Obscure Literary Terms: Foil

If you've gotten your hair colored before, your colorist has probably put some foils in your hair.

If you're a fan of Gothic architecture, you know a foil is a leaf-shaped, indented space which, combined with cusps (small, projecting arcs outlining the leaf design), are found especially in the tracery (decorative openwork) of Gothic windows.

If you've left a party and they send you home with a plate, it's probably covered in foil.

If you're a fan of period films and obscure sports, you know that a foil is the thin, light sword used in the sport of fencing.

If you are out for revenge, you'll ultimately want to foil the plans of your enemy.

If you know your jewelry, foil backing (or foiling) is a gemstone surface enhancement technique where a thin sheet of metal or other material (sometimes colored) is placed behind the gemstone in order to reflect more light, and/or color, back into the stone and then towards the viewer.

Yes, foil is a very versatile and adaptive homonym. And a foil can help writers become versatile and adaptable, too! No need for a tinfoil hat to understand it either!

The word "foil" originates from the Old French word "fuoille," which evolved from the Latin word "folium," meaning "leaf." The use of the word "foil" in the sense of a thin sheet of metal developed from its original meaning of "leaf." Just as leaves are thin and flexible, so too are foils.

And the foils discussed in this blog post are similar in theory!

A foil is essentially a character whose traits contrast sharply with those of another character—typically the main character. By emphasizing these differences, the foil helps to highlight certain qualities of the main character.

Just like a leaf provides a backdrop for a flower.

For example, if the protagonist is impulsive and reckless, a foil might be calm and methodical, emphasizing the protagonist's tendency to act without thinking.

Who and what are some prominent foils?

1. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are two sides of the same person, with Dr. Jekyll embodying restraint and morality, while Mr. Hyde represents unrestrained evil. Their juxtaposition explores the duality of human nature.

2. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson in The Sherlock Holmes Series by Arthur Conan Doyle

Holmes is cold, analytical, and detached, while Watson is compassionate, emotional, and grounded. Watson's more human side highlights Holmes' near superhuman logic, making their partnership essential for readers to appreciate Holmes's genius.

3. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

While Harry is courageous, selfless, and humble, Draco is arrogant, privileged, and often cowardly. This contrast not only highlights Harry's virtues but also challenges him, as he often has to confront the darker aspects of himself.

4. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom in the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

While Harry and Neville may initially appear to be very different, with Harry as the courageous hero and Neville as the clumsy underdog, they are actually foils who share a similar backstory and potential for greatness. Neville’s growth throughout the series, culminating in his heroism in the final book, serves to emphasize Harry’s own journey, showing that heroes come in many forms.

5. Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Tom is a brutish, old-money aristocrat who embodies the arrogance and entitlement of the upper class, while Gatsby, with his mysterious past and new money, represents ambition, optimism, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Their differences highlight the social tensions of 1920s America and the elusive nature of success.

6. Heathcliff and Edgar Linton in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Heathcliff is dark, brooding, and vengeful, while Edgar is gentle, refined, and compassionate. This contrast highlights the tumultuous emotions in the novel and Catherine Earnshaw’s internal conflict between love and societal expectations.

7. Elizabeth Bennet and Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

While Elizabeth is witty, idealistic, and determined to marry for love, Charlotte is practical and marries Mr. Collins for security. This contrast highlights Elizabeth’s progressive views on love and personal happiness, as well as the societal pressures faced by women in the Regency era.

8. Dorothy Gale and The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Dorothy is kind, innocent, and empathetic, while the Witch is cruel, vengeful, and power-hungry. Their opposition emphasizes the power of kindness, courage, and friendship over fear and tyranny.

"Okay but how can I put this towards my writing?" you ask me.

The key to a great foil isn't just opposition for opposition's sake but the way this contrast enriches the story. Think of it as a mirror image that reflects a skewed version of the protagonist’s qualities. Your readers can see the traits in a new light.

1. Highlight Key Traits 

Think about the main traits you want to emphasize in your protagonist. What qualities define them? By creating a foil with opposing traits, you can amplify the qualities that matter most.

Let’s say your protagonist is patient and compassionate—you might create a foil who is impulsive andindifferent. This contrast serves as a "test" for your protagonist's patience and pushes them into situations where their usual approach wouldn't work, therefore, revealing their strengths and weaknesses.

