Literary terms · AP English Literature, AP English Language, SAT Reading and Writing, ACT Reading
Foil
Foil: A character whose contrasting traits highlight the qualities of another character, usually the protagonist.
By the CollegePrepRoom editorial team · Updated · How we write and check these pages
What it means
A foil is defined by contrast. By placing two characters with different responses to similar situations side by side, an author makes each character's traits clearer. Foils are often friends, siblings or partners.
Analyzing a foil means explaining what the contrast reveals about the main character and the work's themes.
Example
A cautious older sister who stays home to run the family shop serves as a foil to a younger brother who leaves for the city, clarifying the costs and freedoms of each choice.
On the exam
Foils are useful evidence in AP Lit essays about character and in the literary argument essay when a prompt asks about contrasting values.