In what ways does the Chicago World's Fair bring into focus the extreme contrasts of the Gilded Age?

The Chicago World's Fair (also known as the World
Columbian Exposition) illustrated the potential of the Gilded Age, of American industry
and technology and the benefits it could bring to
society.

It changed the physical appearance of the city,
with new architecture and major new construction to prepare for the fair, and
highlighted such exhibits as a primitive movie projector, locomotive technology as well
as the first neon sign and Ferris wheel.

The collection of
such exhibits brought in 27 million visitors to the fair, and on the one hand
highlighted the concentration of wealth and excess that defined the Gilded Age (and
building the fair took an immense amount of cash for the time, mostly fronted by wealthy
industrialists) and the poverty of the working class.  This is why Chicago was an ironic
selection, as it was a city defined by crooked politics, sweatshop conditions for
workers, and the ridiculously rich.