Batman and the Joker, Jeff Goldblum and dinosaurs, Republicans and Democrats; all these pairs of heroes and villains are most likely influential and well-known characters in your life. The question is would they be the same if they hadn’t existed in the same movie or book .Would Jeff Goldblum be a heroic person if he was never in the same story as the man-eating T-Rex ? Would any of your favorite characters be considered good or evil, had they not been the direct opposites of each other? In many movies we see pairs such as those who serve as foils (which defines as a character who contrasts with the protagonist to highlight the qualities of him or her) that bring out the deepest characteristics of one another. Besides foils in movies, in books there are many characters that compliment one another. One example is in Edith Wharton’s novel, Ethan Frome. The two main female characters in the novel hold many differences and similarities, bringing out each other’s most dominant qualities and traits. Unquestionably, in the novel Ethan Frome, the characters Mattie Silver and Zeena Frome are literary foils. …show more content…
However, they also have very similar characteristics that are hidden. Mattie Silver is shown as a very happy, energetic, and young looking woman. Zeena is the exact opposite of Mattie in every way. She Is very sickly, rests a lot, and looks very old yet only being 35. This all changes when towards the end of the book, Mattie cracks and reveals how depressed she really is, she even tries to convince Ethan to commit suicide with her. Zeena also has the same depressed feelings as Mattie, but there is also happiness in her. We see this when Ethan hears her laugh and thinks “it was an odd and unfamiliar sound”. Even though Zeena doesn’t show it she does have a little joy in
If you have the Harry Potter series, or almost any other story you have been introduced to this literary device that instantly makes your story attention-grabbing, and page-turning. This writing tool is known as a character foil. A character foil is a character that displays contrary, or opposite character traits. An example of a character foil is Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter. Their rival relationship and other conflicts are the perfect example to showcase foils at work. To continue, in the iconic “Romeo and Juliet” written by William Shakespeare, there are two known character foils in the first Act: Benvolio and Tybalt, and the Nurse and Lady Capulet.
Edith Wharton portrays Zeena as one of the most unappealing people imaginable. She rarely opens her mouth except to complain or criticize. She does not need words to tell one what she thinks, because on her face is a constant disapproval. Zeena is mean and heartless, as Ethan felt the day Zeena told him that Mattie was to go. “He looked at her with loathing. She was no longer the listless creature who had lived at his side in a state of sullen self-absorption, but a mysterious alien presence, an evil energy secreted from the long years of silent brooding.” On the other hand, all Zenobia wants is for her love to be returned. As she said, “He took my satchel from my hand, and said my name, Zenobia, and my own heart was moved by him for the rest of my days.” All she wants is for Ethan to give to her love and devotion. When she realizes that this love is unattainable, meanness and bitterness sets in. “Meanness came and filled up the spaces where love was not.”
Many people oppose society due to the surroundings that they face and the obstacles that they encounter. Set in the bleak winter landscape of New England, Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton is the story of a poor, lonely man, his wife Zeena, and her cousin Mattie Silver. Ethan the protagonist in this novel, faces many challenges and fights to be with the one he really loves. Frome was trapped from the beginning ever since Mattie Silver came to live with him and his wife. He soon came to fall in love with her, and out of love with his own wife. He was basically trapped in the instances of his life, society’s affect on the relationship, love, poverty, illness, disability, and life.
Ethan Frome marries Zenobia (Zeena) after the death of his mother in "an unsuccessful attempt to escape the silence, isolation and loneliness of life" (Lawson, 71). But, after time, he finds his life again becoming silent, as it was with his mother. Their lack of communication is continually making the marriage more misera...
Zeena is a character often portrayed using harsh winter imagery. She is characterized as controlling, insensitive, and rather unattractive. This is evident in Ethan's perception of her prior to her doctor's visit when he says that she is sitting in "the pale light reflected from the banks of the snow." The images of snow which first appear in the prologue symbolize this character's personality. The fact that Ethan connects his wife with the severity and strength of winter snow illustrates that he envisions her as stringent and powerful, characteristics he dislikes.
This quote is explaining the feeling of Ethan when Mattie Silver comes into his home. Ethan was gloomy and pretty much sick of his wife and when Mattie comes to his house she brings hope and a whole new outlook on life to Ethan. Ethan feels that she is warm person and a polar opposite compared to Zeena. Her coming transforms Ethan?s cold and depressing existence.
