# Major Donellan — Topsy-Turvy character guide

> Major Donellan in Topsy-Turvy by Jules Verne.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Donellan, The Major

**First appearance:** 0001-in-which-the-delegates-from-england-holland-sweden-denmark-and-russia-are-presented-to-the-reader

## Who they are

A gaunt, humorless English delegate who regards the North Pole as Britain's birthright and arrives at the Baltimore auction prepared to outbid the world.

## Relationships

### [Dean Toodrink](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/dean_toodrink)

_friendship_

Toodrink and Donellan are close companions, often seen together in social and planning contexts, sharing a camaraderie of purpose.

### [President Barbicane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/president_barbicane)

_professional_

Donellan is a key logistical and organizational partner to Barbicane, helping coordinate the massive undertaking.

### [William S. Forster](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/william_s_forster)

_professional_

Donellan and Forster work together as part of the project's leadership team, handling administrative and technical matters.

### [Jacques Jansen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/jacques_jansen)

_professional_

Jansen works under Donellan's direction as a surveyor and engineer on the project's field operations.

### [Eric Baldenak](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/eric_baldenak)

_professional_

Baldenak and Donellan coordinate closely on the practical execution of the engineering work.

### [President Barbicane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/president_barbicane)

_professional_

Donellan is a key logistical and organizational partner to Barbicane, helping coordinate the massive undertaking.

### [Dean Toodrink](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/dean_toodrink)

_friendship_

Toodrink and Donellan are close companions, often seen together in social and planning contexts, sharing a camaraderie of purpose.

### [Eric Baldenak](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/eric_baldenak)

_professional_

Baldenak and Donellan coordinate closely on the practical execution of the engineering work.

### [President Barbicane](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/president_barbicane)

_professional_

Donellan is a key logistical and organizational partner to Barbicane, helping coordinate the massive undertaking.

## In the story

### [In Which the Delegates from England, Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Russia Are Presented to the Reader](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-the-delegates-from-england-holland-sweden-denmark-and-russia-are-presented-to-the-reader)

English delegate, tall and meagre, with a Palmerston-like head; fiercely believes the North Pole belongs to England by right of discovery and divine mission.

### [In Which the Arctic Regions Are Sold at Auction to the Highest Bidder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-the-arctic-regions-are-sold-at-auction-to-the-highest-bidder)

Represents Great Britain, bids aggressively up to 199 cents, but is ultimately outbid by Forster and collapses in defeat.

### [In Which the Possibility That Coal Mines Surround the North Pole Is Considered](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-the-possibility-that-coal-mines-surround-the-north-pole-is-considered)

Argues that coal is practically established in the Arctic and debates President Barbicane, but grows cautious when others listen.

### [In Which President Barbicane Says No More Than Suits His Purpose](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-president-barbicane-says-no-more-than-suits-his-purpose)

Represents England and challenges Barbicane with pointed questions about the feasibility and means of reaching the North Pole, pressing for specifics.

### [In Which a Little Uneasiness Begins to Show Itself](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-a-little-uneasiness-begins-to-show-itself)

Predicts a terrible accident; comments that London might end up atop Mont Blanc.

### [In Which J. T. Maston Heroically Continues to Be Silent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-j-t-maston-heroically-continues-to-be-silent)

Observes the escalating tensions among European delegates but does not engage in physical conflict himself.

### [In Which a Crowd of Dissatisfied People Break Into the Cell of J. T. Maston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-a-crowd-of-dissatisfied-people-break-into-the-cell-of-j-t-maston)

Prepares to return to Europe to secure rights on new territory.

### [In Which J. T. Maston Regrets That the Crowd Did Not Lynch Him When He Was in Prison](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/chapters/in-which-j-t-maston-regrets-that-the-crowd-did-not-lynch-him-when-he-was-in-prison)

Leads the European delegates in celebrating the sun's unchanged course.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters/major_donellan
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/topsy_turvy_se/characters