazy neighbor, but as he perfected his machine, he quickly became one of the most famous and influential men in the world. Ford was powerful, but people power proved stronger and more effective. After years of prolonged work in terrible conditions and with minimal pay, auto workers formed the UAW in 1935. Six years later, they managed to win a contract with the Ford Motor Company, but their success has not been easy. In The Flivver King, Upton Sinclair uncovers some of the problems auto workers had to endure and persuades the audience to be in favor of unionization through the theme, use of imagery, and his appeals to emotions. Sinclair tells the story of Ford's success. with the “horseless carriage” and its growing prosperity. It also illustrates Ford's psychological changes as he goes from farm boy to the world's first billionaire. As fame and fortune took over Ford's life, he lost the ideals he held when founding the company. Sinclair tells the story of Ford along with that of Abner Shutt, a loyal Ford employee who witnessed the growth of the Ford Motor Company from its humble beginnings to the giant corporation it is today. Abner Shutt was never one to question Ford's methods and always thought of him with the greatest respect, even after facing pay cuts and unemployment. Many of his employees felt the same way because they didn't want to risk losing their jobs, especially during/after the Great Depression. Also around this time, the Ford Motor Company was facing heavy pressure from unions for workers' rights, but Ford continued to oppose their