Novels are often written to convey a truth inherent to life. However, when a nonfiction book is written and the inherent truth is still prevalent, you need to pay attention to the lesson to be learned. This concept recurs in The Devil in the White City, a work of nonfiction by Erik Larson describing the events leading up to and during the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago; it is organized in a novelistic way and is accompanied by a life lesson, just like in a traditional novel. One of the characters, John Root, and his role in the World's Fair, illustrate the lesson that although one may work tirelessly, the realization of one's dreams may never come. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In The Devil in the White City, Root is prevalent early in the novel as the architectural mind behind the construction of the Fair. His partner, Daniel Burnham, “believed that Root possessed a genius for quickly imagining a structure, in its entirety” (Larson 26). Throughout his presence in the book, he is portrayed as not particularly business savvy, but instead extremely savvy: he is the mastermind behind the company Burnham and Root. Unfortunately he dies of pneumonia before construction of the Fair begins. Although the more hard-working and perhaps more intelligent of the two, Root dies and is unable to realize his dream of building the Fair, while Burnham, who handles much of the business side of the company's operations, continues towards the success. This goes to show that although it may seem right and fair for a situation to end one way, you may end up getting the short end of the stick; while it may not be as drastic as death, as in the case of Root, Larson shows the reader that dreams are not always achievable. Root, in history, is credited with overcoming many of the architectural struggles prevalent in Chicago due to the swampy terrain. His major undertaking was the development of the specific method of grating iron rails necessary to support the weight of an entire building in the soft soil of Chicago. It was by creating this system that he and Burnham were able to build the Montauk Building; this structure was their “first major building downtown” (John). Root was an innovator, and his creative ideas often provided work for Burnham and himself. Another of his many feats is the advancement of the Chicago School architectural style. To him, among other famous architects, is attributed this development, which includes the mastery of steel in construction and the creation of the skyscraper (Rayfield). However, what would be his most famous and most profitable venture was the World's Fair. His previous successes and advances in architecture, the very ones that gave him the opportunity to build the Fair, ultimately meant nothing to him, as his death erased the possibility of any achievement that could have come from the his work above. His situation proves that sometimes dreams, no matter how hard you work to achieve them, may never come true. Regardless of the job, some things are out of your control. Root's career in architecture was not entrusted to him. He worked tirelessly in his teenage years to achieve his goals; his brother notes that as a student he was extremely focused: “John was at college… we always had many drawing tables in our bedroom on which all kinds of work was done: elaborate drawings of cathedrals (from his mind), palaces (in Spain), large bridges....