To this point, The Devil in the White City has not undergone significant plot shifts or changes. However, Larson keeps the plot interesting and fun to read. The story begins with Daniel Burnham aboard the Olympic, a new, glamorous, and big ship. He was traveling to Europe with his family for a grand tour. As he sits in a first class dining room, he shifts his thoughts to an old friend, Frank Millet. With Millet on his mind, he begins to think about the event that brought the two of them together, the world’s fair of 1893.He then asks himself, of the architects and builders of the fair, who besides Millet is left? He can only think of one, Louis Sullivan. At the age of 43, Burnham sits in his office with his partner, John Root. They are awaiting news that would change their lives forever. In order to celebrate the anniversary of Columbus traveling to America, a world’s fair is to be made, and there was an ongoing vote to decide which of America’s great cities would hold the fair. Chicago was up on New York by a few votes, and they could sense victory. Larson then begins to describe the long chain of events that not only brought Burnham into architecture, but also how he and John Root connected. When they finally connect, they work brilliantly together, and they soon become rich designing only the biggest and most beautiful buildings that took up Chicago’s sky. Struggling with Chicago’s difficult soil density, Root comes up with many different ideas and soon becomes the mastermind behind the buildings. Burnham, however, draws people in with his good looks and great personality. In choosing this book, I expected a fast moving thriller than took sharp turns of events in nearly every chapter. However, Larson takes his time in the first few chapters giving a strong background history of the characters. So, the book did not meet my exact expectations, but it is still entertaining and proves to be a “good read”. He does not force me to turn the pages by action, however he keeps me interested with solid information and good quality writing. Being a book about part of America’s history, more people should pick it up and learn about an event that a good majority of us have not heard about. This novel closely relates to the theme we are studying in class, work and class. So far, it has talked about two men and how they got to the point they are at. Not always a good student, Burnham took many different career choices before finally settling on architecture due to his impressive drawing skills. It describes the upper, lower, and middle class to some extent in the book, but so far it has been mostly upper class.
From the first page, Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City was an attention grabber. It begins by describing an older man aboard a ship named Olympic. The author writes, “His name was Daniel Hudson Burnham, and by now his name was familiar throughout the world” (3). It is later revealed that he is indeed a famous architect and has many works displayed throughout the United States. He reminisces about the great World Fair of 1983 As the story continues, it flashes back to Burnham’s life in the Windy City. When Burnham was a young boy he had a talent for sketching and drawing, and as his life unfolds, he finds himself in architecture, along with a friend of his named Roots. Together, their strength balance off their weaknesses and they become prominent architects in Chicago. When it is announced that Chicago will hold the World Fair, Burnham and Root are chosen to construct the fair.
The story takes and immediate shift and now begins to describe a doctor by the name of Holmes, whose past is filled with mystery. When he graduated from school, he took a job as a teacher, but then decided to attend college for a medical degree. After earning his degree he set out to find a job, however none sooted him, and so he developed an ingenious plan to commit insurance fraud. He needed three cadavers, but eventually gives up. He finds himself at a pharmacy in Chicago, and talks to the lady who owns it. She gives up the shop, but is kindly offered the upstairs apartment by Holmes. As customers come into the new drug store, the comment that they have not seen the former owner around town for months. Holmes quickly responds, “She had decided to visit relatives in California” (47). The mystery appears to have begun.
From reading the prologue and first two chapters, I have high expectations for this book. In these chapters, the topic changes abruptly and stories shift. I am expecting a great ending that ties all the different parts together. For being non-fiction, however, I was also expecting a book with long historical excerpts, creating more of a textbook than a novel, but, so far, The Devil in the White City has been an engaging page turner.
This book has strong themes of class and work. The three characters introduced, thus far, are identified by their work. Roots and Burnham are seen as architects, while Holmes is viewed as a pharmacist. Each also takes pride in their work. The architects work diligently and use their talents to construct top notch buildings that go beyond set construction limits. If jobs do not work out they feel disappointed and guilty. Holmes similarly takes satisfaction in knowing that he has established his own practice and has worked his way up in society. These themes are intertwined with the fast moving stories.
I have found this book to be of good quality. Larson has done a magnificent job recreating the history of Chicago, the World Fair, and other aspects of working life into an engaging work. I would consider this book to be a page turner due to the style of writing. The stories jump abruptly, which keeps the plot moving and interesting. Even more so, the fact that the story is non-fiction and has historical value makes it more impressive and riveting. All in all, I believe the The Devil in the White City has both artistic and literary merit created by the inventive writing and plot development and will be a classic in the future.
The first part of the book tells the story of the retired architect Daniel Burnham, who is on a ship crossing the Atlantic and he reminisces about the role he played in designing and building the Chicago World’s Fair. Next, a short section entitled The Black City details the dangers of late 19th century Chicago and hints at the disappearance of many young women at this time. The author remarks, “Everywhere one looked the boundary between the moral and the wicked seemed to be degrading”. The next section shows the excitement of Chicago residents when their city was chosen by Congress to be the site of the World’s Fair. The author describes the chief architect Burnham’s early life and career and how he and his partner built their firm into a very successful company. Next, we meet a young doctor who the author hints as being a suspicious character. We learn about his early life and how he eventually made his way to Chicago. Also, the author hints at the disappearance or death of certain people who have had close ties to the doctor, adding to the reader’s distrust of him. I chose this book because it is based on true events and is historically accurate, but is written like a murder mystery novel. So far, the book is meeting my expectations and holding my interest. The author is setting the stage for demonstrating the difference in the classes in early Chicago by mentioning the upper class that organized and hosted the World’s Fair, but also hinting at the dark side of Chicago during this time. The author writes very descriptively and in a way that holds the reader’s attention. He already has me wondering about Dr. Holmes and what role he will play in the World’s Fair.
Group Discussion #1 Pat Fagan, Tyler Smith, Alex Keene, Nate Fiala
Although our group was at slightly different points in book, we were able to have an in depth discussion about the piece of writing. We first quickly summarized the chapters and the basic plot. Two architects, Burnham and Root are chosen to design and build the World Fair in Chicago. They gather architects from around the country to help assist them in this endeavor. They discuss the layout of the Fair and the appearance of the buildings. Burnham also brings Olmsted, a well known landscaper, into the job. Together, the group is hoping to build a masterpiece, that will wow the world; however time is limited and worries begin to develop.
We then went on to discuss Holmes’ story and his role in the plot. He is a pharmacist, who is portrayed as being very mysterious from the beginning. He buys a block of buildings and begins transforming it into a hotel, restaurant and drug store. He is hoping to sell the rooms to travelers as they come to Chicago for the World Fair. In his basement, however, he builds a kiln-like room, which made all us curious as reader. We unanimously thought he is going to be the serial killer at the Fair. All his characteristics lead to this assumption. He is charming, yet mysterious. Similarly, He has a way of enticing people with his speech and looks, but at the same time is also very deceptive.
After discussing the plot, we began looking at the character development, and all agreed almost all the characters were three dimensional. They had quirks about them which led to a development of a non-stereotypical character. For example, Burnham never went to college to become an architect, instead he learned the trade from experience, and was able to move up in society because of his hard work. Holmes also has atypical facets. In the beginning, he plans a grand scheme of insurance fraud; however, his conscience steps in and he does not go through with the act. It is stereotypical for a serial killer to appear amoral, however Holmes clearly has some morals, to what degree is questionable, but they are there.
These interesting characters make the story a good read. All of us, agreed that the book was meeting our expectations of being historical, yet fascinating. Alex and Pat thought Erik Larson did a fine job mixing the two different mediums, history and mystery, together to create a unique work. Nate and Tyler also pointed out that the story, even being historical has suspenseful moments similar to a murder mystery novel. From these early impressions, we all expect that as the story unfolds, there will be many more twist and turns in the plot, to create an even more complicated and interesting read.
The themes of “class” and “work” are found throughout the novel. Tyler discussed that Holmes considers himself as an upper class citizen. This is evident in the way he treats workers. He would hire them to do a task as they were completing it, he would quickly fire them for no apparent reason. This class system and work theme is also shown in the chapters with the architects. They, being higher class and educated, hire others to work a perform the “dirty jobs” of digging out the sites and landscaping the park.
To conclude our group discussion, we all agreed the book had artistic and literary merit. The author’s sentences paint a clear picture. They are decisive and create a sense of fluidity throughout the work. Also, the descriptions of the architectural work have an artistic quality, and because of these two values, we believe the book will stand the test of time.
The plot continues to unfold in a mysterious way. Holmes and the famous architects, Burnham and Root, are still not connected. The chapters continue to jump back and forth between the two scenes. After being given the gargantuan task of building the World Fair, Burnham and Root and the Fair committee choose Jackson Park to be the site of the grand occasion. The architects go searching for people to help them complete it successfully, and they find Olmsted, a prominent “landscape architect”, to assist them. Olmsted has a very unique view on landscaping. “I design with a view to a passage of quietly composed, soft, subdued pensive character, shape the ground, screen out discordant elements and get suitable vegetation growing” (50). He has a vision to totally transform the fair site into a work of art by using flowers and other plants. This vision of Olmsted gets the gears moving and Burnham seeks out other architects to help with the construction work. They meet in New York with the chosen group and eventually design many of the fair buildings; however, they soon realize that they must get moving faster before time runs out. So, they begin to break ground at Jackson Park.
