The Devil in the White City

Throughout the novel, The Devil in the White City, written by Erik Larsen, has a series of stylistic effects which opens up more opportunities to readers at piecing information together to realize why the things that occur happened. The author sets an organizational pattern for the novel by introducing a primary setting, such as the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. A lot of this novel uses repetitive flashbacks to answer questions that readers have while on chapters. They also help deliver important background information about the setting. A lot of the setting and style is surrounded by the fictional character of serial killer H. H. Holmes, and Daniel Burnham. Many of the flashbacks included in the novel included a chronological time scheme, and are quickly split into many different scenes that take place between characters. The novel focuses on the lives of Burnham and Holmes at the time of the Chicago Fair. While one man’s serial killing spree is taking place, there is also focus on Burnham’s story. The tone is understood as the foreshadowing of the deaths of many of Holmes victims take place.There is a lot of foreshadowing about death and tragedy surrounding the fair, and this sets a huge tone of the novel. This is just enough to keep a reader interested. Larsen uses a lot of vivid descriptions of the settings, such as about the Chicago Fair, he wrote:

“If evenings at the fair were seductive, the nights were ravishing. The lamps that laced every building and walkway produced the most elaborate demonstration of illumination ever attempted and the first large-scale test of altering current. The fair alone consumed three times as much energy as the entire city of Chicago. These were important engineering milestones, but what visitors adored was the sheer beauty of seeing so many lights ignited in one place at one time,” (Larsen 254).

This quote conveys the emotional connection to the senses that people feel when reading.. It also vividly gives readers an idea as to what ties the people of Chicago had with this World Fair and why it was of such importance to the novel. Many details are elaborately placed in the novel to describe locations, and the fictional actions of the characters to a point of emotional connection to the reader. When a reader reads about such a descriptive place or action being done, there is bound to be some sensory action taking place.