If your protagonist is idealistic and believes in doing the right thing, consider a foil who is realistic and pragmatic, willing to cut corners to get results. This dynamic can create moral tension and force your protagonist to confront their beliefs.

Here are more examples:

Optimistic vs. Pessimistic

Samwise Gamgee vs. Boromir (The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien)

Courageous vs. Cowardly

Harry Potter vs. Peter Pettigrew (Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling)

Humble vs. Arrogant

Bilbo Baggins vs. Thorin Oakenshield (The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien)

Loyal vs. Untrustworthy

Jane Eyre vs. St. John Rivers (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë)

Determined vs. Indecisive

Katniss Everdeen vs. Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins)

Honest vs. Deceitful

Elizabeth Bennet vs. George Wickham (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

Rational vs. Emotional

Sherlock Holmes vs. Dr. John Watson (Sherlock Holmes Series by Arthur Conan Doyle)

Generous vs. Stingy

Jo March vs. Aunt March (Little Women by Louisa May Alcott)

Reserved vs. Outgoing

Fitzwilliam Darcy vs. Charles Bingley (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

Playful vs. Serious

Pippin Took vs. Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien)

Naive vs. Cynical

Pip vs. Miss Havisham (Great Expectations by Charles Dickens)

Responsible vs. Irresponsible

Atticus Finch vs. Bob Ewell (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee)

Forgiving vs. Vengeful

Jean Valjean vs. Inspector Javert (Les Misérables by Victor Hugo)

Principled vs. Corrupt

Jon Snow vs. Petyr Baelish (A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin)

Meticulous vs. Careless

Hercule Poirot vs. Chief Inspector Japp (Agatha Christie Novels)

The foil’s contrasting nature can push your protagonist to grow or reveal their inner strengths and weaknesses. Consider how your foil character's presence might force your protagonist to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves.

2. Consider Their Relationship 

While it sure does make a damn good story, foil characters don’t always have to be enemies! Consider these options for your tale:

Friends with Opposing Traits

Friends with contrasting traits can bring out the best (or worst) in each other, revealing hidden strengths and vulnerabilities. The tension can be subtle yet powerful, especially when one friend’s traits compensate for the other's flaws.

Allies with Different Approaches

Allies who share the same goal but have different methods can create compelling conflict. This dynamic is great for exploring themes like morality, sacrifice, and the greater good.

Love Interests

Love interests as foils can add layers to romantic tension, allowing both characters to grow and challenge each other in meaningful ways. Use this dynamic to explore themes of acceptance, compromise, and self-improvement.

Siblings

Sibling foils are ideal for exploring themes of family, loyalty, and identity. Their shared history can deepen the tension between them as they face conflicts in their personalities and choices.

Mentor and Protégé

A mentor can serve as a foil to the student by pushing them to question their beliefs and encouraging growth. This relationship can explore themes like trust, betrayal, or the cost of ambition.

Rivals or Frenemies

Rivals who are also foils can push each other to new extremes, revealing hidden strengths or weaknesses. This is great for exploring themes of obsession, ambition, and the thin line between good and evil.

Sidekick and Hero

A sidekick who acts as a foil can ground the hero or provide a different perspective, highlighting the hero’s strengths or flaws. This dynamic often adds humor, heart, or insight into the story.

Parent and Child

Parental foils can be used to explore generational conflicts, differing values, or the struggle between tradition and change.

Team Members or Colleagues

Colleagues who are foils can bring tension to professional settings, highlighting different approaches to solving problems or achieving goals.

Strangers Turned Allies

Characters who start as strangers but develop a partnership can reveal deeper contrasts as they learn to trust one another. This is perfect for character-driven narratives where relationships evolve over time.

Furthermore, foils don't even have to be people/characters! Here are some things that don't even have dialogue!

Symbolic Objects that Reflect Inner Conflict

An object that contrasts with a character’s values or inner state can act as a foil, highlighting their internal struggle.

Example: In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the portrait of Dorian serves as a foil to Dorian himself. While Dorian remains youthful and beautiful, the portrait becomes grotesque, reflecting his corrupt soul.

