The Devil In The White City Essay
From the 1870’s to the early 20th century Chicago passed through a time period known as the Gilded Age. This was a time of social evolution for many parts of the United States, especially Chicago. Various social problems began to emerge out of this era, but were ignored and covered up. Eventually these problems came to light, and Chicago became renowned for rampant crime and filthy living conditions. During the time of the Columbian Exposition in the early 1890’s these traits became Chicago’s defining characteristics, and people began to view the metropolis as the Black City. In The Devil in the White City, author Erik Larson utilizes primary sources in order to establish Chicago’s reputation that they are trying to overcome.
Through the primary …show more content…
An example of this lies early on in the novel when the fair is being decided and the newspapers of Chicago say “why not Chicago” (Larson 16). This statement comes from the fact that the United States was debating where to have the fair, with cities like New York and St. Louis being popular sites. The phrasing of this statement puts emphasis on the ‘why not’, so as if to state that there is no reason Chicago should not be considered. Chicago residents believe that their city has just as much of a right to host the fair as various other cities. The Chicagoans see the fair as an opportunity to shun their ill standing and prove to the world the great city that they are, and as such want their city to be considered for the fairgrounds. Chicagoans self-respect for themselves can be seen when a popular Chicago newspaper, the Tribune, “warned that “the hawks, buzzards, vultures, and other unclean beasts…of New York are reaching out to get control of the fair” (Larson 16). The newspaper’s description of New Yorkers as ‘unclean beasts’ demonstrates how the Chicagoans are trying to compete with various other citizens of the United States for the fair. The comparison of the New Yorkers to birds is crucial in this statement. The citizens weren’t referred to as glorious eagles or elegant swans, but instead were referred to as
Through the primary …show more content…
An example of this lies early on in the novel when the fair is being decided and the newspapers of Chicago say “why not Chicago” (Larson 16). This statement comes from the fact that the United States was debating where to have the fair, with cities like New York and St. Louis being popular sites. The phrasing of this statement puts emphasis on the ‘why not’, so as if to state that there is no reason Chicago should not be considered. Chicago residents believe that their city has just as much of a right to host the fair as various other cities. The Chicagoans see the fair as an opportunity to shun their ill standing and prove to the world the great city that they are, and as such want their city to be considered for the fairgrounds. Chicagoans self-respect for themselves can be seen when a popular Chicago newspaper, the Tribune, “warned that “the hawks, buzzards, vultures, and other unclean beasts…of New York are reaching out to get control of the fair” (Larson 16). The newspaper’s description of New Yorkers as ‘unclean beasts’ demonstrates how the Chicagoans are trying to compete with various other citizens of the United States for the fair. The comparison of the New Yorkers to birds is crucial in this statement. The citizens weren’t referred to as glorious eagles or elegant swans, but instead were referred to as