Overview
Please be as detailed and specific as you can in these essay. Give lots of reference to the book and cite that information throughout the paper. How much detail and specific information you give in your responses is a major factor in your final grade.
There is no minimum or maximum page length/word count, per se. However, these are large essay prompts that require an appropriately large response. I imagine most good papers will fall in the 3-5 page range (double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12pt font).
Just be detailed, informative, and fully answer the questions with in-text citation.
The Devil in the White City essay prompts:
- Why do you think Larson wrote this book? What was the main point(s) he was trying to get across? Was he effective in convincing you on that point? There is more to this book than just architecture and murder. How is The Devil in the White City a reflection of the historical era of the “Gilded Age?” Give specific examples.
- Pick a specific event from each of the four parts of the book that you think best illustrates your answer to question #1. (“Frozen Music,” “An Awful Fight,” “In the White City,” and “Cruelty Revealed.” You do not need to use the “Prologue” or “Epilogue.”). Briefly explain the event and then show how that event reinforces Larson’s point/thesis. Be specific and cite your information.
- Why would Larson choose to mix the stories of Burnham and Holmes? What similarities do the two have and what differences? Give specific examples. How do their similarities and differences affect the book’s story?
- Finally, in a concluding paragraph, briefly write what you thought about the book. Did you like or dislike it? What worked and what did not? Give some parting thoughts with specific examples.