Devil in the White City Blog 2

The building of a fair, takes time, money, and dedication. A fair as extreme takes all of those things times ten. In the story, “Devil in the White City”, so many men and woman give up months of their time to put on this extreme World Fair in Chicago. The question that remains is whether this fair was put on for the benefit of the people or a result of the arrogance of the people who put this fair together.

Although a lot of the things made and placed on the campus of this exciting fair, have the guests best interests in mind, a constant reminder that this fair must out Eifel, Eifel, seems to demonstrate the arrogance among the fairs constructors. “In a great blur of snow and silvery glass the building’s roof – that marvel of late nineteenth- century hubris, enclosing the greatest volume of unobstructed space in history collapsed to the floor blow.” This moment in the story had to be a devastating time for many. Not only did it affect the workers of the World Fair, in addition, it probably put an immense amount of stress on the Burnham. He was the one put in charge, and anything that went wrong, was directed right back to him. Now that this had occurred, he and his colleges were now driven to not only make this a huge event for Chicago, but more importantly, make this an event bigger than the event in Paris. With this as constant reminder to themselves, displays to us readers the arrogance that they possessed. Everyone who participated in the creation of the fair at one point had good intention, but also had bigger intentions to be bigger and better. The World Fair was the opportunity Chicago took to show they can be big too. They can be even bigger, and the construction workers and other employees fought through tough circumstances to be the best. Several people even died in the process, and some weren’t even properly recognized. The fair seemed to be more important due arrogance.

When the fair was finally open, it was not quite complete. There was still debris around and exhibits were not complete. The supposed main attraction, the Ferris Wheel, was not completed either. Something that I found very interesting was that when the Ferris Wheel was finally completed, it wasn’t treated like the main attraction of the World Fair. “ ‘It is impossible for the non-mechanical mind to understand how such a Brobdingnag continues to keep itself erect,’ wrote Julian Hawthorne, son of Nathaniel; ‘it has no visible means of support- none that appear adequate. The spokes look like cobwebs; they are after the fashion of those on the newest make of bicycles.’” The review of this Ferris Wheel, to out Eifel Eifel, doesn’t seem so great, and with one full rotation taking 20 minutes, it is not something many even wanted to see. The goals of the head contractors and consturcters of the fair, have been warped into a view that seems wrong. This fair is no longer for the people, but for the satisfaction of themselves. This goal displays arrogance.

"The Devil In the White City"

"In Chicago at the end of the nineteenth century" many people chose to abide in this city amongst the, "gore and smoke". In the book titled, "The Devil In the White City", author Erik Larson tells a story about, "Murder, magic, and madness...". From the beginning when Larson writes a note titled, "Evils Imminent", he demonstrates how two total opposites reside in one city.

In the story, Chicago has become the host of a fair dedicated to Columbus' discovery of America and is soon known as the White City. Larson continues to illustrate Chicago as the place to be when the fair occurs, yet he doesnt forget to tell us about the other parts and people in this city. Two of the main characters in the book are Burnham and Holmes. These characters prove the diversity and uniqeness of people in one city. In the small note Larson leaves before the beginning of the actual story, he makes it clear that, "Beneath the gore and smoke and loam, this book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choolse to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow. In the end it is a story of the inelucable conflic between good and evil, daylight and darkness, the White City and the Black." As we read on, and keep this passage in mind, we realize who manufactures what. Burnham is an architect and only wants to assist in putting on an amazing fair, but on the other hand Holmes is definately a manufacturer of sorrow. Although you may not realize at first, subtle hints provide evidence that Holmes does not often have good intentions.

As you read it becomes very obvious how these to men are extrememly different in many aspects. Burnham seems to be the determined, somewhat quiet architect who wants nothing but success and happiness. Burnham with the help of his partner Root decide to take up the challenge of putting together the World Fair in the city of Chicago. With them as head architects, and the asssitance, guidance,and advice of several more famous and accomplished architects they take on this project with the goal to make this fair larger and better than the one that happened in Paris. They work very hard as they develop this unforgetable experience for people who will travel across the country or even the globe, to attend this event in the "White City".

On the other hand there is Holmes whos real name is Herman Webster Mudgett. The fact his real name isnt used in the book as his first reference would cause anyone to raise suspicion about this character. His life story, moving from place to place, the secrets he keeps from his wife, and the suspicious jobs he takes supply us with an idea of Holmes position in the book. I think its fair to assume that he is not the character, "engaging the impossible". These two men are definately opposites and their role in the book continues to become more defined.