Light And Dark In Erik Larson's The Devil In The White City

The Chicago World Fair stirred many emotions in this great time of industrialization, but not only was Chicago shining in the spotlight from the fair, it was also promoting something much more sinister, this dark enclosing spotlight shined directly on H.H Holmes. Burnham the leader of the World Fair and H. H Holmes the notorious serial killer, are the two main characters in this novel that Erik Larson uses the balance between light and dark between these two’s personalities. In the novel The Devil in the White City Erik Larson uses Imagery, paradox, and alliteration to show the balance between the light and dark in the ever growing city of Chicago. Imagery paints an ever expanding picture for the audience, the detailed descriptions such as “but his eyes are as blue as ever, bluer at this instant by proximity to the sea" (Larson 3). It is with this kind of pin pointing detail Larson uses to further connect the characters to the audience. With his continued use of “blue” and “proximity to the sea” would suggest using this form of

Describing, and living the emotional rollercoaster between each character as they grew in success or perished in horrible ways. This book transforms the human mind through each one of the literary challenges that Larson uses to make a deeper connection to the readers. It takes you to a new state of mind when in Holmes head, and gives you inside look of how, and what a serial killer thinks. Yet with Burnham it gives you a inside look at the growth of the city, and the bond between people. This book would not be complete without the contrasting of the light and dark, heaven and hell, and good and evil aspect and that is where this novel stands out in contrast to other equally successful