In the novel Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton, the character of Ethan Frome plays an important role in the development of the rest of the book. He has several character traits which distinguish him from the other main characters. Also, there are many factors which play against him throughout the novel.
A foil is when a characters differences contrast with another in order to show the main characters traits clearly. By using certain parts of their personalities, the reader sees the other characters opposing qualities. When an author uses foil in a novel the main character is thoroughly developed because the reader can gain more information about the characters own reactions. Mary Shelley’s use of foil characters in Frankenstein Or, The Modern Prometheus enhances the story greatly. Shelley’s way of comparing Victor, the Creature, Robert Walton and Clerval is what leads to the readers greater understanding of who Victor is. The most obvious foil throughout the novel is the Creature and Victor, child and father figure. Shelley uses their similarities
Atticus Finch and Aunt Alexander is an example of a character foil in the book.
Foils are used in plays so that the readers are better able to understand the major character (Hamlet). In a foil, the minor character is similar in many ways to the main character so that we will compare the two. However, it is through these similarities that we are able to see the more important differences between the two.
Homer uses many literary devices in The Iliad, including the use of foils. A foil is a character whom possesses qualities that are in contrast to the qualities of another character. Foils are often used to highlight traits of characters. In The Iliad the foils are adversaries. An adversary is an opponent or a rival. In the following paragraphs, I will show how both of these terms relate to Achilles and Hector in The Iliad.
In “Saving Sourdi” by May-Lee Chai, the author uses foil characters in the relationship of two sisters, Nea and Sourdi. Their contrasting personalities are at the center of the plot. In fictional stories, “The main purpose of a character foil is to highlights the opposite traits of the main character”(Development of Characters). The foil character is Sourdi, her personality traits are opposite of the main character, Nea. The contrast allows Nea, the protagonist, to stand out more distinctly. The author shows the reader that Nea is headstrong, impulsive, and immature. In contrast, Sourdi is more laid back and mature. Examples of the foil are evident throughout the passage. In the scene where Nea stabs a man in the arm for tormenting her sister, her Ma states to Nea,“You not thinking. That your problem. You always not thinking!” (Meyer pg. 83) Nea wanted to protect her sister, but Nea does not think of the consequences for stabbing the man. In contrast, Sourdi always thinks of consequences. Sourdi's response to Nea, “They could take you away. The police, they
He is physically isolated from the world and is also cut off from the possibility of any relationship. Due to his new situation, he looks for an outlet in order to relieve himself from this isolation. Luckily enough for him, Mattie comes around in order to help Zeena out due to her illness. Wharton writes, “...the coming to his house of a bit hopeful young life was like the lighting of a fire under a cold heart” (Wharton 33). As Smith recognizes in this comparison, he says that “His (Ethan) life of isolation changes, however, when Mattie Silver comes to stay with him and his wife” (Smith 96). Smith correctly analyzes Ethan’s situation, labeling Mattie as this outlet of hope that he can turn to in order to cope with his isolation. Wharton herself shows that Ethan truly did view Mattie as his outlet for hope, mainly due to his love for her, which Mattie shares equally for him. This love sprouts from many things including attractiveness, conversation, understanding, and listening, many of which he lacks for his whole life and where most of his isolation roots itself. Wharton writes, “She had an eye to see and an ear to hear: he could show her things and tell her things, and taste the bliss of feeling that all he imparted left long reverberations and echoes he could wake at will” (Wharton 28). This is a fancy way of saying that they Mattie not only listened to Ethan, but also
1. Plays have foils to help the audience understand important characters in the play. Foils are minor characters that have similarities and differences with a more important character in the play. Sometimes the minor character is just there for the character to talk to; this is the basis for being a foil. In the play "Hamlet," [Titles] by William Shakespeare, the character Ophelia is a foil to Hamlet.
Random House Webster's dictionary defines a foil as "a person or thing that makes another seem better by contrast." This essay will focus on the use of the foil to contrast another character. The characters of Nora and Mrs. Linde provide an excellent example of this literary device. Mrs. Linde's aged, experienced personality is the perfect foil for Nora's childish nature. Mrs. Linde's hard life is used to contrast the frivolity and sheltered aspects of Nora's life. Nora's optimism and belief in things improbable is an opposite to the rationality and down-to-earth mentality of Mrs. Linde. Finally, the rekindling of the flame between Mrs. Linde and Krogstad is a direct contrast to the burning down of Nora and Torvald's "doll's house."