Foil

Character Role Analysis

Merton Densher and Kate Croy

Merton Densher is a bit of a wimp, while Kate is a strong woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. Merton has difficulty acting against his conscience, while Kate is more than willing to act selfishly if it means getting results.

For most of the book, we might tend to sympathize more with Merton because he is the more diplomatic and honest of the two lovers. But toward the end of the book, when Merton fails to deny his engagement to Kate in order to let Milly die happily, we begin to question just how admirable his honesty is. Kate, on the other hand, would have had no problem lying to Milly if it meant making her happy in her final moments. She also had no problem deceiving her in order to get her dollars.

Without a doubt, Merton and Kate have very different approaches to life. Depending on the situation they face, the reader's sympathy moves from Kate to Merton and back again.