The Devil In The White City Analysis

Throughout my life I have read many books. However, “The Devil in the White City” by Erik Larson is the most impactful of them all. “The Devil in the White City” is full of manipulation, unexpected killings, and World Fair construction problems. “It was so easy to disappear, so easy to deny knowledge, so very easy in the smoke and din to mask that something dark had taken root. This was Chicago, on the eve of the greatest fair in history” (Larson). “Devil in the White City” has changed my perspective on people you do not know and the work of construction.

Chicago wins the bid for the 1893 World's Exposition or as some call it the World Fair. Author Larson includes two different plots. One of the plot lines is about an architect, named Daniel

Burnham and his partner John Root, and their duty of constructing the World Fair. However, they come in contact with many problems during their process of actually constructing.

The second plot line is about a man named H.H Holmes who happens to be a serial killer who uses the location of the world fair as his choice of victims to slaughter. I found plots of the story to be very intriguing and full of life lessons. H.H Holmes was a master manipulator and a fraud. His birth name is actually Herman Webster Mudgett. He pretends to be a pharmacists. To pull off his cover up he tries to talk with intelligent scientific works as a pharmacists would. In connection with the story “Doublespeak” Holmes has to use a specific jargon to protect his identity. On top of the pharmacists building where Holmes works, he builds rooms to rent out to visitors of the World Fair. However, he refuses to hire an architect to build because, his secret plan would be revealed: an airtight vault equipped with gas valves with a chute from the upper floors to the basement to dispose of all the bodies of his victims. “Reading this has made me realize that people can be frauds and live in a harsh and cruel lifestyle. I do not understand how someone can kill innocent people they do not even know and be ok with that lifestyle choice. It has happened in past history such as with

Hitler in World War II and continues to still happen in present day today. Just the other day in my home town a cop was shot and has had to leave his loved ones because the person who shot him was ok with living with that sin and the act of separating him from his loved ones. After reading about Holmes I now have really get to know people before I before I tell them about any personal information or trust them overall. Larson has also made me realize that life is precious and it should be used wisely. Every second last you never know when your time could be out.

The world is seen different in architect Burnham’s eyes. I never knew how much work goes into a big project like the World Fair and my dad is an Architect. It makes me appreciates his work more. When building the World Fair architect Burnham had to get through many problems and meetings before he could actually begin the building of the Fair. First off he had to just get the plans approved by many different people. The biggest problem that he ran into was that the person employed by the exposition to dig a drainage ditch hired Italian immigrants. Union workers protested and beat up two of the other workers, because the workers were angry that foreigners were hired. Burnham had to attend many meetings to negotiate the issue and get every move cleared by the commission. The World Fair project continued to fall behind of schedule. The question would the Fair be built and completed in time ran through all of the workers minds. Although construction can be such a long process when it is built something magical and wonderful is the outcome of all of the sleepless nights and everlasting meetings workers have to sit through. It also turns into great entrainment for tourists and local spectators. I now have a bigger appreciation for architects. The ever ending work days they go through, and the problems they face in their plans can be very frustrating. I am very proud of my dad and appreciate the work he does for others.

“The Devil in the White City” is the piece of literature that has changed my view points on construction and the value of life. I now appreciate all the different professions in life and the work they do. I have also realized life is a gift that need to be valued not wasted.