Book Report of the Devil in the White City

In the Prologue, Larson introduces the protagonist, Daniel Burnham, and his connection to Chicago’s World’s Fair in 1893. He uses a flashback of Burnham waiting on a ship to deliver important information about the setting. By using this flashback, Larson provides information about the fair and the people whose roles made the fair so great. The author already sets an organizational pattern for rest of the book by juxtaposing good and evil surrounding the lives of Burnham and serial killer H.H. Holmes

The prologue sets the tone and foreshadows the deaths to come. Burnham’s friend Millet, is probably dying in the Titanic. Because of this, it foreshadows the deaths surrounding the fair. Larson begins the book where it ends in 1912, creating a circle of events and an effect used by other successful authors.

Chapter 1: Larson introduces H.H. Holmes, the other main character, and his connection to Chicago at the end of the Guilded Age. The author sets the mood of Chicago, where murder and crime constantly happen and social norms are questioned; this can clearly be alluring for Holmes. Larson often uses the word “disappear” to show how anyone in Chicago can disappear. This word is a symbol for Holmes’s ability to make people go unnoticed in a spree of murders.

Chapter 2: In this chapter, Larson introduces other important characters like John Root and Margaret Sherman Burnham, including more information on personal characteristics and traits of Daniel Burnham. Burnham is portrayed as a successful and determined architect with good morals but his efforts and lack of confidence did not get him into an Ivy League school. This contrast builds the complexity of his character and how he represents the good, while Holmes represents the evil. This chapter also creates a different mood of Chicago, compared to Chapter 1. Chicago is portrayed as a city full of pride and a world leader growing economically and socially, despite its setbacks. This image of Chicago is Burnham’s image, contrasting Holmes image of Chicago which is full of crime and murder.

Chapter 3: In this chapter, the audience gets more information about Holmes. Larson uses a flashback of Holmes mysterious and questionable past, creating distrust. The author characterizes Holmes as an attractive and charming man that women cannot resist. Since the audience already knows he is a serial killer, this kind of information makes the audience recognize that his charm will likely serve as a skill to lure his victims. The author makes allusions to Chicago’s Union Stockyards, a meatpacking industry unsanitary, diseased, and corrupt described by Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. He alludes to the stockyards to create a mental picture of Holmes, foreshadowing the deaths of Holmes’ victims and his corruption.

Chapter 4: This chapter introduced Olmsted; further develops the theme of pride. Pride makes the city of Chicago dream big. Olmsted is driven by pride in his work which is what prompted him to commit to the fair. The author creates a sense of suspense and urgency as he mentions the global economic decline. This economic crisis questions the future establishment time frame of the fair.

Chapter 5: This chapter goes deeper in the mind of Holmes and where his evil, psychotic propensities lie. Holmes does not hesitate to do what it takes to hide his purpose and manipulates everyone around him to get what he wants and maintain a solid reputation. The author uses an allusion to Jack the Ripper to compare Holmes’ evil. This chapter also introduces the audience to other characters that are essential to Holmes’ use and destruction of others, like the woman who crosses paths with him.

Chapter 6: This chapter highlights the theme of pride. New York architects are concerned about the associating with Chicago, fearing that their designs are going to be compromised since they are working far away. Pride causes Chicago to feel betrayed in their part on the fair’s creation. Determination is also a theme highlighted in this chapter. Burnham is faced with many obstacles like the cite of the setting, trying to negotiate with eastern architects, and the economic crisis. This shows how determined Burnham is to get what he wants.

Chapter 7: This chapter explores the contrast between Burnham and Holmes. As Burnham uses his determination to build something positive for the city despite the challenges he faces, it is clear that Holmes uses his determination for evil. Holmes’ uses manipulation, deception, fraud, and his charm to get what he wants. The suspense clearly builds for the audience to guess what will happen next, especially the alarming ending where two women have entered Holmes’ life.

