Foil

Character Role Analysis

Andrew Undershaft/Barbara Undershaft

Andrew and Barbara start out as total opposites: he's the rich, "immoral" arms dealer whose cold pragmatism shocks the family, and Barbara is the idealistic Salvation Army major who is happy to be poor as long as she's doing the good work of saving souls and feeding/clothing the hungry. She's also the one who rejects the money that comes from the "wrong" sort of donor or for the "wrong" reasons.

By the end of the play, though, Andrew's views have heavily influenced Barbara's. He convinces his daughter that being rich and powerful and being moral aren't necessarily two different things. In fact, he brings her over to the view that she'll actually be able to do more for the Army and to promote Christianity by preaching to people with full bellies (i.e., his employees), as opposed to "converts" who are so desperate for a meal that they'd worship a teacup, if it meant getting bread and shelter. The tension between Barbara's ideals and Andrew's realism pretty much drives the whole train for this play, so it's a perfect foil pairing.