Foil

Character Role Analysis

Corinna and Daniel (a.k.a. Dad)

While Corinna does her best to adapt to junior high despite the constant ache in her heart, her dad's just kind of going through the motions of life. She knows she needs new clothes; he keeps putting off going shopping. She knows they need to buy groceries for school lunches; he's okay eating just enough canned chili to keep himself alive. Corinna sees him at one of her soccer games and says:

He stands there in his khakis and Orioles baseball hat, silent, tall, thin, kind of blowing around in the wind. This might sound paranoid, but I get the feeling that the other parents don't talk to him the way they used to. (10.67)

Their roles reverse after Sophie dies. Daniel's the one who should be taking care of Corinna, but she feels like she needs to take care of him. She finally has to lay the smack down and tell him that none of her clothes fit and she hasn't been to the doctor or dentist for months, at which point he makes an effort to get it together and be a dad again. What can we say? Grief does strange things to people, and sometimes kids are more resilient than adults.