Foil

Character Role Analysis

Will Kennicott and Carol Kennicott

When it comes to opinions about Gopher Prairie, Will Kennicott is the exact opposite of Carol—which makes it all the more surprising that they last as a couple for as long as they do.

Carol is convinced that Gopher Prairie needs to change its mediocre hick ways, but Will thinks that the town and all the people in it are fine. If Carol's main attribute is dissatisfaction, Will's is satisfaction. The only real conflict in his life comes from Carol; everything else seems to be just fine, or at least that's how he portrays it.

Will believes that complaining can never make a situation better, while Carol is determined never to stop complaining until she changes the world around her. It's little wonder then that the two of them split for two years.