Eleanor Roosevelt, a politician, diplomat, and activist, once said, “In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” Roosevelt’s statement helps us understand how each person creates their own lives and choices. Each person has their own individual perspective that affects how they make choices, view events, and how they look at reality. For multiple people a positive and optimistic perspective is present, while others have negative, pessimistic perspectives. Two people could view the same event, yet interpret it in two different ways, due to having two unique perspectives. Not all people view events and reality in the same light. One’s perspective influences how events, ideas, and reality are interpreted because each person is different, has their own experiences, and were born into different cultures. In addition to there being real life perspectives that differ, there are many unique perspectives in Devil in the White City.
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Erik Larson, the author of Devil in the White City, wrote his bestselling book in two different point-of-views that interpret their events and choices differently. Both of Larson’s characters, Burnham and Holmes, have their own individual perspective. Contrary to what might be expected, Burnham personified a negative perspective. Even though he was a respectable man, he viewed his accomplishments in a pessimistic light; he never believed that his work was truly extraordinary. During the end of the construction period for the World Fair, Burnham said, “Suddenly the exposition seemed dangerously far from ready. Construction of the sheds for the stock exhibits at the south end of the ground had yet to begin… He was disappointed with the unfinished appearance of the park, and he was peeved at his wife.” Burnham still, after all his success, could not appreciate his work. While Burnham had a gloomy outlook, Holmes perspective was almost cheery in nature. Throughout everything Holmes believed all of his actions were reasonable. Even after he was caught and went through trials for his gruesome murders he still believed that he was a good person. In David Franke’s book about Holmes, Franke said, “He could look at himself in a mirror and tell himself that he was one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world.” Holmes’ confidence and poise never wavered. Both of these men had their own journeys that led them to the perspectives that they had during the World Fair. If they had gone through similar experiences and cultures they might have had the same perspective on the events that unraveled. Similarly to Devil in the White City, James L. Swanson’s book, Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer had differing perspectives. During the manhunt a lot of people had to look hard at their values and morals to decide if it was worth it to help out John Wilkes Booth. Even Booth’s closest allies were afraid to be caught assisting him, for they feared they would face death. While contemplating about helping Booth, Thomas Jones said, “I would be looked upon as the vile aider and abettor of a wretch stained with as dark a crime as the recording angel ever wrote down in the eternal book of doom.” Even though Jones knew that he would face unquestionable hatred and likely death if he was caught supporting Booth, it didn’t prevent him from helping Booth and Herold cross the river. Like Jones many others, such as Mudd and Cox, forgot about all the consequences that came with abetting Lincoln’s murderer. Their interpretation of Lincoln’s death, and the aiding of Lincoln’s murderer, was that it was a positive step for the Confederate side; and that is all that mattered to them. If the conspirators that successfully aided and abetted Booth for twelve long days had a different, more Northern point-of-view, events could have been very different, but in the long run Booth would have still found a way to escape his heinous crimes, at least for a little bit of time. As stated before, there are mass amounts of unique perspectives in real life. Each persom has their own perspective and opinion because of their personal experiences and background. In every situation,
Erik Larson, the author of Devil in the White City, wrote his bestselling book in two different point-of-views that interpret their events and choices differently. Both of Larson’s characters, Burnham and Holmes, have their own individual perspective. Contrary to what might be expected, Burnham personified a negative perspective. Even though he was a respectable man, he viewed his accomplishments in a pessimistic light; he never believed that his work was truly extraordinary. During the end of the construction period for the World Fair, Burnham said, “Suddenly the exposition seemed dangerously far from ready. Construction of the sheds for the stock exhibits at the south end of the ground had yet to begin… He was disappointed with the unfinished appearance of the park, and he was peeved at his wife.” Burnham still, after all his success, could not appreciate his work. While Burnham had a gloomy outlook, Holmes perspective was almost cheery in nature. Throughout everything Holmes believed all of his actions were reasonable. Even after he was caught and went through trials for his gruesome murders he still believed that he was a good person. In David Franke’s book about Holmes, Franke said, “He could look at himself in a mirror and tell himself that he was one of the most powerful and dangerous men in the world.” Holmes’ confidence and poise never wavered. Both of these men had their own journeys that led them to the perspectives that they had during the World Fair. If they had gone through similar experiences and cultures they might have had the same perspective on the events that unraveled. Similarly to Devil in the White City, James L. Swanson’s book, Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer had differing perspectives. During the manhunt a lot of people had to look hard at their values and morals to decide if it was worth it to help out John Wilkes Booth. Even Booth’s closest allies were afraid to be caught assisting him, for they feared they would face death. While contemplating about helping Booth, Thomas Jones said, “I would be looked upon as the vile aider and abettor of a wretch stained with as dark a crime as the recording angel ever wrote down in the eternal book of doom.” Even though Jones knew that he would face unquestionable hatred and likely death if he was caught supporting Booth, it didn’t prevent him from helping Booth and Herold cross the river. Like Jones many others, such as Mudd and Cox, forgot about all the consequences that came with abetting Lincoln’s murderer. Their interpretation of Lincoln’s death, and the aiding of Lincoln’s murderer, was that it was a positive step for the Confederate side; and that is all that mattered to them. If the conspirators that successfully aided and abetted Booth for twelve long days had a different, more Northern point-of-view, events could have been very different, but in the long run Booth would have still found a way to escape his heinous crimes, at least for a little bit of time. As stated before, there are mass amounts of unique perspectives in real life. Each persom has their own perspective and opinion because of their personal experiences and background. In every situation,