Topsy-Turvy · Character

Dean Toodrink

Talkative English secretary whose cheerful manner and taste for fairy tales barely mask a patriotic conceit as rigid as his major's spine.

supporting

Also known as Secretary Dean Toodrink

First appearance: In Which the Arctic Regions Are Sold at Auction to the Highest Bidder

As a supporting figure in Topsy-Turvy, Dean Toodrink is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Secretary to Major Donellan, talkative and cheerful, with a taste for fairy tales; shares Donellan's conceit about Great Britain.

In the storyIn Which the Delegates from England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Russia Are Presented to the ReaderOpen this moment free

As Major Donellan's secretary in the English delegation, Toodrink pairs a large head, small eyes, and irrepressible chatter with the unshakable conviction that the North Pole belongs to Britain by divine arrangement. His good humor makes him a strange mirror to his gaunt, laughterless chief, yet he is just as personally conceited when Great Britain comes up. When tempers fray among the Baltimore delegates, it is Toodrink who trades prize-ring blows with the American straw man Forster, turning the auction's diplomatic friction into something close to farce.

See Dean Toodrink in In Which the Delegates from England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Russia Are Presented to the Reader Book page

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Character Web

9 connections

A slice of how Dean Toodrink sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Professional

Character groups

Polar Auction Delegates
Protagonist

+4 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it reveals the terrifying confirmation that J.T. Maston’s calculat…

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Relationships

Major Donellan
friendship · positive
Toodrink and Donellan are close companions, often seen together in social and planning… How this plays out →
Eric Baldenak
friendship · positive
President Barbicane
professional · positive
J. T. Maston
friendship · positive
Jacques Jansen
friendship · positive
Major Donellan
friendship · positive
Toodrink and Donellan are close companions, often seen together in social and planning… How this plays out →
Eric Baldenak
friendship · positive
Eric Baldenak
friendship · positive
President Barbicane
professional · positive

Major Donellan
Toodrink and Donellan are close companions, often seen together in social and planning contexts, sharing a camaraderie of purpose.
Eric Baldenak
Toodrink and Baldenak share a friendly rapport, often socializing and discussing the project's progress.
President Barbicane
Toodrink reports to Barbicane as a subordinate engineer, handling on-site construction tasks.
J. T. Maston
Toodrink and Maston are friendly colleagues, often joking and sharing a drink after work.
Jacques Jansen
Toodrink and Jansen are close workmates, frequently seen together during survey expeditions and camp life.
Major Donellan
Toodrink and Donellan are close companions, often seen together in social and planning contexts, sharing a camaraderie of purpose.
Eric Baldenak
Toodrink and Baldenak share a friendly rapport, often socializing and discussing the project's progress.
Eric Baldenak
Toodrink and Baldenak share a friendly rapport, often socializing and discussing the project's progress.
President Barbicane
Toodrink reports to Barbicane as a subordinate engineer, handling on-site construction tasks.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Dean Toodrink in In Which the Arctic Regions Are Sold at Auction to the Highest Bidder

In the story

Dean Toodrink appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

In Which the Delegates from England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Russia Are Presented to the Reader
Secretary to Major Donellan, talkative and cheerful, with a taste for fairy tales; shares Donellan's conceit about Great Britain.
In Which the Arctic Regions Are Sold at Auction to the Highest Bidder
Secretary to Major Donellan, posts betting notices and is visibly distressed as the bidding concludes.
In Which the Possibility That Coal Mines Surround the North Pole Is Considered
Questions Major Donellan about coal deposits higher up, expressing hope that Barbicane may be hanged.
In Which President Barbicane Says No More Than Suits His Purpose
Makes sarcastic remarks about the Gun Club's past moon project, interrupting Barbicane's speech with mockery.
In Which a Little Uneasiness Begins to Show Itself
Publishes articles against the N.P.P.A. in the Standard.
In Which J. T. Maston Heroically Continues to Be Silent
Exchanges blows with William S. Forster in a fistfight, representing the growing discord among the delegates.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Dean Toodrink unlock in the free preview.

See Dean Toodrink in In Which the Arctic Regions Are Sold at Auction to the Highest Bidder

See Dean Toodrink in In Which the Delegates from England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Russia Are Presented to the Reader