The mood of G.K. Chesterton’s novel The Man Who Was Thursday is mysterious yet light. Although Chesterton builds a great deal of suspense throughout the story as Syme—along with the other detectives and the reader—races to subvert the plots of the secret anarchist council, the author never strays into outright horror or terror. Striking a delicate balance between intrigue and unease, Chesterton encourages his readers’ curiosity while refraining from spiking any alarm.
Despite the fact that the subtitle of the novel is “A Nightmare,” the mood of this psychological thriller is not one of fear but of excitement and anticipation. With each twist and every reveal of a character disguised or traitor unmasked, Chesterton makes it clear that the story’s ending will be far from tragic. Syme's fervent desire to do good and win against the anarchists is infectious, and Chesterton’s contemporary readers would likely have already been predisposed to thinking along these same lines, thereby adding even more excitement to reading about the anarchists’ demise. Furthermore, the religious messaging imbued throughout the book (regarding the importance of faith and the beauty of God’s plan for the universe) encourages the reader to take heart in knowing that goodness will prevail, even when Syme and the other detectives seem at a loss.