Blocks away from the park, is Holmes. He has sold his pharmacy and bought a block of buildings. In the buildings he has plans for a hotel, restaurant and new pharmacy. In the basement, he mysteriously wants a kiln and sound proof vault constructed. Workers come to build and Holmes finds ways to trick them out their pay, but firing them before their task is completed. Holmes also takes in a family that recently moved to Chicago and gives them a room in his building, and forces the tenants to take out an insurance policy. He seduces the wife, and eventually drives her husband out of town. As the lady sleeps, Holmes’ face glows from the flame of the kiln.
This book continues to meet my first expectation. I was expecting it to be a suspenseful mystery, and thus far, is has been just that. At the end of each chapter, I am left with many questions that I want answered, and so I am forced to read on. Also, the historical background is blended with the plot nicely. The historical facts are not overwhelming, but instead help move the story along and give it life. The characters are well developed and have many facets to them. Burnham is very professional; however also has a sense of camaraderie. Holmes, on the other hand is depicted as very mysterious, but at the same time charming and witty. This add to the reading, and create a complexity throughout the plot.
The themes of “class” and “work” are becoming more evident as the story progresses. Burnham and Root are most likely upper class citizens. They, therefore, hire other workers to perform the mundane tasks of excavating the fair site. This separation of class is also seen in the way Holmes treats the worker that help build his grand hotel. He is able to take advantage of them, and deceive them into working for free. No charges are ever pressed against Holmes and he gets away with his evil deeds. This not only shows that there was little respect for average workers, but also that they had very few rights, if any, during that time.
Finally, I find this book to be very interesting. I had never heard about the World Fair before and the descriptions are enlightening. Culturally, this book shows the flaws in American society throughout the late 1800’s. It also allows us as citizens to see the wrongs that occurred and make certain that they do not happen in our modern time. Literarily speaking, this book is written with eloquence. The author paints pictures with the sentences, and sets up the scenes with full detail. Each page turn adds to the intricacy of the story, and creates a book of merit.
In this second portion of the novel, Larson describes events in the life of both Dr. Holmes and Burnham in alternating chapters. First, Dr. Holmes becomes obsessed with a woman named Myrta Belknap and eventually marries her. Myrta is jealous of the other women that Holmes has contact with in the store and she eventually leaves Holmes to move in with her parents. Next, Holmes becomes obsessed with a married woman named Julia. Eventually Julia divorces, and Holmes becomes less interested in her. At the same time Holmes has built a new building with many sinister design features such as gas jets in the rooms, a kiln, and a soundproof vault. At the conclusion of this section the author gives us the first description of Holmes actually murdering one of his victims, with the death of Julia and her daughter. During this same period, plans for the World’s Fair proceeds. Frederick Law Olmsted, the creator of New York’s Central Park, is selected as the landscape architect. Jackson Park, on Lake Michigan, is selected as the site. After much hard work by Burnham, a team of architects from the east coast and Chicago is selected to design the buildings. Burnham meets with the country’s most gifted engineers to attempt to get them excited about a project more spectacular than the Eiffel Tower. Burnham faced many obstacles such as congressional reviews about fair expenditures, strikes, union disputes, and the death of his partner and friend John Root which slowed progress. Burnham and the others realize the importance of this project not only for Chicago, but for the United States. This book is meeting my expectations as I anxiously wait to read the next chapter about Dr. Holmes. The chapters on the fair are interesting when they mention famous people who had a role in the fair such as Edison, Tesla, and Walt Disney’s father. There are many connections with the theme of work and class in this section of the book. First, Dr. Holmes was able to pay his workers poorly or not at all and get away with it without bringing any attention to himself. Next, the police did not even investigate the disappearances of poor women. I also read about labor strikes, wage reductions, laid-off workers facing poverty, and many unemployed men arriving in Chicago looking to find work connected with the fair. I think this is a good book and I am enjoying the way Larson switches back and forth between Holmes’ life and Burnham’s. Larson is an excellent storyteller while remaining historically accurate. He writes very descriptively and I could easily picture the events he was describing.
From my point in the book, I have enjoyed the book thus far and it has somewhay lived up to my expectations. The only problem with the book is that I was hoping for less history and more dramatization. Not to say that the history is boring, or uninteresting, but that it was kind of presented as a novel, and is more of a history. The story follows a 'Dr.' Holmes who runs a pharmacy at the time of Chicago's world fair. The architects of the fair are also being followed. A famous architect called Hunt in the book is the most renouned architect of the group. They briefly discuss Jack the Ripper in England, which it seems the murderer in this book bases himself on. Holmes is married, and in fact he changed his name to holmes to marry another woman. He plans on building a hotel for the fair, he also is very manipulative. He uses his charm to get out of paying debts throughout the book, and also scares a woman out of a potential insurance fraud. The book is well written, has a medium pace, in my opinion, and the characters are portrayed well. It seems that the book will get faster as time goes on and hopefully the more interesting parts are still to come.
I have read farther in the book. The tempo of the book has changed. The murders are detailed, and disturbing, unfortunately for the book I had heard of what happened before I read some of them, tempering the effect. Despite this I am nonetheless disturbed about how Holmes acts and kills. The History itself remains interesting. I am still intrigued by the happeneings at the world fair. I wonder how people who saw the fair viewed the spectacle. It must have been such a sight, especially since at the time few things could compare. It also shows the power of American ingeneuity and the will of America's people. Our determination to outdo the French was staggering, probably why we took it so seriously on which city should hold the honor of holding the fair in the first place. The added drama makes the book more of what I expected it to be. It did take a long time for the book to reach this point, which was very disappointing. It is a very difficult read and is taking longer than I previously thought it would take to complete. This is a challenging and a continually fun and interesting book, and I cant wait for the conclusion.
Progressing through the book, the plot has because more interesting and i cannot put down the book. Going back and forth between two story lines keeps the book interesting and fun to read. I keep turning the pages because just when one side of the story gets interesting, Larson shifts to the other. I then want to get back to the other story to find out what happens. With my further reading, the deadline for the World's fair is getting ever so close. The architects are struggling and frustrated and some are losing faith. This faith is especially shaken when the leader, John Root, dies on pneumonia. When the designs are presented, the fair appears that it will be one of the most beautiful landmarks in the world. As for the other side of the story, holmes begins his contruction of what seems to be intended as a slaughter house. In building the building taking up an entire block, he has to constantly hire and fire workers to ensure that they do not figure out his plan. My orginal expectations of the book are beginning to be met. In the beginning, the book was not nearly as interesting and easy to read. Now, however, the plot is clearly put in the open and i cannot stop myself from turning the pages. I originally was pretty sure that i would recommend it to other people, but now i am positive. This weekend, i actually did recommend it to my sister. The theme of work and class is also developing as the book moves forward. With a large group of contractors and architects, one strong theme is that of unity and working together. On the other hand, holmes is constucting a large building and Larson describes much of that process from the perspective of a laborer.
Dr. Holmes offers a new woman, Emeline, a job and gradually seduces her with charm, kindness, and gifts and finally asks her to marry him. One of her relatives was suspicious of this relationship, but did nothing. Later, Emeline disappears without warning. Holmes, cleverly, sends wedding announcements to make her family think that is why she left. No one called the police because they did not think it would be investigated. This was another example of how class differences influenced a person’s rights in nineteenth-century Chicago. Holmes later made Emeline’s bones into a medical classroom skeleton just as he did with Julia. Holmes continues to prey on women in need and those lost in the big city. He craves power over them just before he murders them. Next, Holmes renews an interest in an old girlfriend, Minnie Williams. Holmes convinces Minnie to transfer the deed to a very valuable piece of Texas property to his control. Later, he unofficially marries her. There was much controversy over the wooded island on the site of the World's Fair. Olmsted wanted it left vacant, but eventually he compromises and allows the Japanese to build an exhibit there. Olmsted leaves for Europe for a rest, and while in England he tours gardens. Later, he tours the site of the previous World’s Fair in Paris to obtain ideas for Chicago. Meanwhile, Burnham chooses white for the color of the Fair buildings and puts Francis Millet in charge of the painting. In order to get this huge job completed on time, Millet invents the first spray paint. Next, storms slow the progress of the building by partially destroying the huge Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building. Dedication day came and was marked by a first in U.S. history. The Pledge of Allegiance was written and distributed to all school children to be recited for the first time. An engineer named Ferris was given the go ahead to build a massive Ferris wheel in order to out-eiffel Eiffel. During this time Olmsted’s assistant, Codman, dies leaving Olmsted very pessimistic about the completion of the Fair on time. Next, a blizzard hit Chicago causing the roof of the Manufactures building to collapse. Meanwhile, the exhibits begin to arrive even before the buildings are completed. The weather cooperated in the spring and much progress was made. Burnham was honored for achieving the impossible. Two weeks before opening day, heavy rains came and flooded the fairgrounds. Thousands of workers worked day and night and opening day was spectacular with many people attending. The second day, the stock market collapsed and attendance dropped drastically. For the most part, people did not want to attend until the Fair was totally complete, so they might experience everything. The themes of work and class are prevalent in this section of the novel. For example, the wealthy did not want to mingle with the commoners during the Dedication Day ceremonies. Also, “Chicago wanted to show the world the city it wanted to become,” even though New York journalists insisted on writing about Chicago’s poor. The author tells us how the working man supported Harrison for mayor, while Burnham and the wealthy opposed him. The upper class felt that Harrison symbolized the seedy side of Chicago they wanted to forget. Larson also describes the carpenter’s strike during the building of the Fair. New union workers were hired; minimum wage and overtime pay were granted. This was a victory for organized labor that would affect millions of workers for years to come. Once the Fair opens, we see more examples of class effects. For example, one day of the Fair was dedicated as Colored People Day and we also learn that the Fair will be closed on Sunday which will prevent most of the working class from attending. I am continuing to enjoy the book. I am enjoying the way Larson builds suspense by describing all the obstacles that had to be overcome in order to open the Fair on time. I am curious whether Prendergast will turn out to be the assassin that Larson mentioned in the opening chapter.
