Read the excerpt and answer the question:

Question

"Our present law-makers, as a body, are ignorant, corrupt and unprincipled."

– Ida Tarbell

What do you think muckrakers like Tarbell were trying to accomplish by using such extreme language in their writing?

Answer 1

Muckrakers like Ida Tarbell were trying to expose the corruption and wrongdoing of politicians and other powerful figures in society. By using extreme language, they hoped to shock and incite action from the public and bring about reform. They wanted to draw attention to the issues they were reporting on and create a sense of urgency for change.