Foil

Character Role Analysis

Uhmma/Young Ju

Uhmma's the foil to the growing Young Ju because Uhmma's total devotion to Apa highlights how different Young Ju is from her mom. Young Ju's the one who's ready to cut her father loose, which can only come about because Uhmma holds on as tightly as she does to Apa. In other words, no way could Young Ju be the heroine in the novel if Uhmma weren't playing the part of the battered woman unable to leave her marriage.