It has not been very long since I read before, but I have made some progress. The murders continue to disturb me, although as I said before, I have heard about some of them before hand. The fair continues to be interesting and the ingeneuity of America continues to astound me. The book is finally living up to my full expectations. It only took it a few hundred pages (pun intended)! I will be done by Thursday, not much more to say. The reasons why I read the book have finally justified why I read it.
As Larson’s novel continues, Burnham and the numerous workers throughout Jackson Park scramble to complete the gigantic project of building the fair. The main architectural masterpiece, the Ferris Wheel, has finally been chosen and has begun to be built. As Dedication Day nears, many projects are left unfinished, and Burnham’s worrying increases. He has Olmstead try and cover up the incompleteness by placing gaudy flowers around the grounds. The fair is well accept by the dignitaries that attend the long awaited Dedication Day, and after the parades come to an end, work resumes on the buildings. However, winter strikes, and one report describes the fair, “This seems to be an impossibility. To be sure, those in charge claim that they will be ready on time. Still the cold-blooded fact stares one in the face that only the Women’s building is anywhere near completion inside and out” (197). On Opening Day, the fair surprising is almost complete, except for the Ferris Wheel. After this first day attendance is poor until the great Wheel is finally completed and set into motion.
Down a few blocks from Jackson Park, Holmes continues to entice and deceive young, innocent women traveling in Chicago. Emeline Cigrand came to take up residence at Mr. Holmes’ hotel, and developed a close relationship with him. However as Christmas neared, she decided to spend the holiday with her family, but before she left, she strangely disappeared. Once again, Holmes suspiciously sends a woman’s body to the articulator and has a skeleton made. Months later, Holmes develops another relationship with a lady named Minnie, and eventually promises to marry her. As the fair opens, his hotel becomes known as the World’s Fair Hotel, and becomes filled with young woman, similar to Emeline and Minnie.
When I initially started reading this book, I thought that the two stories of Burnham and Holmes would meet; however this has not yet happened, and I have a strong feeling that this mostly will not occur at all. Instead, these stories will remain parallels. Although this does not match my early expectations, the book continues to interest me. The book goes on to present a plethora of historical information in a way that is easy to digest. The storytelling aspect of the book mixes well with the historical facets. Together, these create a unique piece of work that goes beyond any of my expectations.
The themes of “work” and “class” become even more apparent as the story progresses. Burnham holds most of the power in constructing and managing the Fair. He has hired many workers to complete the gigantic task; however grossly underpays them. When the union laborers go on strike, he does not raise their pay. Instead, he finds non-union workers and continues his work. He has no respect for the common worker, and all his concerns rest in completing the work. This is even evident in some work today. Many times, overseers of large construction projects neglect the workers, in order to complete their job on time. Workers will be over worked or underpaid. This issues even needs to be addressed today.
In terms of quality, this book stands out among the best. The author’s writing is suspenseful and keeps the stories moving, even through the historical information. Having the two main plots running parallel, shows similarities among Burnham and Holmes. Both the architect and Holmes have power over the common people. Burnham manipulates workers into completing their work for little pay, and in the same way, Holmes spends his time deceiving and enticing women to do what he wants. However, differences are also quite clear. Burnham is working for the good of Chicago and the United States. His actions are done out of national pride, whereas Holmes clearly cares only for himself. He, therefore, murders for personal pleasure and satisfaction. These qualities add the merit of the writing and have created a creditable piece of art.
Getting closer to the opening of the World's fair, the architects scramble to get the job done, and they present their drawings in a meeting considered to be "the greatest meeting of architects since the fifteenth century" (115). With contruction underway, increased interest began outside the fair. With the fair behind schedule, and new deaths occuring, anxiety was high. Holmes "castle" is now finished and he begins his killings, which are very disturbing and Larson describes them well. My expectations of the book are being more closely met with each turning page of the book. It starts off slowly, but as you move towards the end it gets exciting and i cannot put it down.
In the last section of the novel we read about Holmes luring more women to his hotel. Minnie becomes jealous of the attention the women in the hotel were paying to Holmes. He moves her to a rented apartment away from his hotel to give him more freedom. Guests note a medicinal odor to the hotel and often smell gas. A waitress, stenographer, hotel guests, and a physician disappear from the hotel. No investigations are performed since the police are busy protecting wealthy fair guests from thieves. Larson tells us about the killings. Holmes liked being close to the victims just before they died, so he could feel their panic. We learn how Holmes disposed of the bodies to avoid detection. Minnie’s sister, Anna, visits and Holmes takes them to the fair. Anna is at first suspicious of Holmes’ intentions, but is soon reassured by Holmes’ charm and kindness toward her sister. Holmes invites Anna to spend the summer with him and Minnie and she eagerly agrees. Holmes takes the sisters to the July 4th celebration, and later invites them to tour Europe with him. The next morning Holmes asks Anna if she would like to see his World’s Fair Hotel. In the next section, Larson gives a detailed description of Anna’s death. Holmes’ creditors and the families of his victims begin closing in on him and he flees Chicago with a new woman and his friend Pitezel. Holmes is arrested in Philadelphia for insurance fraud and detectives are called in to investigate the death of Pitezel and the disappearance of Pitezel’s three children. Detective Geyer tracks the children from city to city by the letters they wrote to their mother and by conducting many interviews. Everyone in the country followed the story of Detective Geyer in the newspaper as he searched for the children. From his jail cell, Holmes wrote his memoir and letters knowing that the police were reading them. Geyer discovered the children’s bodies, but Holmes continued to maintain his innocence. Later, his hotel is searched and evidence of dead bodies are found. Meanwhile, the ever manipulative Holmes publishes his memoirs to sway public opinion in his favor. Larson describes the trial and execution of Holmes and the mysterious occurrence of death and disability of people who were close to the case. At the same time, the delusional Prendergast is mentioned again. He is certain Mayor Harrison will name him corporation council in return for his support during the election. We learn about the new products that are unveiled during the fair such as the automatic dishwasher, Edison’s kinetiscope, Crackerjacks, Juicy Fruit gum, and Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Mix. Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show was a huge success even though it was outside the fair’s perimeter. The buildings were amazing and many people wept as they entered the White City. It was the first time alternating electrical current and incandesent light bulbs were used on a large scale. At night, millions of lights lit up the fair and were seen by country people who had no electricity back home. Word spread around the country about this amazing place. The Ferris Wheel was tested and was a huge success and gave riders a great view of the fair. Olmsted wrote a letter to Burnham with recommendations on how to get larger attendance at the fair. He recommended cleaner grounds, more fun, completion of the Ferris Wheel, and decreased price of food. The Cold Storage Building caught fire, but no one told Burnham which later proved disastrous. There were stories about famous people that I never knew before such as Helen Keller meeting the inventor of the Braille typewriter and Buffalo Bill Cody meeting Susan B. Anthony, two pioneers from different eras. For the fair to be successful financially, there had to be an increase in attendance which was unlikely since an economic depression was going on. Violent weather worked against the fair when a tornado hit shredding the giant balloon that people took rides in, broke many windows and turned over boats. Another fire occurred at the Cold Storage Building which led to the deaths of twelve firemen. The next day, a hundred thousand people visited to see the fair and the still smoking ruins. Burnham is arrested for the fire, but is released on bond. The banks formed a committee to monitor future fair expenses, much to Burnham’s displeasure. Frank Millet tried to boost attendance by having balls and boat races in the basin which gave the fair a more exciting atmosphere. On Chicago Day in October, seven hundred fifty one thousand people visited the fair and the fair’s debt to the banks is finally paid off. As the fair comes to an end the architects say good-bye to each other. They do not want to see the White City fall into disrepair. Mayor Harrison is assassinated by Prendergast and the elaborate closing ceremony is cancelled and a memorial is held in its place. Larson discusses how the fair served to awaken America about what our cities could be like. After the fair, Burnham helped with the planning of several cities throughout the world. There is a discussion of the later life of Burnham, Olmsted, Ferris and his famous wheel. The book ends the same way it begins with the Olympic sailing toward its sister ship, the Titanic, carrying Burnham’s friend Frank Millet. There continues to be an interweaving of the theme of work and class in America in this part of the book. The poor children are denied a free day at the fair, but Buffalo Bill invites them to come and see his Wild West Show at no charge which shows that the organizers of the fair were not interested in catering to the lower class. The official fair photographer took only photographs of the upper class citizens at the fair. There was worsening economic depression with failed banks and fair workers and police clashed in front of City Hall. Union organizer Samuel Gompers called for a fundamental change in the relationship between workers and their employers. The rich wanted to suppress this idea. Pullman decreased the wages of his railroad workers, but did not reduce the rent that the workers paid for their housing. The workers that left the fair as it closed, could not find jobs anywhere else and were unable to support themselves financially. Thousands of men were out of work and many used the abandoned buildings on the fair’s grounds as shelter. The workers burned many of the abandoned fair buildings that they helped build, out of frustration with their economic situation. I really enjoyed this book since it was historically accurate and exciting to read. I enjoyed how Larson made reference to the changing times and how some common name brands that exist today were first introduced at the World’s Fair during this time.
