Dora Root expresses a deep emotional response to the world around her, feeling a profound sadness intertwined with fascination. This duality of experience compels her to seek solace in nature, suggesting that the wisdom lies in retreating to the woods or mountains where tranquility can be found away from life's chaos.

Her reflections, shared in a letter to Daniel Burnham, encapsulate a yearning for peace amidst the madness of life. This desire resonates with the broader themes in Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City," which explores contrasts of beauty and horror during the Chicago World's Fair.