Chapter 8: This chapter is not very long, but it does move the plot along. Larson again uses suspense-building techniques to illustrate an interesting story. The New York architects explore Jackson Park for the fair’s site, making the audience question if they will have enough time to create the fair they envision and if Jackson Park will be sufficient.

Chapter 9: Briefly, this chapter serves two purposes. One, Holmes’ undetected deeds appears in a larger context. What is interesting is that the audience suspects that Holmes’ has already killed people, but Larson hasn’t directly mentioned that he has but this chapter implies that Holmes has killed people by mentioning Chicago’s notoriety for disappearances. Secondly, the author compares Holmes with the Union Stockyards again by saying that they both don’t waste anything. This foreshadows Holmes’ futuristic methods to dispose the bodies and he makes sure he uses all parts.

Chapter 10: This chapter is a turning point for Burnham. Burnham grieves the loss of his friend and partner John Root but his pride makes him continue his work with the fair after questioning its closure. He feels as if he needs to prove that he can continue without Root by his side. At the end of this chapter, there is a foreshadowing of the upcoming events and challenges for Burnham in the next part of the book. The author creates an image of battles for wages and better working conditions in a declining global economy, the president of the fair commission threatens to quit, and the cholera outbreak in Chicago. These events could extremely affect the fair’s success.

Part 2: An Awful Fight

Chapter 11: This chapter builds up the suspense and tension to whether or not the fair is going to be built on time. The economic crisis, the union conflicts, and the crimes add more pressure to Burnham. Olmsted’s character develops more in this chapter as his character is signified by the way he complains and worries about his part building the fair. There is some foreshadowing when the police are cautious about potential crimes during the Chicago fair. The text also shifts as Holmes’ murders can be seen directly instead of Larson implicating them.

Chapter 12: In this chapter, Holmes’ plot develops more as the book goes through his murders. One victim, Gertie; daughter of Ned Conner, a man suspicious of Holmes’ actions, dies and the author subtly implies that Holmes had something to do with it. Holmes seems likely to want more victims and in order to do so he needs to get rid of the Conners. Ned moves out, and Holmes wants to continue to get rid of Julia and Pearl, wife and daughter of Ned. Holmes’ interest in Julia and killing foreshadows their deaths.

Chapter 13: In this chapter, it is clear how the book has a nonlinear structure as the book’s pace of the events, characters, and scenes moves to create a frantic feeling. For example, Burnham’s pace moves quickly with his urgency to finish the fair by the deadline and its construction underway; this style and structure creates a specific mood. This chapter highlights the image of fire as Burnham’s fear of fire strengthens his precautions with the fair. This image is used as a symbol for evil and distortion. Holmes’ way of embracing fire is by killing while Burnham fears it. Burnham’s challenges still bring up the question to whether or no he can meet the deadline and people’s expectations.

Chapter 14: This chapter is very important as the audience finally sees Holmes involved in killing someone and how the author dives more in Holmes’ mind. This chapter connects back to chapter 9, where the idea of not wasting anything is present. Holmes disposal of Julia’s body fits into this idea when he uses every part of her for profit. This parallel connection of chapters illustrates Holmes as a cold and callous character.

Chapter 15: This chapter moves from scene to scene reflecting Burnham’s feelings and thoughts. In the beginning of the chapter, Larson begins with an allusion to Elias Disney and ends with Bloom, partner in the building of the fair, wanting to make the fair more fun because that’s what people want. The beginning and end creates a vision of success for the fair and a playful mood of hope.

Chapter 16: This chapter introduces a possible victim of Holmes, Emeline Cigrand. The author characterizes her as charming, innocent, and kind making her likable. Just like any of Holmes’ victims, she ignores the fact that there is something off with Holmes. Ned looking for Holmes, takes his chance and suggests Cigrand to leave as quick as possible. He is not the only one who senses a bad feeling of Holmes, Cigrand’s cousin senses it too. These suspicions built suspense and tension throughout the chapter.