As Larson’s book comes to an end, the story continues to be engaging and exciting. The Fair, on its last months, brings in record setting amounts of people. Over 700,000 in one day walk through the gates and explore the wonders of the event. However, as the closing day approaches, attendance drops because people do not want to see the fair go. They are sadden by the fact that such a fantastic marvel that took over 2 years to build would disappear within a matter of weeks. Millet, the painter, holds special events, such as a ball, to bring the World’s Fair to an end. It is reasonable to think that Burnham, the great brains behind the operation, would be totally distraught knowing that all his hard, grueling work would disappear, but he did not have such feelings. He was actually quite pleased with the Fair and satisfied that his work was finally complete. The Fair had brought fame to him and he could not regret that. After the Fair closed, it was burned and all the workers returned to their previous life in the city.
With the Fair coming to a close, Holmes sensed it was time to leave Chicago, but before long he was head to head with his creditors. They knew he had committed crimes of insurance fraud. He tried and thrown in jail. In Chicago, detective Geyer led a search for the missing children of Pitezel which Holmes had been taken care of at the time. Geyer was taken to many hotels throughout his search, and finally ended at a house in Illinois--a house that Holmes had bought. In the basement he found two of the three children and later on, the other child was confirmed dead. In all, Holmes was found guilty of killing nine people, but many more surely died in his presence.
This book had a fantastic ending, one that extended far beyond my expectations. The characters were well developed throughout the entire book, and because of this the writing was interesting to read. Also, I was very surprised that Larson was able to produce such a quality piece of writing without fictionalizing. From what I could tell, he stayed as close to the truth as possible. If he could not find how or why something occurred, he did not include it. This left some gaps in the story, however, also made it more fascinating to read. The writing created vivid images, that helped create the setting of the story.
When looking at the plot of the book, it was very well developed with twists and turns along the way. As the story progressed, so did the characters. Burnham started off as a very simple man--a man without a formal college education. In the end, however, he achieved great fame through his completion of the stunning Fair. Holmes, too, went through some character development. With each murder, he became more cunning and deceptive and really developed a creepy attitude.
The themes of work and class also continued through the end of the novel. As the Fair came to a close, the hard work of Burnham, Root, Olmsted, and the thousands of commons workers disappeared as the Fair burnt to the ground. The average workers spent as much as twelve hours a day constructing the buildings and all their work vanished. They were forced to return to the city as lower class people. On the other hand, Burnham became famous for his design of the Fair and was given a position in the upper class. This contrast between lower and upper class workers was prevalent throughout the book.
This book is a terrific piece of work. Because of the character development, vivid descriptions, and plot driven story, it has become a piece of art. The suspense of each chapter created a need to keep reading until all was resolved; however in the end, the gaps in the plot kept me wondering and thinking about the story and the events that actually took place. This book discusses many issues that the United States continues to face today--problems between class and overlooking the poor and minorities. Devil in the White City will stand the test of time for its artistic and literary merit.
Group Blog #2 Tyler Smith, Nate Fiala, Pat Fagan, and Alex Keene
We all agreed that the last part of the novel was very suspenseful and held our attention until the end. All of us were amazed how Holmes could manipulate and get people to like him even though he was a serial killer. We were amazed how he could develop close relationships with people only to kill them later. A good example of this is when he murdered his friend Pitezel for the insurance money. We felt that Pitezel played an important role in Holmes’ crimes and would never be killed. We also found the detailed description of Anna’s killing interesting since Larson was obviously not present and Holmes never gave an honest account of the murder. Our group was impressed with the thorough detective work of Detective Geyer as he searched for the missing children. We also enjoyed the way Larson dropped hints about what would come later in the novel. The parts of the novel about Prendergast’s assassination of Mayor Harrison and Millet’s death on the Titanic were exciting twists in the novel especially since Larson made reference without telling the reader what was going to happen. Our group felt Larson described Holmes’ personality well. Our group discussed the theme of work and class in America and we all pointed out different examples of this. A major example of this was how the fair attracted thousands of workers, and when it was over they could not find work and had difficulty supporting themselves. Overall, we felt this book would stand the test of time and will always be a significant piece of literature because of the importance of the effect the World’s Fair had on Chicago, but also the effect of Holmes’ shocking crimes on Chicago.
When I finished the book finally this past week, I stopped and sighed. It was a very good book, and I wished I had picked it up when my Father suggested it those years ago. But I digest, the book had a good ending. The World Fair came on and despite a poor start still made money. Holmes's hotel made lots of money and he claimed the lives on many victims. I was particularly interested in the Ferris wheel at the fair, I did not know that the wheel was named after its creator. The fair shattered the previous record of number of attendees in one day, with an over 700000 people turn out in one day. This shattered the previous record held by the Paris World Fair. Buffalo Bill Cody also made tons of money, and he gives many children to see his show. For ten dollars they got admission, train fair and all the ice cream they could eat (thats a lot for me!) However the way Holmes killed his prey continued to disturb me. He killed Annie by locking her in his sealed chamber, while he listened to her suffer in the next room. He thought about saving her at the last minute, or walking in to show her it was all him before she died, or to just release the gas and kill her finally. He chose the later. After the fair ended, a majority of the fair was destroyed, including the world's first Ferris Wheel. A Philadelphian detective named Reyes searched for evidence against Holmes, especially the bodies of three children. Holmes proclaimed his innocence until his trial. Two of the children were found in Toronto, after searching many midwestern cities including Detroit, Chicago and Cincinatti. One girl was found face down, the other on her side. One girl's foot was cut off, because she had clubbed feet, an easy way of identification. Howard was found in Chicago, only his skeleton remained. The book was spooky, heart wrenching and inspiring. I loved reading about the world's fair, that the cruel devil who preyed in it. The story of a city, looking for an image, and a murderer looking for victims, the erie glow of a serial killer and the shining light of a white city.
As the book comes to a close, everything that happens throughout begins to end with excitement. Holmes, who has been killing person after person with no remorse, sees that it is neccessary for him to flee chicago. He does so, and he is arrested and tried for insurance fraud. I ask myselfself this question: After killing around 200 people, how is it that he is arrested for insurance fraud? The World's Fair, which has been setting record attendance, also begins to come to a close. So many people had come to the fair and its multiple attractions. One such attraction, the ferris wheel, was one of the most important at the fair. As the fair comes to a close, other suprising events take shape. One such event was the killing of the mayor by Pendergrast. Earlier in the book, Pendergrast was described briefly, and i could not figure out why. It did not seem to fit in. For this reason, I was stunned when i read that he killed the mayor whom he wanted to be appointed by. In finishing the book, my original expectations were finally met. The book turned out to be a well described action packed book. Although it was not neccessarily a "thriller" it was still action packed in the sense that it kept me turning the pages with unexpected events. Larson, indeed, creates a book that is a "good read" because it forces me to keep turning the pages, always interested in what happens next. I also like how he alternated stories. One chapter he would explain one side of the story, and the next chapter he would describe the other. This kept me turning the pages because I always wanted to know how each story turned out. In the book, Larson's best quality is describing Holmes's murders. He does it in vivid detail, without giving too much information and sometimes without even mentioning the fact that he killed the person. Although it is not represented in large proportions, work and class is indeed portrayed in the novel. Although Holmes and Burnham are both high class, many of their employees or workers were of the working class. For example, union workers undertook the job of contructing Burnham's World Fair (after strike). It mostly shows the hardwork of the upperclass, but it does show some signs of hardwork and dedication in the working class. I would definately recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good book. Not only is it a good storyline and plot, but it is a true story which is given to us in vivid detail by a very good author.
18 comments:
To this point, The Devil in the White City has not undergone significant plot shifts or changes. However, Larson keeps the plot interesting and fun to read.
