devil in the white city: burnham vs. holmes

Erik Larson writes, “Beneath the gore and smoke and loom, this book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging in the impossible, others in the manufacture of sorrow. Larson’s purpose is to compare and contrast the two main characters, Daniel Burnham and Henry H. Holmes. One is a successful architect and the other is a successful serial killer. Burnham was the famous architect that built the World’s Fair in less than two years. Holmes is America’s first serial killer. Larson refers the “White City” to the “Black City” to show good versus evil. Burnham represents the White City by building an amazing World’s Fair that brought over 40 million visitors and Holmes represents the Black City by the evil he brings to it.

     Burnham made society better by using his “allotment of time” while gaining the respect of others. In doing this, he changed people’s perception of their own city during a depressed time when people had no hope. He pursued his goal of building America, while Holmes destroys it. Burnham is a true example of change for the better. Holmes, however, uses his charm and good looks to pursue evil. He “manufactures sorrow” by murdering women in Chicago. He perfected his fake identity as a nice young man, but with a dark side.

      Erik Larson shows the difference between the two characters not only through their positions in the world fair, but their differences in their relationships. Burnham stays true to the same wife, Margaret throughout the entire book. Holmes on the other hand, had multiple wives: Clara, Myrta, and Georgiana. Holmes never divorced any of these women before marrying the next women. While Holmes was married to all these women, he also had flirtatious interactions with many other women. Larson never once discussed Burnham interacting with any other women except Margaret. Also, Holmes didn’t have any male companions as opposed to Burnham who had a close relationship with Root. This reveals the cold loneliness in Holmes’s heart compared to the warm lovingness in Burnham’s.

     The constant comparison between good and evil shows the reader that it’s inevitable, where there is good, there is evil too. In “Evils Imminent”, Larson divulges that evil is everywhere.

      In a strange way, although the characters are very different, they have similarities. They were both successful in creating a name for themselves. Burnham for his architecture work, and Holmes for being a psychopathic killer.  They both had a way with people. Both men had a way of making others feel welcome with their charm. Burnham and Holmes were both talented in persuading others to contribute to their businesses. For example, Burnham convinced Olmstead, who opposed helping design fairs, to be a main architect of the fair. Also, Holmes persuaded Mrs. Holton to sell him the drug store. They were both clever men, Burnham for his talents, and Holmes for getting away for so long with all of the murders. He was always hiring and firing workers so that none of them got too suspicious of what he was doing. They both had the drive and ambition to attain their very different goals in life. Burnham’s goal was to build the World’s Fair and Holmes’ was to use the World’s Fair to fulfill his evil tendencies. Holmes was like an architect, in that he built a hotel, although it was for murder.  They both made history in being the first to do something. Burnham designed one of the first skyscrapers. Holmes was one of the first documented murderers. Burnham and Holmes were both wealthy men, Burnham because of his successful architecture work and Holmes because of his shady business deals.  Through Burnham and Holmes, Larson shows that the “ineluctable conflict” between good and evil is neverending.