The Devil In The White City Analysis
Duality exists in all aspects of the world- in the light of the stars against the dark of the night sky or the vibrant spring colors and the desolation come winter. The dual nature of this world has added deep lines between right and wrong, but of course both will present themselves and both will always, in some way, shape, or form, affect one another. In the Devil in the White City the author, Erik Larson, not only informs the audience about a colossal architectural turning point for our nation, but he entices the reader into a state of jittery tension that is enforced by continuous amounts of alarming duality.
The presentation of Duality begins from the very start. Larson’s decision to call the book “The Devil in the White City” was a distinct …show more content…
Burnham from the beginning stages of planning, to the execution of the fair, faced major adversity in achieving the things that he wanted. He desperately fought to bring honor to the city of Chicago and to his own name, and in the way Larson writes, it feels as though everything is up against him. Holme’s on the other hand, finds ease in achieving his sick and twisted goals, and in a stark contrasts with Larsons telling of Burnham story, it seemed as though a perfect storm surrounded Holme’s and his crimes. Larson addressed Burnham's feeling of distress in the Chapter “Alone”. “On Monday He was back at his desk, Root’s office next to him was silent, draped in Bunting, hot house flowers perfumed the air...The Challenge ahead looked more challenging than ever before” (108). A reader can picture Burnham in overcome with defeat and this sense of frustration hung ominously over Burnham’s Chapters through the book. This stand in a strong juxtaposition with an immediately successful Holmes who is initially introduced in a manner that projects the nonchalant ease he find in Englewood. Larson writes “ a young handsome doctor stepped off the train… He found the city to his liking.”(56) A reader can picture these two incredibly different man and have an enhanced understanding of the differences as they are placed side by
The presentation of Duality begins from the very start. Larson’s decision to call the book “The Devil in the White City” was a distinct …show more content…
Burnham from the beginning stages of planning, to the execution of the fair, faced major adversity in achieving the things that he wanted. He desperately fought to bring honor to the city of Chicago and to his own name, and in the way Larson writes, it feels as though everything is up against him. Holme’s on the other hand, finds ease in achieving his sick and twisted goals, and in a stark contrasts with Larsons telling of Burnham story, it seemed as though a perfect storm surrounded Holme’s and his crimes. Larson addressed Burnham's feeling of distress in the Chapter “Alone”. “On Monday He was back at his desk, Root’s office next to him was silent, draped in Bunting, hot house flowers perfumed the air...The Challenge ahead looked more challenging than ever before” (108). A reader can picture Burnham in overcome with defeat and this sense of frustration hung ominously over Burnham’s Chapters through the book. This stand in a strong juxtaposition with an immediately successful Holmes who is initially introduced in a manner that projects the nonchalant ease he find in Englewood. Larson writes “ a young handsome doctor stepped off the train… He found the city to his liking.”(56) A reader can picture these two incredibly different man and have an enhanced understanding of the differences as they are placed side by