The story begins with Daniel Burnham aboard the Olympic, a new, glamorous, and big ship. He was traveling to Europe with his family for a grand tour. As he sits in a first class dining room, he shifts his thoughts to an old friend, Frank Millet. With Millet on his mind, he begins to think about the event that brought the two of them together, the world’s fair of 1893.He then asks himself, of the architects and builders of the fair, who besides Millet is left? He can only think of one, Louis Sullivan.
At the age of 43, Burnham sits in his office with his partner, John Root. They are awaiting news that would change their lives forever. In order to celebrate the anniversary of Columbus traveling to America, a world’s fair is to be made, and there was an ongoing vote to decide which of America’s great cities would hold the fair. Chicago was up on New York by a few votes, and they could sense victory.
Larson then begins to describe the long chain of events that not only brought Burnham into architecture, but also how he and John Root connected. When they finally connect, they work brilliantly together, and they soon become rich designing only the biggest and most beautiful buildings that took up Chicago’s sky. Struggling with Chicago’s difficult soil density, Root comes up with many different ideas and soon becomes the mastermind behind the buildings. Burnham, however, draws people in with his good looks and great personality.
In choosing this book, I expected a fast moving thriller than took sharp turns of events in nearly every chapter. However, Larson takes his time in the first few chapters giving a strong background history of the characters. So, the book did not meet my exact expectations, but it is still entertaining and proves to be a “good read”. He does not force me to turn the pages by action, however he keeps me interested with solid information and good quality writing. Being a book about part of America’s history, more people should pick it up and learn about an event that a good majority of us have not heard about.
This novel closely relates to the theme we are studying in class, work and class. So far, it has talked about two men and how they got to the point they are at. Not always a good student, Burnham took many different career choices before finally settling on architecture due to his impressive drawing skills. It describes the upper, lower, and middle class to some extent in the book, but so far it has been mostly upper class.
Individual Entry #1:
From the first page, Erik Larson’s The Devil in the White City was an attention grabber. It begins by describing an older man aboard a ship named Olympic. The author writes, “His name was Daniel Hudson Burnham, and by now his name was familiar throughout the world” (3). It is later revealed that he is indeed a famous architect and has many works displayed throughout the United States. He reminisces about the great World Fair of 1983 As the story continues, it flashes back to Burnham’s life in the Windy City. When Burnham was a young boy he had a talent for sketching and drawing, and as his life unfolds, he finds himself in architecture, along with a friend of his named Roots. Together, their strength balance off their weaknesses and they become prominent architects in Chicago. When it is announced that Chicago will hold the World Fair, Burnham and Root are chosen to construct the fair.
The story takes and immediate shift and now begins to describe a doctor by the name of Holmes, whose past is filled with mystery. When he graduated from school, he took a job as a teacher, but then decided to attend college for a medical degree. After earning his degree he set out to find a job, however none sooted him, and so he developed an ingenious plan to commit insurance fraud. He needed three cadavers, but eventually gives up. He finds himself at a pharmacy in Chicago, and talks to the lady who owns it. She gives up the shop, but is kindly offered the upstairs apartment by Holmes. As customers come into the new drug store, the comment that they have not seen the former owner around town for months. Holmes quickly responds, “She had decided to visit relatives in California” (47). The mystery appears to have begun.
From reading the prologue and first two chapters, I have high expectations for this book. In these chapters, the topic changes abruptly and stories shift. I am expecting a great ending that ties all the different parts together. For being non-fiction, however, I was also expecting a book with long historical excerpts, creating more of a textbook than a novel, but, so far, The Devil in the White City has been an engaging page turner.
This book has strong themes of class and work. The three characters introduced, thus far, are identified by their work. Roots and Burnham are seen as architects, while Holmes is viewed as a pharmacist. Each also takes pride in their work. The architects work diligently and use their talents to construct top notch buildings that go beyond set construction limits. If jobs do not work out they feel disappointed and guilty. Holmes similarly takes satisfaction in knowing that he has established his own practice and has worked his way up in society. These themes are intertwined with the fast moving stories.
I have found this book to be of good quality. Larson has done a magnificent job recreating the history of Chicago, the World Fair, and other aspects of working life into an engaging work. I would consider this book to be a page turner due to the style of writing. The stories jump abruptly, which keeps the plot moving and interesting. Even more so, the fact that the story is non-fiction and has historical value makes it more impressive and riveting. All in all, I believe the The Devil in the White City has both artistic and literary merit created by the inventive writing and plot development and will be a classic in the future.
Individual Entry #1
The first part of the book tells the story of the retired architect Daniel Burnham, who is on a ship crossing the Atlantic and he reminisces about the role he played in designing and building the Chicago World’s Fair. Next, a short section entitled The Black City details the dangers of late 19th century Chicago and hints at the disappearance of many young women at this time. The author remarks, “Everywhere one looked the boundary between the moral and the wicked seemed to be degrading”. The next section shows the excitement of Chicago residents when their city was chosen by Congress to be the site of the World’s Fair. The author describes the chief architect Burnham’s early life and career and how he and his partner built their firm into a very successful company. Next, we meet a young doctor who the author hints as being a suspicious character. We learn about his early life and how he eventually made his way to Chicago. Also, the author hints at the disappearance or death of certain people who have had close ties to the doctor, adding to the reader’s distrust of him.
I chose this book because it is based on true events and is historically accurate, but is written like a murder mystery novel. So far, the book is meeting my expectations and holding my interest. The author is setting the stage for demonstrating the difference in the classes in early Chicago by mentioning the upper class that organized and hosted the World’s Fair, but also hinting at the dark side of Chicago during this time. The author writes very descriptively and in a way that holds the reader’s attention. He already has me wondering about Dr. Holmes and what role he will play in the World’s Fair.
Group Discussion #1
Pat Fagan, Tyler Smith, Alex Keene, Nate Fiala
Although our group was at slightly different points in book, we were able to have an in depth discussion about the piece of writing. We first quickly summarized the chapters and the basic plot. Two architects, Burnham and Root are chosen to design and build the World Fair in Chicago. They gather architects from around the country to help assist them in this endeavor. They discuss the layout of the Fair and the appearance of the buildings. Burnham also brings Olmsted, a well known landscaper, into the job. Together, the group is hoping to build a masterpiece, that will wow the world; however time is limited and worries begin to develop.
We then went on to discuss Holmes’ story and his role in the plot. He is a pharmacist, who is portrayed as being very mysterious from the beginning. He buys a block of buildings and begins transforming it into a hotel, restaurant and drug store. He is hoping to sell the rooms to travelers as they come to Chicago for the World Fair. In his basement, however, he builds a kiln-like room, which made all us curious as reader. We unanimously thought he is going to be the serial killer at the Fair. All his characteristics lead to this assumption. He is charming, yet mysterious. Similarly, He has a way of enticing people with his speech and looks, but at the same time is also very deceptive.
After discussing the plot, we began looking at the character development, and all agreed almost all the characters were three dimensional. They had quirks about them which led to a development of a non-stereotypical character. For example, Burnham never went to college to become an architect, instead he learned the trade from experience, and was able to move up in society because of his hard work. Holmes also has atypical facets. In the beginning, he plans a grand scheme of insurance fraud; however, his conscience steps in and he does not go through with the act. It is stereotypical for a serial killer to appear amoral, however Holmes clearly has some morals, to what degree is questionable, but they are there.
These interesting characters make the story a good read. All of us, agreed that the book was meeting our expectations of being historical, yet fascinating. Alex and Pat thought Erik Larson did a fine job mixing the two different mediums, history and mystery, together to create a unique work. Nate and Tyler also pointed out that the story, even being historical has suspenseful moments similar to a murder mystery novel. From these early impressions, we all expect that as the story unfolds, there will be many more twist and turns in the plot, to create an even more complicated and interesting read.
The themes of “class” and “work” are found throughout the novel. Tyler discussed that Holmes considers himself as an upper class citizen. This is evident in the way he treats workers. He would hire them to do a task as they were completing it, he would quickly fire them for no apparent reason. This class system and work theme is also shown in the chapters with the architects. They, being higher class and educated, hire others to work a perform the “dirty jobs” of digging out the sites and landscaping the park.
To conclude our group discussion, we all agreed the book had artistic and literary merit. The author’s sentences paint a clear picture. They are decisive and create a sense of fluidity throughout the work. Also, the descriptions of the architectural work have an artistic quality, and because of these two values, we believe the book will stand the test of time.
The plot continues to unfold in a mysterious way. Holmes and the famous architects, Burnham and Root, are still not connected. The chapters continue to jump back and forth between the two scenes. After being given the gargantuan task of building the World Fair, Burnham and Root and the Fair committee choose Jackson Park to be the site of the grand occasion. The architects go searching for people to help them complete it successfully, and they find Olmsted, a prominent “landscape architect”, to assist them. Olmsted has a very unique view on landscaping. “I design with a view to a passage of quietly composed, soft, subdued pensive character, shape the ground, screen out discordant elements and get suitable vegetation growing” (50). He has a vision to totally transform the fair site into a work of art by using flowers and other plants. This vision of Olmsted gets the gears moving and Burnham seeks out other architects to help with the construction work. They meet in New York with the chosen group and eventually design many of the fair buildings; however, they soon realize that they must get moving faster before time runs out. So, they begin to break ground at Jackson Park.
