SN PLUS 3
SN PLUS 3

Suggestions

Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select.
  • Shakespeare dark gray
    • No Fear Shakespeare Translations
    • Shakespeare Study Guides
    • Shakespeare Life & Times
    • Glossary of Shakespeare Terms
  • Literature dark gray
    • No Fear Literature Translations
    • Literature Study Guides
    • Glossary of Literary Terms
    • How to Write Literary Analysis
  • Other Subjects dark gray
    • Biography
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computer Science
    • Drama
    • Economics
    • Film
    • Health
    • History
    • Math
    • Philosophy
    • Physics
    • Poetry
    • Psychology
    • Short Stories
    • Sociology
    • US Government and Politics
  • Test Prep PLUS dark gray
    • Test Prep Lessons
    • AP® English Literature
    • AP® English Language
  • Teacher dark gray
    • SparkTeach
    • Teacher's Handbook
  • Blog
My PLUS Dashboard
  • My PLUS Activity dark gray
    • Notes
    • Bookmarks
    • Test Prep PLUS
    • No Fear Translations & Audio
    • Mastery Quizzes
    • Flashcards
    • Infographics
    • No Fear Graphic Novels
  • Account Details
  • Subscription & Billing

Please wait while we process your payment

Reset Password

  • Please wait while we process your payment

    Log in Sign up

    Sparknotes

  • By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy.

    Don’t have an account? Subscribe now

    Create Your Account

    Sign up for your FREE 7-day trial

    • Ad-free experience
    • Study notes
    • Flashcards
      & Quizzes
    • AP® English Test Prep
    • Plus much more

  • Already have an account? Log in

    Your Email

    Choose Your Plan

    BEST VALUE

    Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan!

    Continuing to Payment will take you to astripe-imagepayment page

    Purchasing SparkNotes PLUS for a group?

    Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more!

  • Price

    $24.99 $18.74 /subscription + tax

    Subtotal $37.48 + tax

    Save 25% on 2-49 accounts

    Save 30% on 50-99 accounts

    Want 100 or more? Contact us for a customized plan.

    Your Plan

    Payment Details

  • We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country.

  • Payment Details

    Payment Summary

    SparkNotes Plus

    You'll be billed after your free trial ends.

    7-Day Free Trial

    Not Applicable

    Renews April 5, 2023 March 29, 2023

    Discounts (applied to next billing)

    DUE NOW

    US $0.00

    SNPLUSROCKS20  |  20% Discount

    This is not a valid promo code.

    Discount Code (one code per order)

    SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Free trial is available to new customers only.

    Choose Your Plan

    Suggestions

    Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select.
    • My Account Icon My Account white
      • My PLUS Activity
        • Notes
        • Bookmarks
        • Test Prep PLUS
        • No Fear Translations
        • Mastery Quizzes
        • Flashcards
        • Infographics
        • No Fear Graphic Novels
      • Account Details
      • Subscription & Billing
      My PLUS Dashboard
    • Shakespeare white
      • No Fear Shakespeare Translations
      • Shakespeare Study Guides
      • Shakespeare Life & Times
      • Glossary of Shakespeare Terms
    • Literature white
      • No Fear Literature Translations
      • Literature Study Guides
      • Glossary of Literary Terms
      • How to Write Literary Analysis
    • Other Subjects white
      • Biography
      • Biology
      • Chemistry
      • Computer Science
      • Drama
      • Economics
      • Film
      • Health
      • History
      • Math
      • Philosophy
      • Physics
      • Poetry
      • Psychology
      • Short Stories
      • Sociology
      • US Government and Politics
    • Test Prep PLUS white
      • Test Prep Lessons
      • AP® English Literature
      • AP® English Language
    • Teacher white
      • SparkTeach
      • Teacher's Handbook
    • Blog
    • Help

    Please wait while we process your payment

    expired-logo

    Your PLUS subscription has expired

    • We’d love to have you back! Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools.
    Renew your subscription

    Please wait while we process your payment

    expired-logo

    snpromo-logo
    • Looking for exclusive, AD-FREE study tools? Look no further!

