the art of foreshadowing is portrayed deftly by eric larson throughout his novel the devil in the white city, specifically demonstrated in the early beginnings of the book, when larson writes that "an unusually ‘murky pall’ hung over the city. brokers joked how the gloom might be the signal that a ‘day of judgment’ was at hand" (larson, 2003, p. 60). the somber tone utilized by larson effectively foreshadows a calamity of the near future. when the timing of the highly anticipated world fair is taken into account, this sense of foreboding crafted by larson with heavy elements of suspense and apprehension juxtaposes against the glamor of the fair. this introduction to a darker, more sinister undertone sets the scene for the murderous actions of the serial killer.