Foil

Character Role Analysis

Father Kleinsorge/Miss Sasaki

So, it's kind of goofy to try to find a foil relationship in a book where the narrative focuses primarily on externals such as action and events rather than internal drama/motivations… but Father Kleinsorge and Miss Sasaki actually fit the bill pretty nicely.

Prior to the bombing, they had no relationship at all. However, when Miss Sasaki became super distraught and morbid as a result of her injuries/pain levels, a friend asked Father Kleinsorge to come help her out. In that way, an unlikely friendship was born.

Why unlikely, you ask? Well, we're sure we could think of two more different people, but they weren't exactly twinsies: Father Kleinsorge was German, male, in his late thirties, and devoutly Catholic. Also, given his tireless efforts to assist others during the post-bomb aftermath despite his own ailments, we know he didn't spend a lot of time feeling sorry for himself.

By contrast, Miss Sasaki is twentyish when the book opens, and the severity of her injuries and the infections/physical problems after the blast made her feel (understandably) pretty bitter and down on life. Also, she did not start off not religious.

However, Miss Sasaki actually drew great comfort from Father Kleinsorge's visits, and she eventually ended up converting to Catholicism and, ultimately, becoming a nun. So, they ended up more on the same page than they started out, with Father Kleinsorge slowly influencing Miss Sasaki's path in life. The pairing of these "characters," and the transitions Miss Sasaki undertook as a result, make them a pretty neat foil pairing.