    The Devil in the White City

    Erik Larson

    Study Guide
    • Study Guide
    • Summary
      • Summary & Analysis
      • Author’s Note and Prologue
      • Part I: Frozen Music (Chapters 1-4)
      • Part I: Frozen Music (Chapters 5-10)
      • Part II: An Awful Fight (Chapters 11-15)
      • Part II: An Awful Fight (Chapters 16-21)
      • Part II: An Awful Fight (Chapters 22-25)
      • Part III: In the White City (Chapters 26-31)
      • Part III: In the White City (Chapters 32-37)
      • Part III: In the White City (Chapters 38-42)
      • Part III: In the White City (Chapters 43-47)
      • Part IV: Cruelty Revealed (Chapters 48-53)
      • Epilogue: The Last Crossing
      • Full Book
      • Full Book Summary
      • Key Facts
    • Characters
      • Character List
      • Daniel H. Burnham
      • H. H. Holmes
      • Frederick Law Olmsted
    • Literary Devices
      • Themes
      • Motifs
      • Symbols
    • Quotes
      • Important Quotes Explained
    • Quick Quizzes
      • Book
      • Full Book Quiz
      • Essays
        • Mini Essays
        • Suggested Essay Topics
      • Further Study
        • Suggestions for Further Reading
        • Erik Larson and The Devil in the White City Background

      Please wait while we process your payment

      snplus-logo

      Unlock your FREE SparkNotes PLUS trial!

      Unlock your FREE Trial!

      Sign up and get instant access to bookmarks.
      • Ad-Free experience
      • Easy-to-access study notes
      • Flashcards & Quizzes
      • AP® English test prep
      • Plus much more
      Already have an account? Log in
      Characters

      Character List

      Characters Character List
      • Daniel H. Burnham

        The ambitious lead architect and Director of Works for the World’s Columbian Exposition. Burnham is a skilled leader who assembles a team of elite architects and manages to get them to work together. He works tirelessly under pressure, and pulls off the creation of the White City in an impossibly short timeline. While he harbors insecurity over his rejections from Harvard and Yale, Burnham grows as a businessman and artist to become one of the most famous architects in America

        Read an in-depth analysis of Daniel H. Burnham .

      • H. H. Holmes

        A serial murderer who builds the World’s Fair Hotel. Holmes is a sociopath who does not feel any empathy. His only goal is to revel in power and possession, which he does by manipulating people through seduction and money. In copying human emotion perfectly, Holmes comes off as a caring, gentle, and trustworthy person, and fools almost everyone he meets. He uses his good looks to his advantage, and kills many people—usually young women—without any remorse.

        Read an in-depth analysis of H. H. Holmes .

      • John Root

        Burnham’s architectural partner. Root is an artist at heart and complements Burnham in their firm. The public views Root as the artist driving the World’s Fair, and Burnham as the businessman. When Root dies early in the planning of the World’s Fair, Burnham is crushed.

      • Frederick Law Olmsted

        A skilled landscape architect whom Burnham and Root hire to join their team creating the World’s Fair. Olmsted constantly battles between his artistic vision for the Fair and his failing mental and physical health. Despite being prone to severe depression and bedrest in his 70s, he is an extremely strong character, and his landscaping is one of the main highlights of the Fair. He gets agitated when people do not understand the ethereal nature of his long-term landscaping vision.

        Read an in-depth analysis of Frederick Law Olmsted .

      • Harry Codman

        Olmsted’s protégé. Olmsted loves Codman because of his loyalty and genuine understanding of Olmsted’s taste and vision. Codman covers for Olmsted when he is sick, and while working on the Fair, dies of appendicitis at age 29.

      • Rudolf Ulrich

        Olmsted’s landscape superintendent. Ulrich is supposed to supervise the overall landscaping while Olmsted is away, but tries to be too involved and doesn’t delegate well. Olmsted ends up distrusting him to carry out his vision.

      • Francis “Frank” Millet

        A talented painter and one of Burnham’s closest allies in planning the Fair. He is savvy and innovative, and Burnham puts him in charge of coming up with ways to boost attendance. Millet plans countless special days and events that ultimately get the Fair out of debt. He remains close friends with Burnham and dies onboard the Titanic.

      • Sol Bloom

        Director of concessions on the Midway. A young entrepreneur from San Francisco, Bloom initially only wants to bring an Algerian Village to the Fair, but Commissioner De Young knows how business-savvy he is and convinces him to lead the Midway. Bloom has a way of creating profitable solutions to most problems, and later becomes a congressman.

      • George Washington Gale Ferris

        The persistent engineer who designs the Ferris wheel.

