In The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, Larson uses two quotes at the beginning of the book to describe the two main characters. The first quote, said by David Burnham Make no little plans, they have no magic to stir mens blood. Helps to describe his ambition and creativity. Burnham was one of the lead designers in building the White City. This quote shows that even though it is easy to make little plans and go step by step, Burnham only felt anticipation and excitement when he made plans on a larger scale. This also shows that if Burnham was going to be constructing the Worlds Fair, it had to be large scale and amazing for anyone to want to see it. "The White City had drawn men and protected them; the Black City now welcomed them back, on the eve of winter, with filth, starvation, and violence." part III page 323, shows the significance of what Burnham did. After his wonderful and magical fair, everyone had had jobs, been happy, and had an extraordinary time, but when the marvelous event was over, all the native Chicagoans were left again to be jobless, lonely, and miserable.
On the other hand we have Dr. H. H. Holmes. He stated that he was born with the devil. Not only was a he a frivolous murderer but he also did deranged things. When a local pharmacy went on sale, Holmes quickly bought it and made larges plans to turn it into a murdering sanctuary equipped with secret rooms and weird vaults. This he used to lure his victims in and then murder. When the fair announced itself, Holmes seized opportunity and turned his castle into a hotel. While Burnham was building his castle, so was Holmes. Holmes is the definition of a sociopath. Sociopaths are supposedly born the way they are. He confirms this when he says "I could not help the fact that I was a murderer, no more than the poet can help the inspiration to sing." Part 1, Page 109. This quote demonstrates that he thinks murdering just comes naturally to him. That he was born with the devil in him.
These two men gave insight into the later 19th century. Burnhams work had inspired many new architects to explore the possibility of making bigger and taller things, attempting to do the impossible. Dr. H. H. Holmes kick started psychoanalysis, the method of psychological therapy originated by Sigmund Freud in which association, and dream interpretation are used to explore repressed or unconscious impulses and internal conflicts or simply the theory of personality developed rather than assigned at birth. Both of these men proved to be very influential.
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