The Devil in the White City

The Devil in the White City is a nonfiction novel that covers the years surrounding the building of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, also known as The World's Columbian Exposition. In The Devil in the White City, author Erik Larson uses ample research to recreate the lives of two men and to reinvent Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition. In the process, he creates two separate, yet connected plot lines and attempts to fill in some of the gaps left by history. One plot line centers on Daniel Burnham, the architect who builds the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. The other plot line focuses on character H.H. Holmes, the serial killer who exploits the fair to find his victims. Many themes and motifs are exhibited throughout the novel. Determination and

Determination is a prevalent theme throughout the novel because Burnham had been faced with a spate of obstacles: determining a site of the fair, attempting to get the east coast architects to work with him, taking the heat from Chicago's prideful citizens, architects who felt Burnham betrayed them by contracting people not from Chicago, and an imminent global economic crisis. Despite all those obstacles Burnham remained headstrong and persisted through all the adversity. Burnham was determined to get what he wanted, and he did. Holmes also displayed much tenacity throughout the novel. He devised an entire plan towards the end of the book in which he would kill three of his associate's children. He travelled across the United States to do it. He moved the children from city to city, hotel to hotel only to kill them. Detective Frank Geyer also displayed much persistence in his search for the three children. He went on a journey cross country just as Holmes did in an attempt to find the children even though his wife and twelve year old daughter died a few months before in a house fire.

Another recurring motif throughout the novel was pride. The east coast architects were apprehensive about helping Burnham plan the fair. They felt that they could not express their creativity under his leadership. He assured the architects they would have full creative authority. He even tried to bring in his prominent colleague, American landscape architect Frederick Olmsted, to bolster their support. Even then, the architects only agreed reluctantly. The people of Chicago developed a sense of pride in their city when Burnham accomplishes in making the fair an overwhelming success. The city would no longer be seen as a "greedy, hog slaughtering backwater". When Holmes was arrested in Philadelphia he was accused of killing three of Benjamin Pitezel's children. He denied the allegations and insisted that the children were alive and travelling to London with Minnie Williams en route to their father's hiding place. That was a lie Holmes invented to make himself out to be innocent when he really was not. His pride prevented him from divulging the truth. Holmes even displayed pride even in death. He refused to allow an autopsy on his body to be performed. He even had his grave filled with cement to prevent grave robbers form exhuming his body.

Hope was a recurring theme throughout the book. Observers of the fair's progress up until its completion did not believe it would be finished in time but, the planners of the fair were hopeful that they would finish the fair in time and they did. When Mrs. Pitezel's son was not found with his deceased siblings, she hoped that he would be ultimately be found alive and so did Detective Geyer as well. Burnham hoped that the fair's attendance levels would rise and by the closing of the fair they did.

The themes of determination and evil were intertwined with Holmes throughout the novel. Holmes used his determination to commit atrocious acts. He traveled cross country to murder Benjamin Pitezel's kids. Holmes was determined to reach his goals. So determined, he forged his wife's uncle's signature on banknotes and used the proceeds for his hotel. Holmes took out an insurance policy on his associate Benjamin Pitezel and murdered him but made the murder seem to be an accident to collect the policy.

What I found most interesting about the book was that the author juxtaposed the characters of Burnham and Holmes so flawlessly. Two totally different but alike characters. Different because Burnham and Holmes represented good and evil respectively and alike because both of them used their determination and will to achieve their end desires. Larson successfully weaved their two plot lines seamlessly together.

The book was very well written. It contained seamless transitions from scene to scene. The novel did not contain any "fluff" like most novels do. Every word was necessary to the plot. Larson's writing technique was very well crafted. I especially liked the fact that he used the weather to often foreshadow events that were going to happen in the book, such as when Burnham was going to meet the east coast architects the weather was very cold and so therefore he received a very cold welcome from the east coast architects. Larson's use of irony was also very well crafted as well. At some points in the novel Larson included examples of people praising Holmes's character such as when Myrta, Holmes wife, described him as having a caring heart. Holmes ended up murdering her. Larson also included a scene in which Burnham, Root and the mayor of Chicago, all collectors and drinkers of alcohol, were attending the cornerstone ceremony at a Women's Christian Temperance Union Temple.

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Two individuals that demonstrated artistic creativity in their contribution to the fair were Francis Millet and George Ferris. Millet was hired by Burnham after Pretyman was let go of his duties as director of color. He was the first to use innovative painting techniques such as spray painting. Millet made the fair a more exciting place. He planned boat races between inhabitants of the midway villages. He created "The Ball of the Midway Freaks" that included belly dancers dancing with the fair's directors. Ferris created the the giant wheel that would "out-Eiffel Eiffel". The wheel was an enormous success. Ferris and the fair profited greatly from the wheel and it contributed greatly to the fair's success. It propelled