The Old Nurse’s Story

by Elizabeth Gaskell

The Old Nurse’s Story: Foil 1 key example

Foil
Explanation and Analysis—Hester and Miss Grace:

Miss Grace acts as a foil for Hester in the story, revealing important qualities of Hester’s character. In particular, Miss Grace’s former cruelty toward her niece, when juxtaposed with Hester’s commitment to protecting and caring for Miss Rosamond, highlights Hester’s loving nature.

It is notable that both Miss Grace and Hester are given the opportunity to save the young girl in their respective lives from freezing in the cold and yet only Hester chooses to do so. The following passage captures Hester’s determination to rescue Miss Rosamond when she frantically searches for her in the snow:

It was bitter cold; so cold that the air almost took the skin off my face as I ran, but I ran on, crying to think how my poor little darling must be perished, and frightened.