      • Carter Henry Harrison

        The charismatic mayor of Chicago who is assassinated before the Fair’s Closing Ceremony.

      • Patrick Prendergast

        A young Irish immigrant, the supporter and then assassinator of Harrison. Prendergast has a paranoid disorder, and his mental capacity devolves over time. He believes that Harrison owes him a job for his campaign support, and ends up shooting Harrison when he doesn’t offer the job.

      • Charles Atwood

        An architectural designer who replaces Root.

      • Myrta Z. Belknap

        Holmes’ second wife and mother of his child Lucy.

      • Emeline Cigrand

        Holmes’ young, enthusiastic secretary and victim.

      • Minnie Williams

        Holmes’ third wife whom he previously courted years ago. Desperate and completely trusting, she unwittingly gives Holmes her land inheritance. Holmes kills Minnie and her sister.

      • Anna “Nannie” Williams

        Minnie’s sister and one of Holmes’ victims. She is protective and suspicious of Holmes, but quickly warms up when he invites her over for the summer. He promises to take them to Europe before suffocating her in his vault.

      • Benjamin Pitezel

        Holmes’ assistant. He is loyal to and trusting of Holmes. Holmes kills him for life insurance, then kidnaps and kills his children.

      • Alice, Nellie, and Howard Pitezel

        Benjamin’s children and Holmes’ victims. They trust Holmes and believe they are going to visit their father in hiding, but Holmes leads them all over the country before killing them.

      • George Davis

        Director General of the National Commission. Davis is a bit bossy and pushy, and he often struggles with Burnham over who should control the artistic design of the interior exhibits. He also wants his political commission to control federal money.

      • Louis Sullivan

        Partner of Adler & Sullivan, secretary of architects, and designer of the Transportation Building. A pouty and arrogant man, he thinks of himself in lofty, artistic terms. He is talented but difficult to work with, and his firm fails after the Fair. After Burnham dies, Sullivan turns against him and puts down his work. He dies an alcoholic.

      • Chauncey Depew

        Charismatic New York politician and strong advocate for the Fair.

      • George B. Post

        Designer of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, the largest building at the Fair.

      • Richard M. Hunt

        Chairman of the architects who designs the Administration Building. Hunt is loud and commanding.

      • William “Buffalo Bill” Cody

        Entrepreneur and creator of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. When he is turned down for a space within the fairgrounds, he buys land outside it to do his show. He is very successful and profitable.

      • Charles Chappell

        Articulator hired occasionally by Holmes. He begins as a machinist for Holmes, who then discovers Chappell can clean and reassemble skeletons to sell. Chappell is willfully ignorant and discreet.

      Next section Daniel H. Burnham
      Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? x

      Please wait while we process your payment

      snplus-logo

      Unlock your FREE SparkNotes PLUS trial!

      Unlock your FREE Trial!

      Sign up and get instant access to creating and saving your own notes as you read.
      • Ad-Free experience
      • Easy-to-access study notes
      • Flashcards & Quizzes
      • AP® English test prep
      • Plus much more
      Already have an account? Log in

      Popular pages: The Devil in the White City

      • Daniel H. Burnham: Character Analysis CHARACTERS

      • Important Quotations Explained QUOTES

      • Themes LITERARY DEVICES

      • Review Quiz FURTHER STUDY

      Take a Study Break

      • QUIZ: Is This a Taylor Swift Lyric or a Quote by Edgar Allan Poe?

      • The 7 Most Embarrassing Proposals in Literature

      • The 6 Best and Worst TV Show Adaptations of Books

      • QUIZ: Which Greek God Are You?

      Sign up for our latest news and updates!
      By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. You can view our Privacy Policy here. Unsubscribe from our emails at any time.

      SparkNotes—the stress-free way to a better GPA

      • Quick Links
      • No Fear Shakespeare
      • Literature Guides
      • Other Subjects
      • Blog
      • Teacher’s Handbook
      • Premium Study Tools
      • SparkNotes PLUS
      • Sign Up
      • Log In
      • PLUS Help
      • More
      • Help
      • How to Cite SparkNotes
      • How to Write Literary Analysis
      • About
      • Contact Us

      Copyright © SparkNotes LLC

      • Terms of Use
      • |
      • Privacy
      • |
      • Cookie Policy
      • |
      • Do Not Sell My Personal Information