Blocks away from the park, is Holmes. He has sold his pharmacy and bought a block of buildings. In the buildings he has plans for a hotel, restaurant and new pharmacy. In the basement, he mysteriously wants a kiln and sound proof vault constructed. Workers come to build and Holmes finds ways to trick them out their pay, but firing them before their task is completed. Holmes also takes in a family that recently moved to Chicago and gives them a room in his building, and forces the tenants to take out an insurance policy. He seduces the wife, and eventually drives her husband out of town. As the lady sleeps, Holmes’ face glows from the flame of the kiln.
This book continues to meet my first expectation. I was expecting it to be a suspenseful mystery, and thus far, is has been just that. At the end of each chapter, I am left with many questions that I want answered, and so I am forced to read on. Also, the historical background is blended with the plot nicely. The historical facts are not overwhelming, but instead help move the story along and give it life. The characters are well developed and have many facets to them. Burnham is very professional; however also has a sense of camaraderie. Holmes, on the other hand is depicted as very mysterious, but at the same time charming and witty. This add to the reading, and create a complexity throughout the plot.
The themes of “class” and “work” are becoming more evident as the story progresses. Burnham and Root are most likely upper class citizens. They, therefore, hire other workers to perform the mundane tasks of excavating the fair site. This separation of class is also seen in the way Holmes treats the worker that help build his grand hotel. He is able to take advantage of them, and deceive them into working for free. No charges are ever pressed against Holmes and he gets away with his evil deeds. This not only shows that there was little respect for average workers, but also that they had very few rights, if any, during that time.
Finally, I find this book to be very interesting. I had never heard about the World Fair before and the descriptions are enlightening. Culturally, this book shows the flaws in American society throughout the late 1800’s. It also allows us as citizens to see the wrongs that occurred and make certain that they do not happen in our modern time. Literarily speaking, this book is written with eloquence. The author paints pictures with the sentences, and sets up the scenes with full detail. Each page turn adds to the intricacy of the story, and creates a book of merit.
Individual Entry #2
In this second portion of the novel, Larson describes events in the life of both Dr. Holmes and Burnham in alternating chapters. First, Dr. Holmes becomes obsessed with a woman named Myrta Belknap and eventually marries her. Myrta is jealous of the other women that Holmes has contact with in the store and she eventually leaves Holmes to move in with her parents. Next, Holmes becomes obsessed with a married woman named Julia. Eventually Julia divorces, and Holmes becomes less interested in her. At the same time Holmes has built a new building with many sinister design features such as gas jets in the rooms, a kiln, and a soundproof vault. At the conclusion of this section the author gives us the first description of Holmes actually murdering one of his victims, with the death of Julia and her daughter.
During this same period, plans for the World’s Fair proceeds. Frederick Law Olmsted, the creator of New York’s Central Park, is selected as the landscape architect. Jackson Park, on Lake Michigan, is selected as the site. After much hard work by Burnham, a team of architects from the east coast and Chicago is selected to design the buildings. Burnham meets with the country’s most gifted engineers to attempt to get them excited about a project more spectacular than the Eiffel Tower. Burnham faced many obstacles such as congressional reviews about fair expenditures, strikes, union disputes, and the death of his partner and friend John Root which slowed progress. Burnham and the others realize the importance of this project not only for Chicago, but for the United States.
This book is meeting my expectations as I anxiously wait to read the next chapter about Dr. Holmes. The chapters on the fair are interesting when they mention famous people who had a role in the fair such as Edison, Tesla, and Walt Disney’s father. There are many connections with the theme of work and class in this section of the book. First, Dr. Holmes was able to pay his workers poorly or not at all and get away with it without bringing any attention to himself. Next, the police did not even investigate the disappearances of poor women. I also read about labor strikes, wage reductions, laid-off workers facing poverty, and many unemployed men arriving in Chicago looking to find work connected with the fair.
I think this is a good book and I am enjoying the way Larson switches back and forth between Holmes’ life and Burnham’s. Larson is an excellent storyteller while remaining historically accurate. He writes very descriptively and I could easily picture the events he was describing.
From my point in the book, I have enjoyed the book thus far and it has somewhay lived up to my expectations. The only problem with the book is that I was hoping for less history and more dramatization. Not to say that the history is boring, or uninteresting, but that it was kind of presented as a novel, and is more of a history.
The story follows a 'Dr.' Holmes who runs a pharmacy at the time of Chicago's world fair. The architects of the fair are also being followed. A famous architect called Hunt in the book is the most renouned architect of the group. They briefly discuss Jack the Ripper in England, which it seems the murderer in this book bases himself on.
Holmes is married, and in fact he changed his name to holmes to marry another woman. He plans on building a hotel for the fair, he also is very manipulative. He uses his charm to get out of paying debts throughout the book, and also scares a woman out of a potential insurance fraud.
The book is well written, has a medium pace, in my opinion, and the characters are portrayed well. It seems that the book will get faster as time goes on and hopefully the more interesting parts are still to come.
I have read farther in the book. The tempo of the book has changed. The murders are detailed, and disturbing, unfortunately for the book I had heard of what happened before I read some of them, tempering the effect. Despite this I am nonetheless disturbed about how Holmes acts and kills.
The History itself remains interesting. I am still intrigued by the happeneings at the world fair. I wonder how people who saw the fair viewed the spectacle. It must have been such a sight, especially since at the time few things could compare. It also shows the power of American ingeneuity and the will of America's people. Our determination to outdo the French was staggering, probably why we took it so seriously on which city should hold the honor of holding the fair in the first place.
The added drama makes the book more of what I expected it to be. It did take a long time for the book to reach this point, which was very disappointing. It is a very difficult read and is taking longer than I previously thought it would take to complete. This is a challenging and a continually fun and interesting book, and I cant wait for the conclusion.
Progressing through the book, the plot has because more interesting and i cannot put down the book. Going back and forth between two story lines keeps the book interesting and fun to read. I keep turning the pages because just when one side of the story gets interesting, Larson shifts to the other. I then want to get back to the other story to find out what happens.
With my further reading, the deadline for the World's fair is getting ever so close. The architects are struggling and frustrated and some are losing faith. This faith is especially shaken when the leader, John Root, dies on pneumonia. When the designs are presented, the fair appears that it will be one of the most beautiful landmarks in the world.
As for the other side of the story, holmes begins his contruction of what seems to be intended as a slaughter house. In building the building taking up an entire block, he has to constantly hire and fire workers to ensure that they do not figure out his plan.
My orginal expectations of the book are beginning to be met. In the beginning, the book was not nearly as interesting and easy to read. Now, however, the plot is clearly put in the open and i cannot stop myself from turning the pages. I originally was pretty sure that i would recommend it to other people, but now i am positive. This weekend, i actually did recommend it to my sister.
The theme of work and class is also developing as the book moves forward. With a large group of contractors and architects, one strong theme is that of unity and working together. On the other hand, holmes is constucting a large building and Larson describes much of that process from the perspective of a laborer.
Individual Entry # 3:
Dr. Holmes offers a new woman, Emeline, a job and gradually seduces her with charm, kindness, and gifts and finally asks her to marry him. One of her relatives was suspicious of this relationship, but did nothing. Later, Emeline disappears without warning. Holmes, cleverly, sends wedding announcements to make her family think that is why she left. No one called the police because they did not think it would be investigated. This was another example of how class differences influenced a person’s rights in nineteenth-century Chicago. Holmes later made Emeline’s bones into a medical classroom skeleton just as he did with Julia. Holmes continues to prey on women in need and those lost in the big city. He craves power over them just before he murders them. Next, Holmes renews an interest in an old girlfriend, Minnie Williams. Holmes convinces Minnie to transfer the deed to a very valuable piece of Texas property to his control. Later, he unofficially marries her.
There was much controversy over the wooded island on the site of the World's Fair. Olmsted wanted it left vacant, but eventually he compromises and allows the Japanese to build an exhibit there. Olmsted leaves for Europe for a rest, and while in England he tours gardens. Later, he tours the site of the previous World’s Fair in Paris to obtain ideas for Chicago. Meanwhile, Burnham chooses white for the color of the Fair buildings and puts Francis Millet in charge of the painting. In order to get this huge job completed on time, Millet invents the first spray paint. Next, storms slow the progress of the building by partially destroying the huge Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building. Dedication day came and was marked by a first in U.S. history. The Pledge of Allegiance was written and distributed to all school children to be recited for the first time. An engineer named Ferris was given the go ahead to build a massive Ferris wheel in order to out-eiffel Eiffel. During this time Olmsted’s assistant, Codman, dies leaving Olmsted very pessimistic about the completion of the Fair on time. Next, a blizzard hit Chicago causing the roof of the Manufactures building to collapse. Meanwhile, the exhibits begin to arrive even before the buildings are completed. The weather cooperated in the spring and much progress was made. Burnham was honored for achieving the impossible. Two weeks before opening day, heavy rains came and flooded the fairgrounds. Thousands of workers worked day and night and opening day was spectacular with many people attending. The second day, the stock market collapsed and attendance dropped drastically. For the most part, people did not want to attend until the Fair was totally complete, so they might experience everything.
