Erik Larson's Devil in the White City is a true crime novel about the darker side of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. It is a book about the crimes and murders committed by H.H. Holmes at the fair and how they served as a reflection of Chicago. Throughout the novel, Larson skillfully employs a variety of literary devices, such as foreshadowing, repetition, and symbolism, to enhance the narrative and reveal the Gilded Age's dark underbelly.
Larson uses foreshadowing throughout the novel to create suspense and keep the reader interested. He describes the removal of a body from the fairgrounds and writes, "few noticed, and those who did assumed it was just another accident" (Larson 109). This foreshadows the murders that will occur later in the book, implying that the magnificence of the fair has blinded people to the dangers lurking beneath the surface. It also symbolizes the inability of the people of Chicagos to notice the crimes and corruption that happen around them. Larson describes the construction of the Ferris Wheel, noting that "few could have imagined the true significance of what they were building" (Larson 175). This foreshadows the fair's disastrous consequences, particularly the murder spree of serial killer H.H. Holmes. It also shows how even with all the ambition to make
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He uses the phrase "this was Chicago" several times, emphasizing the city's reputation for roughhousing and the sort of oppressive atmosphere there was (Larson 55). This repetition creates a sense of continuity throughout the book, emphasizing how the fair reflected and challenged Chicago's identity. Similarly, Larson uses the phrase "God only knows" several times, emphasizing the fair's uncertainty and chaos and foreshadowing the terrible events to come (Larson 231). It also plays into Holmes being the Devil in the White City, a moniker for the fair, and sets the tone for the