# Dr. Bull — The Man Who Was Thursday character guide > Dr. Bull in The Man Who Was Thursday by G. K. Chesterton. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Bull **First appearance:** 0005-iv-the-tale-of-a-detective ## Snapshot A cheerful, red-haired detective posing as an anarchist, who cannot help liking Sunday because the man is so fat and so light. ## Who they are Bull is the optimist of the detective party, a man whose sympathy for Sunday persists even as he fights him like hell. He articulates the strange gaiety he senses in Sunday—a supreme strength shown in levity, like an elephant leaping into the sky. His instinctive affection for the enemy complicates the moral clarity of the undercover operation and hints at deeper conspiracies. ## Relationships ### [Gabriel Syme](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/gabriel_syme) _professional_ Dr. Bull and Syme are fellow detectives, sharing a bond of camaraderie and mutual support in their dangerous mission. ### [Sunday](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/sunday) _psychological_ Dr. Bull is perplexed and fascinated by Sunday, whose mysterious nature challenges his scientific rationality. ### [Professor de Worms](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/professor_de_worms) _professional_ Dr. Bull and de Worms are fellow detectives, sharing a professional alliance and mutual respect. ### [Dr. Renard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/dr_renard) _professional_ Dr. Bull and Dr. Renard are fellow detectives, cooperating across national lines in the anti-anarchist mission. ### [Colonel Ducroix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/colonel_ducroix) _professional_ Colonel Ducroix and Dr. Bull are allies in the international detective network, coordinating efforts against the anarchists. ### [Gabriel Syme](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/gabriel_syme) _professional_ Dr. Bull and Syme are fellow detectives, sharing a bond of camaraderie and mutual support in their dangerous mission. ### [Gabriel Syme](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/gabriel_syme) _professional_ Dr. Bull and Syme are fellow detectives, sharing a bond of camaraderie and mutual support in their dangerous mission. ### [Professor de Worms](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/professor_de_worms) _professional_ Dr. Bull and de Worms are fellow detectives, sharing a professional alliance and mutual respect. ### [Dr. Renard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/dr_renard) _professional_ Dr. Bull and Dr. Renard are fellow detectives, cooperating across national lines in the anti-anarchist mission. ### [Sunday](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/sunday) _psychological_ Dr. Bull is perplexed and fascinated by Sunday, whose mysterious nature challenges his scientific rationality. ### [Colonel Ducroix](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/colonel_ducroix) _professional_ Colonel Ducroix and Dr. Bull are allies in the international detective network, coordinating efforts against the anarchists. ### [Sunday](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/sunday) _psychological_ Dr. Bull is perplexed and fascinated by Sunday, whose mysterious nature challenges his scientific rationality. ## In the story ### [The Feast of Fear](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/v-the-feast-of-fear) Dr. Bull, called Saturday, is a short, square man with a clean-shaven face and dark, opaque spectacles. He appears coarse and confident, but his black glasses are dreadful to Syme, suggesting hidden wickedness. ### [VI: The Exposure](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/vi-the-exposure) Participates in the discussion of the assassination plot, questioning the purpose of destruction with a sphinx-like smile. ### [The Man in Spectacles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/ix-the-man-in-spectacles) Dr. Bull sits writing in his garret, smiling silently and unnerving his visitors; his appearance is compared to a death's-head. ### [X: The Duel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/x-the-duel) Dr. Bull steps forward with gravity to apologize to the Marquis's seconds, explaining the desperate situation. He later expresses exasperation at Syme's antics and is pale after the duel. ### [XI: The Criminals Chase the Police](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/xi-the-criminals-chase-the-police) Participates in the escape, suggests bribing the woodcutter for a ride, and shows impatience with the peasant's bargaining. ### [XII: The Earth in Anarchy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/xii-the-earth-in-anarchy) Initially hopeful, then panicked, and finally relieved when the truth is revealed; he offers to buy drinks for the crowd. ### [The Pursuit of the President](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/xiii-the-pursuit-of-the-president) Optimist of the group; breaks his spectacles in frustration and joins the chase. ### [The Six Philosophers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/chapters/xiv-the-six-philosophers) Bull expresses horror at Syme's description, compares Sunday to the earth in spring, and shows impatience with the philosophical discussion. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters/dr_bull - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_man_who_was_thursday_se/characters