Foil

Character Role Analysis

Christopher Robin and Pooh; Pooh and Piglet; and more!

The most important foils are Christopher Robin and Pooh, and Pooh and Piglet. These are the Batman-and-Robin dynamics of the book. In the first, Christopher Robin consistently looks to Pooh for affection and comfort.

In the second, Pooh and Piglet are just the kind of friends who can do nothing and everything together and it's all just as wonderful. And their polar opposite personalities complement each other splendidly. They also tend to put each other's characteristics in high relief. As they're walking along on a windy day, for instance, Piglet worries as Piglet does: "'Supposing a tree fell down, Pooh, when we were underneath it?' / 'Supposing it didn't.' said Pooh after careful thought." (House.8.32-33). Pooh's way of seeing things exactly as they are counteracts Piglets anxiety in a very cozy way.

Of course, there are many more relationships in the book. Each episode provides a new dynamic between two or more characters that builds their relationship and ends up being more than the sum of its parts. Roo and Tigger together show us a lot about how Milne sees very young children and the wonder of their rough-and-tumble play. Rabbit and Owl combine to illustrate two different kinds of "intelligence" in House.5. And Eeyore and Tigger end up as unlikely allies at the end of the Poohsticks episode (House.6).

Take some time to consider all the possible pairs in the book, and while it will be a review of factorials, it will also be a great exercise in how, when an ensemble cast works, it works really well.