The Devil in the White City Response #2

In celebration of the 400 year anniversary since Christopher Columbus had discovered America, the World's Columbian Exposition was created. For Chicago, however, it meant more than that. The Colubian exposition was a chance for Chicago's redemption. They wanted to show that they had risen from the disasterous fire of 1781. And thus, the White city was created.

The white city was a extravagent and expensive site that brought a new light to the twentieth century. It showed all of America that Chicago was still a good place to be around. However, was their sense of arrogance among the white city?

I feel that the city was not intentionally built out of arrogance. It was built to make Chicago feel better after the fire. It wasb't biult to show that Chicago was the best, but that it still had great things. In a sense, it brought the city to the same level as other great cities that America had to offer. However, the "flashiness" of the city did bring upon evil: a Devil in the White city.

The white city attracted many people, both good and bad, to it.  It brought some of the new inventions and other goods that Americans today cou;dn't see themselves without. On the negative side, it sparked the first serial killer. The fair was a perfect place to have fun if you wanted, but also the perfect place for cons and murders. The city itself isn't what made it evil, for its intentions were pure. It is how people interpreted the White city to be for is what caused both great and terrible things to happen there.

Reflections on "The Devil in the White City"

1. The Devil in the White City Reveals that there is an “ineluctable conflict between good and evil”. In every good intention, there is a presence of evil, and vice-versa. One example of this is the fair. The fair is meant to be a magnificant place for everyone to enjoy themselves. Burnham, the creator of the fair, built the fair with "good intentions" and wanted everyone to have fun. The fair drew thousands of people in, most wanting to have good, clean, "safe" fun. However, Holmes had a different intention as he enters the fair: an "evil intention". He wanted to exploit the fair and make easy money through frauds and scams.

Even with Homles and Burnham being two completely different people, they have a lot in common, these men are both geniouses. Burnham is an excellent architech. He built the marvelous fair and wants to make a skyscraper for it as well. Holmes is also a genius. He is able to intricately plan all of his crimes. He laso was a college graduate and built a beautiful hotel. Even though Burnham is a good man and Holmes is evil, they are both similar intellectually.

What makes these men differet is the same thing that makes good and evil different: their intentions. Burnham uses his smarts to make people happy. He builds things for other's enjoyment, and want to make Chicago beautiful. On the other hand, Holmes uses his mind for selfish reasons. He commits crimes to get money. He could be like Burnham and help others, but instead, he uses and kills people just to make a quick buck.

Most books seperate the ideas of good and evil and pits them against each other. However, this book manages to show the two in a different light and shows that there is a thin line between good and evil.

2nd semester blog #1

In the novel, "The Sun Also Rises", by Ernest Hemmingway, the author shows some his characters as strong and heroic. These characters are called "Hemmingway heroes". The "hero" in this novel is Pedro Romero, a young bullfighter. He depicts Hemingway's view of heroism because of he is passionate for what he does, which is bullfighting. He also stands out for his honor, and lastly his purity.

            Romero is what you think a hero should be. He is strong, brave, and has a lot of courage. He shows these traits when he is bullfighting. He is usually compared to Belmonte, the original bullfighter. However, Romero had something that Belmonte didn’t have, which was passion. Romero has able to show the grace of Bullfighting, regardless of the danger of the sport. Pedro Romero was more elegant and more empowered that Belmonte’s act. The passion that Romero had for bullfighting shows his heroic characteristics. Not only was Romero a hero inside the bull ring, he showed his heroic characteristics outside of the ring as well.

            Outside of the ring, Romero was genuine and a kind man. Even though he was kind, he also was brave and never backed down. An example of this is when he got into a fight with Robert Cohn. When Cohn knocked down Romero, he got right back up. This is in a great contrast to Jake, the main character. When Robert Cohn, knocks him down, he crawls under the table. Jake is obviously not a hero. He shows that he is not brave and that he is too emotional to be a “Hemmingway Hero”. Even though Romero is younger than the other men that are around Brett, he proves to be more of a man. The heroic characteristics that Romero has are the reason why Brett ends up falling for him, despite his young age. He does love Brett back, but he doesn’t let his love for her destroy him. This is in strong contrast to the other men who have fallen for Brett, like Jake, Cohn, and Mike. Cohn shows that he is not what Hemmingway calls a “hero” by being too emotionally attached to Brett. After sleeping with Brett, Cohn constantly follows Brett around. After finding out that Brett does not love Cohn back, he starts to cry. Obviously, a hero shouldn’t cry, especially over a girl. Not only is Romero not emotionally destroyed by Brett, he shows his dominance against her. In all the other relationships that Brett has had, she has taken the role of the male. However, when she is with Romero, he asserts himself as the dominant male. An example of this is when he makes Brett wear a dress. His assertiveness that Romero has when he is with Brett shows another heroic trait.  

Heroes are supposed to be strong and stoical, and are supposed to be able to solve their own problems with ease. This is why Jake and Cohn are not heroes and Romero is. Romero is like the heroes we have today. He is young, handsome, brave, full of courage, and never backs down. What makes Romero different h an the other heroes is that he shows no weaknesses. He keeps himself strong and persistent and as close to perfect as possible. To me, Romero is like a fire fighter, he is able to face danger like a fire fighter faces fires that could take away their lives, and is able to keep a nice and elegant reputation. All of his traits that are shown throughout the novel makes Pedro Romero the epitome of a “Hemmingway hero”.