In Jerry Spinelli’s book Stargirl, Hillari Kimble is the foil to Stargirl. This means that Hillari's defining characteristics contrast and help highlight Stargirl's own defining characteristics. For instance, consider some of the mean things that Hillari does throughout the book, like how she beats the cookie Stargirl gave her and how she slaps Stargirl at the dance. These are cruel actions that Stargirl would never think of doing herself. By being such a mean bully, Hillari emphasizes how kind Stargirl is.
The way that Hillari constantly works hard to get other people’s attention also emphasizes how unique Stargirl is. Hillari tries to spread rumors to get attention, and she tries to be the center of attention at the Ocotillo Ball with Wayne. Hillari's desperate efforts help highlight how little Stargirl has to try to receive a lot of attention from others. Stargirl doesn't try to get people to...
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think she's cool or popular—instead, she is simply herself and, unlike Hillari, the force of her personality naturally receives attention.
The differences between Hillari's and Stargirl's personalities are most clear at the ball, when Hillari slaps Stargirl. In response to this cruel act, Stargirl kisses Hillari on the cheek. In doing so, Stargirl rises above Hillari's cruelty. Her cool, calm, and collected response is all the more compassionate and admirable because of how it contrasted with Hillari's actions.
Do any characters serve as foils in Stargirl?
In a work of literature, a foil is a character who provides a contrast to another character, often the protagonist. In doing so, the foil serves to highlight certain characteristics of the other character. For example, the wicked behavior of a foil can serve to highlight the good behavior of the protagonist.
In Stargirl, the role of foil is filled by the character Hillari Kimble. A thoroughly nasty, mean-spirited individual, Hillari is everything that Stargirl is not. Whereas Stargirl, in that uniquely kooky way of hers, just wants to spread a little happiness around, Hillari goes out of her way to make life as unpleasant as possible for Stargirl during her time at Mica High.
For evidence of this, we need look no further than Hillari's nasty treatment of Stargirl during the taping of the Hot Seat TV program, when she tells Stargirl to her face that she's “goofy” and “crazy.” She even tells Stargirl to get out of Mica High.
Despite this ordeal, Stargirl remains her normal quirky, big-hearted self. Hillari's nastiness has only served to highlight Stargirl's innate goodness and cheeriness. And it's this, more than anything else, that makes Hillari the foil of Stargirl in the story.