Character Foils

Let’s look at Lorelai and Rory and how they highlight each other’s traits

Image © Warner Bros Television

A character foil is a term I remember learning in high school lit class, but either I wasn’t paying attention or they didn’t explain where that term came from, because it made zero sense for a very long time.

The term comes from an old practice in which jewellers would line the back of gemstones with foil. The foil would reflect light through the gemstone, making all the facets shine more brightly than they otherwise would. The foil highlighted the shape and character of the gemstone. If there were any flaws in the gemstone, those would also become more obvious, because they would block the reflection of the foil in that spot.

So when we talk about foils in terms of characters, that refers to usually a pair of characters who highlight something about each other. They aren’t necessarily opposites, though they might have opposing traits. Rather, they are different enough that one’s behavior or traits makes you notice the other’s behaviors or traits in a more stark manner.

Confusing in the abstract, but really straightforward in practice.

Lorelai vs Rory

Let’s look at Lorelai and Rory as foils for each other. Co-protagonists of the series, they balance each…