Serial Killers H. H. Holmes Essay - 2491 Words

As if molded directly from the depths of nightmares, both fascinating and terrifying. Serial killers hide behind bland and normal existences. They are often able to escape being caught for years, decades and sometimes an eternity. These are America’s Serial Killers (America’s Serial Killers). â€Å"Even when some of them do get caught, we may not recognize what they are because they don’t [sic] match the distorted image we have of serial killers† (Brown). What is that distorted image? That killers live among everyday life, they are the ones who creep into someone’s life unknowingly to torture and kill them. The serial killers that are in the movies, Norman Bates, Michael Myers, and the evil master mind of SAW, these characters are just that†¦show more content†¦Serial killers are generally intelligent, and they usually kill Caucasian women â€Å" (Freeman). However, that does not mean that ones next door neighbor, uncle, coworker or hairst ylists who all happen to be in their twenties and thirties and are Caucasian males are going to be serial killers. Statistically, the average serial killer is a white male from a lower-to-middle-class background, usually in his twenties or thirties. Many were physically or emotionally abused by parents. Some were adopted. As children, fledgling serial killers often set fires, torture animals, and wet their beds (these red-flag behaviors are known as the â€Å"triad† of symptoms.) Brain injuries are common. Some are very intelligent and have shown great promise as successful professionals. They are also fascinated with the police and authority in general (Scott). Holmes had been born into a wealthy New Hampshire family and was given the name Herman Webster Mudgett (America’s Serial Killers). â€Å"If Mudgett or his brother or sister were bad, their strict Methodist parents sent them to the attic for a full day without speaking or eating,. Mudgett’s father was especially abusive after he’d been drinking - which was often† (Spikol). However, his father was a wealthy and respected citizen and had been the local postmaster for nearly twenty five years (Taylor). It is surprising an important member of the community was a child abuser. The abuse of his father may be one of theShow MoreRelatedH. Holmes : The First American Serial Killer1332 Words   |  6 PagesH. H. Holmes Henry Herman Holmes was known to many as the first American serial killer. Better known as just H. H. Holmes, he committed many murders in a suburb on the south side of Chicago during the late 1800’s. Holmes once admitted to police that he killed 27 people, but many actually predict that the number of murders he committed is near 200 (Handley). So what is the real number of people that he killed? Let’s take a closer look at the facts of Holmes’ life, occupation, and the mansionRead MoreDr. H. H. Holmes: Americas First Serial Killer Essay1527 Words   |  7 Pagesinspiration to sing – I was born with the Evil One standing as my sponsor beside the bed where I was ushered in the world, and he has been with me since† (Troy, Taylor). This statement was a quoted confession from Dr. H. H. Holmes himself in 1896. Holmes was the first major serial killer in America, even though he came after many others in his time. Thomas Neil Cream, the Austin Axe Mur derer, the Bloody Benders, and Jack the Ripper came before him. His name was originally Herman Webster Mudgett. HeRead MoreCase study on Dr. H. H. Holmes1268 Words   |  6 Pages Clinical Psychology Case study of Dr. H.H. Holmes Case Overview Dr. H.H. Holmes is considered America s first serial killer. The number of victims is estimated to be 27, and later discoveries of corpses revealed as many as 200. Holmes initially committed crimes such as fraud and forgery. In 1893 he built a three story building and named it the castle as a hotel, drug store, and commercial store fronts for the Chicago World s Fair. Holmes used the windowless hotel to lure his victims inRead MoreIs America s First Serial Killer Essay908 Words   |  4 PagesConsidered America’s first serial killer, H.H. Holmes demised a plan like no other to torture and kill woman in the early 1890’s in Chicago, Illinois (H.H. Holmes, 2004). Masquerading as a charismatic prominent businessman, and caring doctor, H.H. Holmes was a true monster (H.H. Holmes, 2004). Known later as the â€Å"torture doctor† or the â€Å"monster of 63rd street†, he methodically planned, attacked, and controlled his victims till the very end (H.H. Holmes, 200 4). Born Herman Webster Mudgett on MayRead MoreThe Devil In The White City Analysis746 Words   |  3 Pagesto builds up the White City, and while H. H. Holmes flourished in the dominant Black City, Larson takes the reader on a tour of both cities. As Holmes lives in the shadows of the Black City, he successfully murders many people without any suspicion. Holmes’s ability to manipulate, his charisma, and his bravado marks him as one of America’s most famous serial killers. Firstly, throughout the novel, Holmes clearly demonstrates that he is manipulative. Holmes uses his skill to begin and then finishRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Devil Of The White City : Murder, Magic, And Madness At The Fair2200 Words   |  9 PagesThe textbook definition of a serial killer is someone who murders more than three victims one at a time in less than a month (â€Å"Serial† 1). H.H. Holmes was a devious and handsome young man. He was a very dangerous person that could not be trusted. On the other hand, the textbook definition of an architect is a person who designs buildings and in many cases helps supervise those projects. One of America’s greatest architects in history was Daniel Hudson Burnham. He led America to do great things inRead MoreAnalysis Of Erik Larson s The Devil 1250 Words   |  5 Pagesthe evolution of a serial killer. In doing so, Larson is able to explore the details of the fair in-depth, while keeping the interest of the reader. By using this organizational structure, Larson is also able to tell the gruesome tale of a serial killer without scaring away his audience. Overall, the pairing of these two stories helps to balance out the novel. Throughout parts I and II of the novel, Larson switches between the plotline of Burnham and the plotline of Holmes. The 1893 ChicagoRead MoreSummary Of Erik Larson s The Devil s The Red Devil And Where Is The White City1176 Words   |  5 Pagesentwines two true stories that, at first glance, don t seem to have much to do with each other: First, the story of architect and urban planner, Daniel H. Burnham, who masterminded the 1893 World s Fair in Chicago; second, the tale of Dr. H. H. Holmes, who has been called America s first serial killer. By now, you ve probably guessed that Holmes, who may have lured more than 200 people to their deaths in an elaborately-constructed building dubbed ‘The Murder Castle’, is the Devil of Larson s titleRead MoreAmerica s First Serial Killer1347 Words   |  6 PagesH.H. Holmes, born in 1861 as Herman Webster Mudgett, was an extremely notable con man, fraud and murderer. More popularly known as America’s first serial killer, Holmes had a vast and varying criminal record. For instance, his criminal record ranged from forging checks and life insurance claims, to killing off entire families in his â€Å"murder† hotel. The one most identifiable pattern to his offenses resides in his economic struggle. As seen in a documentary directed by John Borowski, most of the individualsRead MoreThe White City By Erik Larson887 Words   |  4 Pagessurrounds the events of the 1893 Columbian Exposition World’s Fair in Chicago. Larson does a magnificent job intertwining the lives of two men who were changed by the events of the fair. Daniel H. Burnham, the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World s Fair and Dr. H. H. Holmes, the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. The purpose of this review is not only to summarize Larson’s fascinating and satisfying work which vividly portrays one of the last grand