books where the main character is about to go to war or something, and previously worked in a pig factory

[Tehmai]

I'm reading The things they carried by Tim O' Brien right now and in a certain part he talks about working in a pig factory and I felt like I was getting deja vu because I KNOW I've read another book where the main character is about to go to war or something, and previously worked in a pig factory because the details (the unwashable stench, the blood) were so viscerally replayed in my mind.

Can anyone think of another book where this has happened?? I swear I've read it elsewhere because this is my first time reading anything by Tim O' Brien.

[SamSpayedPI]

Probably The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. It's a very well-known novel which was intended to expose the exploitation of immigrants in the early 20th century, but got more of a public reaction from the dipiction of unsafe and unsanitary practices in the meat packing industry.

[Tehmai]

I tracked down The Jungle at my library but unfortunately I don't think that it was that book. Thank you for your reply though, still an informative read.

Is there any other possible book? Perhaps not pigs, but just like a meat factory, maybe cows? I was thinking slaughterhouse 5 but I don't think it ever explicitly talks about it.