Holmes

The way Larson incorporates such accurate depictions of history to tell his story is very skillful. The atrocities that Holmes committed seem too disgusting for even the most imaginative minds, yet they were real. And Larson utilizes those acts to not only weave an elaborate, almost-fictional story but also to accentuate certain aspects of the fair and of the times. Holmes was a symbol of the most horrible parts of the unstable city that was experiencing mighty growing pains. Chicago was fluctuating greatly because of great growth on top of shaky foundations, both literally and metaphorically. With those great gains came great pains, which Holmes took into one being.

Contrasting Themes

My favourite part of the book was the ease in which Erik Larson was able to tell two stories, Holmes and Burnham, in the same book. The themes of grandeur and class relegated in the story revolving around the World's Fair is beautifully contrasted with the dark and terrifying portion involving America's first serial killer, Dr. H. H. Holmes. Although I honestly skimmed through most of the Fair portions in parts I and II because I was not intrigued whatsoever by all the architecture and business jargon, watching the fair come together into to this wondrous and fanciful city of purity and American and Chicagoan ingenuity was truly amazing to read. And, furthermore, to have this light and pure World's Fair be contrasted by murderous Holmes was unique and thrilling, as it was a fascinating switch to read about. 

As a parting note, good luck everyone on their quest Monday! I know we'll be able to push our way to first, especially since we aren't even that far off. Study hard because we're almost done with this quest!

Looking Back

Overall, Holmes's gruesome murders in the book were highly alarming; therefore, the prolonged quest to catch Holmes is unnerving and tiring, but nonetheless intriguing.
Additionally, I feel that Chicago perfectly embodied the "Gilded Age." Throughout the book, Chicago displayed a golden crust, the fair, to the world and for the most part kept it's problems hidden from the average man. However, because the book was presented from mainly Burnham's point of view, who's much richer and economically stable than the population, the issues of the depression did not seem as prominent except for a when there was talk of labor unions or a shortage of people visiting the fair.
Furthermore, I loved how Larson incorporated history accurately and seamlessly into the book into an enjoyable presentation.

Resurfacing Evil

The last few chapters of the book gave me the impression of how Larson constantly resurfaces evil throughout the book, and in the end Evil is finally even slightly subdued by Holmes' death sentence. However, the part that still bothered me was the fact that to some extent Holmes still got his way with even how is body is treated after his death. I found that throughout the book, Holmes viewed himself as a superior being, which is why he doesn't want his body to be given to science as he has done to everyone because he thinks of himself as better than everyone he has killed.
The rest of the end chapters also resurface evil by giving emphasis on how even throughout all the evil deeds happening in Chicago during the World Fair, Chicago will still forever be known on how great the fair was.
I really enjoyed how Larson tied the ending together by including the fate of every character involved in the book.
The one thing I didn't understand was the point of Holmes killing so many people and causing so much harm, it just seemed so uncalled for.

Assassination

Towards the close of Part III, Prendergast assassinates Mayor Harrison on his doorstep. Due to Harrison's death, the once-lavish plan of the closing day was now designated as a memorial day for Harrison. Did the change in the attitude of the fair-goers affect the end of the fair at all?

Ironic fire

Although the World Fair brought lots of excitement to Chicago, it left the city in ruins. This characterizes how if something is good on the outside, but "wicked" on the inside, the it will result in ruins anyway, just like Chicago. I thought there was extreme irony present in the last 3-4 chapters, because the building up of the fair was not what attracted the most people, the near destruction of the fair is what attracted the most. The end of the fair not only marked a milestone in the history of Chicago, but it also ended the section and represented the Gilded Age with the result of a complete epidemic of  disorder. The assassination of Harrison, Burnham's end to the fair, the escape of Holmes, the increased depression, the low economy, and the resulting low quality of life and widened income gap was all that was left of the City. Holmes escape and the success of the World Fair as a whole both resulted from a fire, which is ironic because throughout the book till now, fire symbolized evil and foreshadowed wicked events. Even Pendergast was used as an ironic metaphor of evil along with Holmes, representing the darker and more negative aspects of the Gilded Age. However, the only questions that constantly flowed through my mind after the reading were: Why did the fire attract more people than the fair itself? Why was there more people at the fair after the fire than even at the mayor's memorial and what does this say about Americans' sense of nationalism?

Ferris Wheel vs. Eiffel Tower Response

The Ferris Wheel represented the Chicago Fair because it was proof to the world the Chicago was no longer a barbaric, pig-slaughtering city, but a city of industrial greatness and chief economic gain. It compares to the idealism in Europe and France's Eiffel Tower by being the realistic result of America's ideologies, as America dreamt of an architectural feat far surpassing that of the Eiffel Tower, and actually produced a laudable outcome.