Foil

Character Role Analysis

Obasan and Aunt Emily

Aunt Emily and Obasan couldn't be less alike. Obasan is quiet, lives to serve, and doesn't want to rock the boat. Aunt Emily is loud, pushy, and seems to make her whole life about rocking the boat in the name of social justice. Not only are these characters totally different, but since they are both Naomi's Aunts, it's very natural for us to compare them. When you put them side-by-side, their differences only become even more exaggerated. So, of course they are foils.