The Devil in the White City

5 -Comments
- In July 1890, nearly six months since Congress had voted to give the world’s Columbian Exposition to Chicago. The forty-five men on the Exposition’s board of directors still had not decided where the city pride will be at stake, which all Chicago had sung with one voice. Also the emissaries had boosted the congress the city that could deliver a grander and more appropriate setting than the location in New York. Now the Chicago would be insisting on a location within its own boundaries and the squabbling stymied of the boarder.
- Olmsted believed that the city protects it civic honor by producing the greatest such events in the world history, a goal that seemed to be slipping from Chicago grasp with each sweep of the clock’s hand. He offered a fee of one thousand dollars.
- Ellsworth insisted that Chicago had in mind been something far grander than even Paris exposition, and ha also describe the vision of the dream city designed by America’s greatest architects and covering an expanse at least one-third larger than Paris fair. Ellsworth assured Olmsted that by agreeing to help, that he would be joining his name to one of the greatest artistic undertaking of the century.
- Through out Olmsted career, he had struggle with problems in his business. But, he had success in some of his career. He was dispelling the perception that the landscape architecture was simply an ambitious sort of the fine arts, and full sister to the painting, sculpture, and brick-and-mortar architecture.
- In a letter that Ellsworth wrote to Olmsted, he wrote that “My position is this: the reputation of America is at stake in this matter, and the reputation of Chicago is also at stake in this matter, and the reputation if Chicago is also at stake.”
4 -Question
- What does the letter that Ellsworth wrote to Olmsted about the reputation of Chicago?
- Why does Olmsted believed that the city of Chicago is protecting the civic honor by production?
- What was the problem, the struggle that Olmsted had in his position/ his job? What did him success?
- What are the forty-five men have to do with the congress and Chicago? Does Ellsworth and Olmsted is one of the Forty-five people in the group?
3 -Vocabulary
- ambitious = having ambition; eagerly desirous of achieving or obtaining success, power, wealth, a specific goal, etc
- Dispel = to drive off in various directions; disperse; dissipate: to dispel the dense fog.
- architecture = the profession of designing buildings, open areas, communities, and other artificial constructions and environments, usually with some regard to aesthetic effect. Architecture often includes design or selection of furnishings and decorations, supervision of construction work, and the examination, restoration, or remodeling of existing buildings
2 -Literary Terms
- Simile = Chicago is like a big dump.
- Personification = Olmsted is a wild animal that is getting lost
1 - Overview
This part of the book is about the goals that Olmsted and Ellsworth are reaching for.