The themes of work and class are prevalent in this section of the novel. For example, the wealthy did not want to mingle with the commoners during the Dedication Day ceremonies. Also, “Chicago wanted to show the world the city it wanted to become,” even though New York journalists insisted on writing about Chicago’s poor. The author tells us how the working man supported Harrison for mayor, while Burnham and the wealthy opposed him. The upper class felt that Harrison symbolized the seedy side of Chicago they wanted to forget. Larson also describes the carpenter’s strike during the building of the Fair. New union workers were hired; minimum wage and overtime pay were granted. This was a victory for organized labor that would affect millions of workers for years to come. Once the Fair opens, we see more examples of class effects. For example, one day of the Fair was dedicated as Colored People Day and we also learn that the Fair will be closed on Sunday which will prevent most of the working class from attending.
I am continuing to enjoy the book. I am enjoying the way Larson builds suspense by describing all the obstacles that had to be overcome in order to open the Fair on time. I am curious whether Prendergast will turn out to be the assassin that Larson mentioned in the opening chapter.
It has not been very long since I read before, but I have made some progress. The murders continue to disturb me, although as I said before, I have heard about some of them before hand. The fair continues to be interesting and the ingeneuity of America continues to astound me.
The book is finally living up to my full expectations. It only took it a few hundred pages (pun intended)! I will be done by Thursday, not much more to say. The reasons why I read the book have finally justified why I read it.
Individual Entry #3
As Larson’s novel continues, Burnham and the numerous workers throughout Jackson Park scramble to complete the gigantic project of building the fair. The main architectural masterpiece, the Ferris Wheel, has finally been chosen and has begun to be built. As Dedication Day nears, many projects are left unfinished, and Burnham’s worrying increases. He has Olmstead try and cover up the incompleteness by placing gaudy flowers around the grounds. The fair is well accept by the dignitaries that attend the long awaited Dedication Day, and after the parades come to an end, work resumes on the buildings. However, winter strikes, and one report describes the fair, “This seems to be an impossibility. To be sure, those in charge claim that they will be ready on time. Still the cold-blooded fact stares one in the face that only the Women’s building is anywhere near completion inside and out” (197). On Opening Day, the fair surprising is almost complete, except for the Ferris Wheel. After this first day attendance is poor until the great Wheel is finally completed and set into motion.
Down a few blocks from Jackson Park, Holmes continues to entice and deceive young, innocent women traveling in Chicago. Emeline Cigrand came to take up residence at Mr. Holmes’ hotel, and developed a close relationship with him. However as Christmas neared, she decided to spend the holiday with her family, but before she left, she strangely disappeared. Once again, Holmes suspiciously sends a woman’s body to the articulator and has a skeleton made. Months later, Holmes develops another relationship with a lady named Minnie, and eventually promises to marry her. As the fair opens, his hotel becomes known as the World’s Fair Hotel, and becomes filled with young woman, similar to Emeline and Minnie.
When I initially started reading this book, I thought that the two stories of Burnham and Holmes would meet; however this has not yet happened, and I have a strong feeling that this mostly will not occur at all. Instead, these stories will remain parallels. Although this does not match my early expectations, the book continues to interest me. The book goes on to present a plethora of historical information in a way that is easy to digest. The storytelling aspect of the book mixes well with the historical facets. Together, these create a unique piece of work that goes beyond any of my expectations.
The themes of “work” and “class” become even more apparent as the story progresses. Burnham holds most of the power in constructing and managing the Fair. He has hired many workers to complete the gigantic task; however grossly underpays them. When the union laborers go on strike, he does not raise their pay. Instead, he finds non-union workers and continues his work. He has no respect for the common worker, and all his concerns rest in completing the work. This is even evident in some work today. Many times, overseers of large construction projects neglect the workers, in order to complete their job on time. Workers will be over worked or underpaid. This issues even needs to be addressed today.
In terms of quality, this book stands out among the best. The author’s writing is suspenseful and keeps the stories moving, even through the historical information. Having the two main plots running parallel, shows similarities among Burnham and Holmes. Both the architect and Holmes have power over the common people. Burnham manipulates workers into completing their work for little pay, and in the same way, Holmes spends his time deceiving and enticing women to do what he wants. However, differences are also quite clear. Burnham is working for the good of Chicago and the United States. His actions are done out of national pride, whereas Holmes clearly cares only for himself. He, therefore, murders for personal pleasure and satisfaction. These qualities add the merit of the writing and have created a creditable piece of art.
Individual entry #3
Getting closer to the opening of the World's fair, the architects scramble to get the job done, and they present their drawings in a meeting considered to be "the greatest meeting of architects since the fifteenth century" (115).
With contruction underway, increased interest began outside the fair. With the fair behind schedule, and new deaths occuring, anxiety was high.
Holmes "castle" is now finished and he begins his killings, which are very disturbing and Larson describes them well.
My expectations of the book are being more closely met with each turning page of the book. It starts off slowly, but as you move towards the end it gets exciting and i cannot put it down.
Individual Blog #4
In the last section of the novel we read about Holmes luring more women to his hotel. Minnie becomes jealous of the attention the women in the hotel were paying to Holmes. He moves her to a rented apartment away from his hotel to give him more freedom. Guests note a medicinal odor to the hotel and often smell gas. A waitress, stenographer, hotel guests, and a physician disappear from the hotel. No investigations are performed since the police are busy protecting wealthy fair guests from thieves. Larson tells us about the killings. Holmes liked being close to the victims just before they died, so he could feel their panic. We learn how Holmes disposed of the bodies to avoid detection. Minnie’s sister, Anna, visits and Holmes takes them to the fair. Anna is at first suspicious of Holmes’ intentions, but is soon reassured by Holmes’ charm and kindness toward her sister. Holmes invites Anna to spend the summer with him and Minnie and she eagerly agrees. Holmes takes the sisters to the July 4th celebration, and later invites them to tour Europe with him. The next morning Holmes asks Anna if she would like to see his World’s Fair Hotel. In the next section, Larson gives a detailed description of Anna’s death. Holmes’ creditors and the families of his victims begin closing in on him and he flees Chicago with a new woman and his friend Pitezel. Holmes is arrested in Philadelphia for insurance fraud and detectives are called in to investigate the death of Pitezel and the disappearance of Pitezel’s three children. Detective Geyer tracks the children from city to city by the letters they wrote to their mother and by conducting many interviews. Everyone in the country followed the story of Detective Geyer in the newspaper as he searched for the children. From his jail cell, Holmes wrote his memoir and letters knowing that the police were reading them. Geyer discovered the children’s bodies, but Holmes continued to maintain his innocence. Later, his hotel is searched and evidence of dead bodies are found. Meanwhile, the ever manipulative Holmes publishes his memoirs to sway public opinion in his favor. Larson describes the trial and execution of Holmes and the mysterious occurrence of death and disability of people who were close to the case.
At the same time, the delusional Prendergast is mentioned again. He is certain Mayor Harrison will name him corporation council in return for his support during the election. We learn about the new products that are unveiled during the fair such as the automatic dishwasher, Edison’s kinetiscope, Crackerjacks, Juicy Fruit gum, and Aunt Jemima’s Pancake Mix. Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show was a huge success even though it was outside the fair’s perimeter. The buildings were amazing and many people wept as they entered the White City. It was the first time alternating electrical current and incandesent light bulbs were used on a large scale. At night, millions of lights lit up the fair and were seen by country people who had no electricity back home. Word spread around the country about this amazing place. The Ferris Wheel was tested and was a huge success and gave riders a great view of the fair. Olmsted wrote a letter to Burnham with recommendations on how to get larger attendance at the fair. He recommended cleaner grounds, more fun, completion of the Ferris Wheel, and decreased price of food. The Cold Storage Building caught fire, but no one told Burnham which later proved disastrous. There were stories about famous people that I never knew before such as Helen Keller meeting the inventor of the Braille typewriter and Buffalo Bill Cody meeting Susan B. Anthony, two pioneers from different eras. For the fair to be successful financially, there had to be an increase in attendance which was unlikely since an economic depression was going on. Violent weather worked against the fair when a tornado hit shredding the giant balloon that people took rides in, broke many windows and turned over boats. Another fire occurred at the Cold Storage Building which led to the deaths of twelve firemen. The next day, a hundred thousand people visited to see the fair and the still smoking ruins. Burnham is arrested for the fire, but is released on bond. The banks formed a committee to monitor future fair expenses, much to Burnham’s displeasure. Frank Millet tried to boost attendance by having balls and boat races in the basin which gave the fair a more exciting atmosphere. On Chicago Day in October, seven hundred fifty one thousand people visited the fair and the fair’s debt to the banks is finally paid off. As the fair comes to an end the architects say good-bye to each other. They do not want to see the White City fall into disrepair. Mayor Harrison is assassinated by Prendergast and the elaborate closing ceremony is cancelled and a memorial is held in its place. Larson discusses how the fair served to awaken America about what our cities could be like. After the fair, Burnham helped with the planning of several cities throughout the world. There is a discussion of the later life of Burnham, Olmsted, Ferris and his famous wheel. The book ends the same way it begins with the Olympic sailing toward its sister ship, the Titanic, carrying Burnham’s friend Frank Millet.
