The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare

Seven anarchists who identify as the names of the days of the week live in turn-of-the-century London in G. K. Chestertons surreal masterwork a psychological thriller. Chesterton delves into the significance of the characters assumed identities in this intriguing riddle that ends up being a spellbinding allegory. The true characters as Jonathan Lethem notes in his Introduction are the ideas. Chestertons bizarre goal is actually quite straightforward: he wants to show moral relativism and parlour nihilism for the sins he thinks they are. But if he didnt also display such fervour for paying the devil his just compensation this wouldnt be at all fascinating. He uses every bit of creative vigour and rhetorical power in his body to animate the forces of disorder and anarchy.