The contrast between the pristine character and the decaying portrait highlights the conflict between appearances and reality.

Opposing Objects to Highlight Themes

Two objects with opposite meanings can act as foils to highlight thematic contrasts in the story.

Example: In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the conch shell (symbolizing order, civilization, and authority) is contrasted with the pig’s head on a stick (representing chaos, savagery, and the loss of morality). The juxtaposition of these objects underscores the novel’s theme of civilization versus barbarism.

Contrasting Personal Belongings

Personal items can act as foils to reveal character traits, values, or lifestyles.

Example: In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry’s simple, secondhand wand contrasts with Draco Malfoy’s sleek, expensive wand. This difference highlights their backgrounds and values—Harry’s humble, modest beginnings versus Draco’s privileged, status-driven upbringing.

Settings as Foils

Locations or physical spaces can serve as foils to emphasize a character’s emotions or the atmosphere of a scene.

Example: In Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights (wild, chaotic, and untamed) serves as a foil to Thrushcross Grange (peaceful, refined, and orderly). The contrasting settings reflect the temperaments of the characters associated with each location, such as Heathcliff’s raw passion versus the Lintons' gentility.

Contrasting Gifts or Mementos

Gifts or keepsakes can serve as foils, revealing characters’ intentions or deepening the emotional resonance of a scene.

Example: In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Daisy’s pearl necklace (a gift from Tom, representing wealth, status, and entrapment) contrasts with Gatsby’s letter (symbolizing love, hope, and dreams unfulfilled). These items highlight the conflict between love and materialism in Daisy’s life.

Technology as a Foil

Technology or tools can contrast with a character’s personality or the thematic elements of the story.

Example: In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor Frankenstein’s scientific instruments and the creature he creates serve as foils to nature and human emotion, emphasizing the theme of man versus the natural world.

Contrasting Clothing or Accessories

Clothing or accessories can serve as foils to reveal contrasts in characters’ personalities or social status.

Example: In A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Sydney Carton’s disheveled clothing contrasts with Charles Darnay’s neat, respectable attire, highlighting Carton’s inner turmoil and lack of self-worth in contrast to Darnay’s confidence and integrity.

"But isn't all this just juxtaposition, Katherine?" you ask.

Yeah...technically.

While all foils are a type of juxtaposition, not all juxtaposition involves foils. The distinction lies in intention and focus:

• Foils are used to accentuate specific traits, themes, or qualities by way of direct contrast. Whether it's a character, an object, a setting, or even an abstract idea, a foil is designed to enhance our understanding of another element by presenting an opposing or contrasting aspect.

• Juxtaposition is broader, focusing on placing two or more things side by side to highlight contrasts or comparisons without necessarily aiming to emphasize one over the other or reveal deeper aspects of another element.

  • Example: In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens opens with “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” juxtaposing contradictory images to emphasize the paradoxical nature of that era.

Using objects as foils involves assigning them a symbolic role to directly emphasize something about a character, plot, or theme. In this context, it’s not just about showing a difference but rather using that contrast to enhance understanding of another element:

• In The Picture of Dorian Gray, the portrait isn't just juxtaposed with Dorian—it’s a foil because it reflects the decay of his soul, making the contrast with his outward appearance deeply significant to the story's themes.

• The conch shell versus the pig’s head in Lord of the Flies aren’t just juxtaposed; they serve as foils because they represent opposing worldviews (order vs. chaos) that define the conflict among the characters.

A quick analogy to help you remember!!

Think of juxtaposition as placing two colors side by side—they pop more because of their contrast.

Think of a foil as shining a spotlight on one color to show how vibrant it is by placing it next to a duller shade. The purpose of the foil is to make the first color stand out more.

Just do your best to not overdo the contrast of the characters/objects.

While foils are meant to highlight differences, they should still feel like real people and the situations (even if it's set in a fictional world) should seem likely to happen in your story.

Here are some troubleshooting tips for foils:

Too Obvious or Overdone Contrast?

• Problem: The foil is so stark and exaggerated that it becomes unrealistic or feels like a gimmick. The contrast might feel too on-the-nose, and the foil becomes more of a caricature than a nuanced reflection of the main character or theme.

• Example: A good, honest character paired with an evil, villainous character with no nuance. The contrast is so extreme that neither character feels fully realized.

