6.1 Interpreting foil characters

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A foil character is a literary device used in storytelling to highlight the traits, attributes, or values of another character through contrast. The foil character is usually presented as a contrast to the main character, or protagonist, although this is not necessarily the case. The foil character serves to accentuate the qualities and characteristics of the character being foiled through comparison. 

The term “foil” comes from the historical practice of placing a sheet of metal or other material behind a gemstone to enhance its brilliance and clarity. This sheet, known as a foil, serves to accentuate the gemstone's qualities and characteristics by providing a contrasting background, just like the foil character serves to accentuate the qualities of the character being foiled.

Identifying foil characters can be a great way to more deeply analyze two characters. 

So, how do we identify these foil characters? 

Identifying Foil Characters

There are several ways to identify a foil character in a story. 

The two main ones are to look for similar characters and look for characters in opposition to one another. These two can be the same person. 

Similarities

To begin with, characters that are similar in some way can act as foils for each other because of the ways they end up differing anyways. The foil character may share many of the same traits or characteristics as another character, but may use them in different ways or to different ends. They may have a similar position, profession or role in the story, but ultimately go different ways. For example, Edgar and Edmund from King Lear are both the sons of Earl of Gloucester, but foil each other because they do very different things with their status as his sons. (Of course, this is complicated by the fact that Edmund isn’t legitimate, but the comparison still stands.) Another example is Edgar Linton and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights: Both men are romantic interests for Catherine Earnshaw. 

Opposition

Another method to find foils is to look for characters in opposition to each other. This opposition can take various forms, such as a different moral code, conflicting goals, or a contrasting personality. In the above example, Heathcliff and Edgar Linton are in direct opposition to each other for their love interest, and Edgar and Edmund are in competition (that only Edmund knows about) to inherit the Earl of Gloucester’s position. 

Foil characters do not always have to be competing with one another. They can also be identified by their role in the plot. Characters that provide an obstacle or challenge for the main character will sometimes be foils, but characters who are close to the protagonist but have a different perspective can also be foil characters. 

Furthermore, foil characters can also be used to highlight the growth and development of a character (usually the protagonist). For example, a protagonist who starts out as naive and inexperienced may be contrasted with a foil character who is world-weary and jaded, highlighting the protagonist's growth and change over the course of the story.

The Key Takeaway

Fundamentally, foil characters must be a) in relationship with one another somehow, whether narratively (ex: they’re best friends, or sworn enemies, or siblings) or structurally (ex: they’ve never met but both of them occupy similar positions and have similar situations to deal with), and b) they must be different in some way. 

** Study Tip: If you want a good place to look for foil characters, Shakespeare’s plays are filled with them. Check out Hamlet and King Lear especially!**