Analysis Of Devil In The White City By Erik Larson

The book, “The Devil in the White City” by Erik Larson, is intriguing by the title alone. I had not previously heard about the book or the major events in the book, so it was interesting being able to read without bringing presumptions to the text. The “White City” mentioned in the title is Chicago, Illinois where the meat of the story occurs. “The Devil” mentioned in the title, is referring to Herman Webster Mudgett, commonly known by alias Dr. H. H. Holmes. This novel follows the construction of the World’s Columbian Exposition Fair in Chicago by architect Daniel Burnham whom is striving to prove to the nation and world that he is capable of building never-before built concepts within unheard of time frames.

Chicago is described as a “hog slaughtering backwater” and having streets “oozing a fragrant muck of of horse manure, mud, and garbage.” Chicago without the fair is depicted as being almost inhabitable, nearly toxic to all of the citizens there. From this arises the reputation Chicago gets as a filthy hick town with no redeeming qualities, however from this reputation derives the need for a fair, creating good from bad. While the quality of Chicago has not considerably increased, the fair is described as “Chicago's pride” and as “great”. The positivity of the fair is contrasted with the lackluster quality of the surrounding areas of Chicago.

When the Paris Exposition was first developed it was intended to be a major cultural fair that would highlight the successes of the modern world. Because of their large scale and elaborate design, the structures that were built to accompany this fair greatly influenced the concepts of fine architecture throughout the world. Soon the Paris Exposition became known as the major focal point of architecture for that time period. While this drove some architects toward eternal glory and fame, other major designers became enveloped with the concept of out doing the great works that had been exhibited in Paris, France. Throughout the novel Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America Erik Larson`s use of extravagant

The nonfiction novel, The Devil in the White City, focuses on two significant figures, architect Daniel Burnham and serial killer H. H. Holmes. Erik Larson uses juxtaposition, imagery, and figurative language in order to portray the distinct differences between Burnham’s and Holmes’s worlds,

Erik Larson, the author of The Devil in the White City writes, “Beneath the gore and smoke and loom, this book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging in the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow.” Larson’s statement reasons to compare and contrast the two main characters, Daniel Burnham and Henry H. Holmes through the different structures and word choices of their chapters. Burnham was the famous architect that built the World’s Fair in Chicago in a time span of less than two years, while Holmes was the first American serial killer who lured victims into his life. Larson refers the “White City” to the “Black City” in correspondence to good versus evil. Burnham represents

The Devil in the White City was written by Erik Larson. The brief summary of the book which has fifty-six chapters is that it tells the story of the architects of the World’s Fair in Chicago and also the current events during that time period. It also shows us the true of a dark and eerie part of the World’s Fair. A killer using the fair as his hunting grounds looking for his prey. We will go deeper into the book late on but first let’s get to know the author and all his accomplishments.

Larson’s use of juxtaposition between the “Black City” and the “White City” displays the different effect of the fair. Contrasting “garbage” and “clean,” he displays a new and improved Chicago after the fair commenced. This conveys to the readers as a significant change from a polluted devastation to a refreshing and “pure” society. Furthermore, the new “White City” introduced many benefits from the fair such as ambulance services and electric streetlights, this serves as a positive and innovative effect for the readers. Moreover, Chicago’s major transformation from the “smoke and garbage” of the “Black City” shows how much of an impact the fair exhibited on the readers and the

Erik Larson studied Russian history, language and culture at the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated. He also got his masters in journalism from Columbia University. He has worked or wrote for Bucks County Courier Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, The Atlantic, Harper’s and The New Yorker. The events of The Devil in The White City take place during 1893 at the Worlds Colombian Exposition in Chicago. I feel this is a good book and I will probably go back and re read it just to get a better feel for it, I just wish I didn’t wait till the last minute to start reading.

H. H. Holmes achieved this, his dream career with the “Murder Castle.” After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Chicago was vigorously rebuilding into a booming financial city, excellent for real estate development and spawning job opportunities for people in the nation and around the world. The time was perfect for his new identity and to begin life as Henry Howard Holmes and he knew it too. He moved to Chicago after his streak of jobs across the Midwest and constructed his infamous murder hotel. He was able to take everything that he learned, from conning people to operating on cadavers, and now practice it on real humans and conduct a profitable business out of it.

The World Exhibition which was meant to be a shining beacon of the modern world to show the advancements of humankind would be tainted by the horrors brought by a depraved man considered to be America's first serial killer, H.H. Holmes. In Erik Larson’s novel “The Devil in the White City’ Larson details the ingenious architecture, science, politics, and gruesome murders of Chicago during the Gilded Age of The United States. Larson paints his picture with vivid and engaging language with incredible use of colors depicting the psychotic blue shown across Holmes's facade and the burning flame in Roots' persistence to plan the World Fair. Larson uses these themes to help the reader understand the changes the world will face as technology advances

The Chicago World’s Fair was an opportunity for the city to come together and create event so spectacular to shock the world. However, as Chicago prepared to awe people with this extravagant fair the city faced skepticism on weather or not issues of urbanization, sanitation, and crime would be fixed in time for the World’s Fair. In beginning of the novel, Larson takes the reader back to the start before Chicago wins the bid for the World’s fair to be held in Chicago. The idea of the World’s Fair in the United

The Devil in the White City Rhetorical Analysis Essay The Chicago World’s Fair, one of America’s most compelling historical events, spurred an era of innovative discoveries and life-changing inventions. The fair brought forward a bright and hopeful future for America; however, there is just as much darkness as there is light and wonder. In the non-fiction novel, The Devil in the White City, architect Daniel Burnham and serial killer H. H. Holmes are the perfect representation of the light and dark displayed in Chicago. Erik Larson uses positive and negative tone, juxtaposition, and imagery to express that despite the brightness and newfound wonder brought on by the fair, darkness lurks around the city in the form of murder, which at first, went unnoticed.

Larson also chose to include some backstory of Holmes and his life after being caught for some of his crimes and not just how he chose to kill his victims. Larson really tells the full, and true story of the Chicago world’s fair surrounding Burnham and Holmes. The most impressive part was the incredible detail that Larson included, while keeping the story nonfiction, and historically accurate. I was able to learn about the huge amount of planning for the Chicago World’s fair and what it was like for the average visitor. I also got to learn about the serial killer H. H. Holmes, and how different crime was treated back then.

Holmes, the mysterious serial killer. Burnham and Holmes have many similarities, the biggest one being their sheer determination to reach a goal or get what they want, which is used towards the manufacture of good, or the manufacture of sorrow. However their differences separate them apart, their biggest difference being their actions, as one build the World’s Fair and does this for the wellbeing of everyone, while Holmes uses his talent to kill many people, and cause commotion in Chicago and such. In conclusion, Erik Larson tries to show the underlying difference between good and evil, and how no matter what, evil is accompanied by good, and vice versa. Even the title of the book “The Devil in the White City” shows the most prominent theme of this amazing novel, by Erik

The Devil in the White City gives a unique glimpse into how there is both bad and good existing in the city. In my opinion the point of the book was to show how both good and bad coexist in one place. Sometimes with the knowledge of the other existing. The book was written by Erik Larson and published by first vintage books. Published almost 14 years ago the book is still relevant today and still has much to teach us.