• Fix: Make the foil’s traits subtle but distinct. Foils should enhance the complexity of the protagonist and the story, not feel like opposites in a simplistic way.

Unnecessary Foils?

• Problem: Sometimes, writers introduce foils that don’t add much to the story or characters. If the contrast doesn’t reveal something essential about the main character or theme, the foil becomes irrelevant.

• Example: In a story about a brave adventurer, adding a whiny, cowardly character for the sake of contrast when the adventurer’s bravery is already clearly established could feel forced and unnecessary.

• Fix: Ensure the foil serves a purpose. The contrast should shed light on something meaningful—whether it’s a character’s growth, hidden traits, or underlying theme. If it doesn’t move the plot or deepen understanding, reconsider the foil.

Forced or Inorganic Relationships?

• Problem: The relationship between the foil and the protagonist feels artificial or contrived, as if the writer is trying too hard to create tension or drama.

• Example: A heroic figure paired with a completely pessimistic sidekick with no real basis for their partnership. The relationship feels like it was added just to create conflict, but lacks real emotional or thematic weight.

• Fix: Make sure the foil has a logical or meaningful relationship with the protagonist. Their interactions should feel earned, not forced. The foil should ideally help illuminate aspects of the protagonist that would otherwise remain hidden.

Foil is Underdeveloped or One-Dimensional?

• Problem: The foil itself is not fully realized or lacks depth. If the foil is too shallow or stereotypical, it can weaken the story by reducing the tension or contrast.

• Example: A cynical, jaded character is paired with a naïve, overly optimistic one, but the cynical character is just a generic, grumpy person with no backstory or reason for their pessimism.

• Fix: Develop the foil with the same care and depth as the protagonist. The foil should have their own motivations, history, and complexity. The contrast should reveal something profound about both characters.

A Foil that Overpowers the Protagonist?

• Problem: Sometimes a foil can overshadow the protagonist, becoming so interesting or compelling that the main character feels weak or underdeveloped in comparison.

• Example: A strong-willed, independent character paired with a highly charismatic, powerful foil who steals all the focus. The foil’s complexity might make the protagonist seem bland or lacking in contrast.

• Fix: Ensure the protagonist remains the center of attention, with the foil used to highlight specific aspects of their character. The foil should serve to enhance the protagonist’s development, not overshadow it.

Inconsistent Foils?

• Problem: A foil’s contrast may be inconsistent or arbitrary. This confuses readers instead of adding meaning to the story.

• Example: A compassionate character is paired with a ruthless character for contrast, but in one scene, the ruthless character acts out of character and is unexpectedly kind. This inconsistency undermines the foil’s impact.

• Fix: Stay true to the foil’s essential traits and ensure their behavior aligns with the larger themes or conflicts. Consistency is key to making the foil a meaningful counterpart.

Overuse of Foils?

• Problem: Using too many foils in a story can dilute their effectiveness. When too many characters or objects are set up as foils to the protagonist, it can overwhelm the reader and weaken the contrast.

• Example: A protagonist has several foils, such as a friend, a romantic partner, a mentor, and even an object or setting, all trying to highlight different aspects of their character. This can be confusing or excessive.

• Fix: Focus on one or two carefully chosen foils that serve the narrative. Too many foils can diminish the emotional impact of each, so use them strategically to bring out the qualities you most want to highlight.

Foils that Aren’t Actually Contrasting?

• Problem: The foil isn’t truly opposite or contrasting to the protagonist, which makes the relationship fall flat. The foil should highlight the differences, not just be a supporting character.

• Example: A confident leader paired with a shy, introspective leader who doesn’t really act as a foil because their qualities don’t contrast in a way that reveals anything significant about the other.

• Fix: Ensure there is a clear contrast between the two characters, objects, or ideas. The difference should highlight something important about the protagonist and their journey.

  
  

No matter the genre, incorporating foils can be the secret ingredient that brings your characters to life. Using foils allows writers to explore character dynamics in a way that straightforward narration cannot. It’s a subtle yet powerful tool for deepening character development, revealing hidden depths, and exploring themes like morality, identity, and transformation. Let the contrasts guide your story and see where it takes you!

May your foil character not be foiled!

Katherine Arkady