The Great Fire by Jim Murphy

Bibliography

Murphy, Jim. The Great Fire. New York: Scholastic, 1995.
ISBN 0590472674

Plot Summary

          Can you imagine a fire so hot that “. . . iron melted like wax . . . granite blocks split in two, and limestone and marble turned to powder . . .” (101)?  The people who lived in the city of Chicago in 1871 not only felt the heat of the fire but experienced the horror of losing everything because of a simple barn fire.  Jim Murphy, in his social history informational book, The Great Fire, will guide the reader by way of several different accounts from the survivors of that fateful Sunday night.  Witness how small mistakes, miscalculations, and faulty judgments by the people combined with unprecedented dry weather and the sheer force of wind reduce a prosperous city to ash and ruble in two days.  Will Chicago rebuild?  Can it reclaim its former glory?

Critical Analysis

          The Great Fire, a social history informational book by Jim Murphy, integrates survivors’ personal accounts of the 1871 fire that leveled most of Chicago with a well-researched history of that famous town. 

          The organization of the book is chronological, beginning with the Sullivans’ activities on that Sunday, followed with actual historical information about Chicago as an important city, divided into districts, built mostly of wood which occasionally caught fire, especially in dry weather.  Then the text turns to other survivors’ activities as the day progresses and proceeds to tell the story of the fire’s progression and its effects on the population through the eyes of even more survivors.  Murphy provides a bibliography and source material for the accounts to the reader, substantiating their factual accuracy.

          Murphy acts as a moderator.  He allows the survivors’ stories to move the story forward, and he inserts information about how the stories intertwine with sentences that begin with such words as “But the citizens of Chicago soon realized . . . (101), “At about this time . . .” (21), and the constantly encountered “While . . . .”

          The design of the book is exceptional in that the reader is pulled into the experience of the disaster by stories, pictures, photos, and maps.  Instead of being just an historical account, it is an experience.  The fire seems to happen right in front of the reader, as Murphy alternates accounts through the days of the fire.  For example, on one page, Murphy employs information in the story from Mr. Frear, Mr. Hidreth, and Mr. Frear again (67).  The sepia photographs and the drawings, which come mostly from the Chicago Historical Society and Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper of 1871, are very interesting and coordinate with the text.

          One of the most helpful design features is the inclusion of six, two page maps which chronicle the spread of the fire through the town.  The reader can visualize just how destructive the fire is, if he doesn’t already realize it from the photographs and drawings. 

          An informational book should clearly separate fact from fiction.  There is a great deal of myth surrounding the Chicago Fire of 1871.  From O’Leary’s cow kicking over a lantern to drunken firefighters, the cause of the fire has been in dispute.  Murphy spends an entire chapter, 14 pages in all, discussing who was really responsible for starting the fire as far as he could determine from historical records.

          The Chicago Fire of 1871 changed the architectural face of the city, reshuffled the populations into different configurations, and business into new ventures.  Murphy’s The Great Fire is a record for the youth of today.

 

Review Excerpt(s)

1995 ALA Newbery Honor Book
NCTE Orbis Pictus Award
Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book
The Jefferson Cup Award
A SLJ Best Book
A Booklist Editors Choice
A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
An ALA Notable Book
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A PW Best Book

"The Great Fire will automatically draw readers with its fiery cover and illustrations of disaster, but the text will keep them reading." - BOOKLIST, starred review

"The energy and depth of the presentation make this thought-provoking history lesson absorbing and riveting reading." - HORN BOOK, starred review

"A book that sparks excitement and interest from the cover to the last well-written chapter. Murphy’s text reads like an adventure/survival novel and is just as hard to put down. The diversity and multitude of personal accounts [provide] a better appreciation of the event as a dynamic experience from which we still have much to learn. History writing at its best." - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, starred review

"A veritable cinematic account." – KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Engrossing." - PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY, starred review

 

Connections

·        Have children do a charitable work for a homeless shelter.

·        Visit the local fire department as a field trip to learn about fire prevention.