Function of Contrasting Characters: Short Fiction Practice Test

Read the following excerpt from a short story:

In the art studio, Simone cleaned her brushes the moment she finished a stroke, keeping her palette arranged like a row of obedient buttons. Leo let paint dry into crusts on his hands and used the same brush for every color, claiming the mess “taught” him. When Simone said, “You’ll ruin your tools,” Leo said, “Or they’ll ruin me if I worship them.”

What is the primary function of the contrast between Simone’s meticulous maintenance and Leo’s embrace of mess?

Read the following excerpt from a short story:

On the train platform, Celeste checked the departure board every thirty seconds, counting the minutes aloud under her breath. Harris, carrying only a paperback with a cracked spine, watched pigeons hop between the rails and said the delay was “a gift.” When the announcement finally came, Celeste tightened her scarf and muttered, “We’re losing time.” Harris shrugged, “Time’s not a suitcase.”

What is the primary function of the contrast between Celeste’s anxious time-keeping and Harris’s unhurried acceptance?