There continues to be an interweaving of the theme of work and class in America in this part of the book. The poor children are denied a free day at the fair, but Buffalo Bill invites them to come and see his Wild West Show at no charge which shows that the organizers of the fair were not interested in catering to the lower class. The official fair photographer took only photographs of the upper class citizens at the fair. There was worsening economic depression with failed banks and fair workers and police clashed in front of City Hall. Union organizer Samuel Gompers called for a fundamental change in the relationship between workers and their employers. The rich wanted to suppress this idea. Pullman decreased the wages of his railroad workers, but did not reduce the rent that the workers paid for their housing. The workers that left the fair as it closed, could not find jobs anywhere else and were unable to support themselves financially. Thousands of men were out of work and many used the abandoned buildings on the fair’s grounds as shelter. The workers burned many of the abandoned fair buildings that they helped build, out of frustration with their economic situation.
I really enjoyed this book since it was historically accurate and exciting to read. I enjoyed how Larson made reference to the changing times and how some common name brands that exist today were first introduced at the World’s Fair during this time.
Individual Blog #4:
As Larson’s book comes to an end, the story continues to be engaging and exciting. The Fair, on its last months, brings in record setting amounts of people. Over 700,000 in one day walk through the gates and explore the wonders of the event. However, as the closing day approaches, attendance drops because people do not want to see the fair go. They are sadden by the fact that such a fantastic marvel that took over 2 years to build would disappear within a matter of weeks. Millet, the painter, holds special events, such as a ball, to bring the World’s Fair to an end. It is reasonable to think that Burnham, the great brains behind the operation, would be totally distraught knowing that all his hard, grueling work would disappear, but he did not have such feelings. He was actually quite pleased with the Fair and satisfied that his work was finally complete. The Fair had brought fame to him and he could not regret that. After the Fair closed, it was burned and all the workers returned to their previous life in the city.
With the Fair coming to a close, Holmes sensed it was time to leave Chicago, but before long he was head to head with his creditors. They knew he had committed crimes of insurance fraud. He tried and thrown in jail. In Chicago, detective Geyer led a search for the missing children of Pitezel which Holmes had been taken care of at the time. Geyer was taken to many hotels throughout his search, and finally ended at a house in Illinois--a house that Holmes had bought. In the basement he found two of the three children and later on, the other child was confirmed dead. In all, Holmes was found guilty of killing nine people, but many more surely died in his presence.
This book had a fantastic ending, one that extended far beyond my expectations. The characters were well developed throughout the entire book, and because of this the writing was interesting to read. Also, I was very surprised that Larson was able to produce such a quality piece of writing without fictionalizing. From what I could tell, he stayed as close to the truth as possible. If he could not find how or why something occurred, he did not include it. This left some gaps in the story, however, also made it more fascinating to read. The writing created vivid images, that helped create the setting of the story.
When looking at the plot of the book, it was very well developed with twists and turns along the way. As the story progressed, so did the characters. Burnham started off as a very simple man--a man without a formal college education. In the end, however, he achieved great fame through his completion of the stunning Fair. Holmes, too, went through some character development. With each murder, he became more cunning and deceptive and really developed a creepy attitude.
The themes of work and class also continued through the end of the novel. As the Fair came to a close, the hard work of Burnham, Root, Olmsted, and the thousands of commons workers disappeared as the Fair burnt to the ground. The average workers spent as much as twelve hours a day constructing the buildings and all their work vanished. They were forced to return to the city as lower class people. On the other hand, Burnham became famous for his design of the Fair and was given a position in the upper class. This contrast between lower and upper class workers was prevalent throughout the book.
This book is a terrific piece of work. Because of the character development, vivid descriptions, and plot driven story, it has become a piece of art. The suspense of each chapter created a need to keep reading until all was resolved; however in the end, the gaps in the plot kept me wondering and thinking about the story and the events that actually took place. This book discusses many issues that the United States continues to face today--problems between class and overlooking the poor and minorities. Devil in the White City will stand the test of time for its artistic and literary merit.
Group Blog #2
Tyler Smith, Nate Fiala, Pat Fagan, and Alex Keene
We all agreed that the last part of the novel was very suspenseful and held our attention until the end. All of us were amazed how Holmes could manipulate and get people to like him even though he was a serial killer. We were amazed how he could develop close relationships with people only to kill them later. A good example of this is when he murdered his friend Pitezel for the insurance money. We felt that Pitezel played an important role in Holmes’ crimes and would never be killed. We also found the detailed description of Anna’s killing interesting since Larson was obviously not present and Holmes never gave an honest account of the murder. Our group was impressed with the thorough detective work of Detective Geyer as he searched for the missing children. We also enjoyed the way Larson dropped hints about what would come later in the novel. The parts of the novel about Prendergast’s assassination of Mayor Harrison and Millet’s death on the Titanic were exciting twists in the novel especially since Larson made reference without telling the reader what was going to happen. Our group felt Larson described Holmes’ personality well.
Our group discussed the theme of work and class in America and we all pointed out different examples of this. A major example of this was how the fair attracted thousands of workers, and when it was over they could not find work and had difficulty supporting themselves. Overall, we felt this book would stand the test of time and will always be a significant piece of literature because of the importance of the effect the World’s Fair had on Chicago, but also the effect of Holmes’ shocking crimes on Chicago.
When I finished the book finally this past week, I stopped and sighed. It was a very good book, and I wished I had picked it up when my Father suggested it those years ago. But I digest, the book had a good ending. The World Fair came on and despite a poor start still made money. Holmes's hotel made lots of money and he claimed the lives on many victims. I was particularly interested in the Ferris wheel at the fair, I did not know that the wheel was named after its creator. The fair shattered the previous record of number of attendees in one day, with an over 700000 people turn out in one day. This shattered the previous record held by the Paris World Fair. Buffalo Bill Cody also made tons of money, and he gives many children to see his show. For ten dollars they got admission, train fair and all the ice cream they could eat (thats a lot for me!) However the way Holmes killed his prey continued to disturb me. He killed Annie by locking her in his sealed chamber, while he listened to her suffer in the next room. He thought about saving her at the last minute, or walking in to show her it was all him before she died, or to just release the gas and kill her finally. He chose the later. After the fair ended, a majority of the fair was destroyed, including the world's first Ferris Wheel. A Philadelphian detective named Reyes searched for evidence against Holmes, especially the bodies of three children. Holmes proclaimed his innocence until his trial. Two of the children were found in Toronto, after searching many midwestern cities including Detroit, Chicago and Cincinatti. One girl was found face down, the other on her side. One girl's foot was cut off, because she had clubbed feet, an easy way of identification. Howard was found in Chicago, only his skeleton remained. The book was spooky, heart wrenching and inspiring. I loved reading about the world's fair, that the cruel devil who preyed in it. The story of a city, looking for an image, and a murderer looking for victims, the erie glow of a serial killer and the shining light of a white city.
As the book comes to a close, everything that happens throughout begins to end with excitement. Holmes, who has been killing person after person with no remorse, sees that it is neccessary for him to flee chicago. He does so, and he is arrested and tried for insurance fraud. I ask myselfself this question: After killing around 200 people, how is it that he is arrested for insurance fraud?
The World's Fair, which has been setting record attendance, also begins to come to a close. So many people had come to the fair and its multiple attractions. One such attraction, the ferris wheel, was one of the most important at the fair. As the fair comes to a close, other suprising events take shape. One such event was the killing of the mayor by Pendergrast. Earlier in the book, Pendergrast was described briefly, and i could not figure out why. It did not seem to fit in. For this reason, I was stunned when i read that he killed the mayor whom he wanted to be appointed by.
In finishing the book, my original expectations were finally met. The book turned out to be a well described action packed book. Although it was not neccessarily a "thriller" it was still action packed in the sense that it kept me turning the pages with unexpected events. Larson, indeed, creates a book that is a "good read" because it forces me to keep turning the pages, always interested in what happens next. I also like how he alternated stories. One chapter he would explain one side of the story, and the next chapter he would describe the other. This kept me turning the pages because I always wanted to know how each story turned out. In the book, Larson's best quality is describing Holmes's murders. He does it in vivid detail, without giving too much information and sometimes without even mentioning the fact that he killed the person.
Although it is not represented in large proportions, work and class is indeed portrayed in the novel. Although Holmes and Burnham are both high class, many of their employees or workers were of the working class. For example, union workers undertook the job of contructing Burnham's World Fair (after strike). It mostly shows the hardwork of the upperclass, but it does show some signs of hardwork and dedication in the working class.
I would definately recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a good book. Not only is it a good storyline and plot, but it is a true story which is given to us in vivid detail by a very good author.
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