Analysis Of The Devil In The White City By Erik Larson

The Devil in The White City, by Erik Larson is a curious piece of history work, the book is not historical fiction nor is it a basic book of history. Mister Larson has created a book that is an essential work in understanding America and her people in the early 1890’s and the rise of Chicago as being one of the most important cities in the United States. Before the magic that transformed Chicago into the famous White City, Chicago was known by a different title: The Black City. Chicago in the late 1800’s was not an easy or clean place to live in, as one Chicagoan, Ben Hecht, states “It was pleasant, in a way, to know that outside their windows the devil was still capering in a flare of brimstone.” What change Chicago from staying as the dangerous

H. Holmes. Holmes was a professional conman, he was smooth with the ladies and had a special way of getting people to trust him. However, Holmes had a flaw that was noticed by his second wife, Myrrha Belknap “Ambition has been the curse of my husband life”. Ambition would allow Holmes to Holton Drugs, a small family pharmacy in Chicago that allowed him to gain a foothold into the city. Over time and with his people skills, Holmes cheated his way into owning a street block of Englewood, with the street block under one of his various alias, Holmes went on in building his masterpiece, a hotel for the upcoming World Fair. A hotel that would be his “castle” that where Holmes would conduct his bloody business of seducing his victims, mostly women with blonde hair, and deposing the bodies once the foul deed was done. Holmes did not work alone, no during the construction of his hotel, he was able to gain the loyalty of Benjamin Pitezel, a carpenter by trade that overtime became Holmes’ assistant. At Holmes’ trial, a district attorney was said this of Pitezel, “Pitezel was his tool..., his creature”. A fate that would not protect Pitezel against his master, when Holmes eventually turned on him after the failed attempt of Holmes in trying to build another “castle” in Fort Worth, Texas in 1894. However, during the World Fair and before the event, Pitezel was an essential tool for Holmes. It was by Pitezel suggestion that Holmes should recruit Emeline Cigrand from the Keeley Institute as Holmes’ secretary, Emeline would in time like most of Holmes victims fall in love with the fake persona that Holmes used in his everyday life and eventually murdered in the vault that Holmes specially design to burn his victims to death. It should be noted that Emeline was able to make a mark in the shape of her foot upon the door the vault, evidence that would later help in the trial of