Quick-witted, brave and utterly devoted to his family. Mr Fox steals from the farmers not for himself but to feed his wife and children. His intelligence and creativity are what make him 'fantastic' — he never panics, always thinks his way through problems. He is generous too, sharing his stolen feast with all the underground animals.
Steady and calm, Mrs Fox keeps the family strong during the hardest moments underground. She trusts her husband completely and comforts the children when they are frightened.
The three farmers are presented as unambiguously horrible — greedy, cruel, obsessive and increasingly ridiculous. Dahl makes them comic villains: their obsessive desire to catch Mr Fox takes over their lives completely, leaving them sitting in the rain as the fox eats their food underground.
The most prominent of the underground neighbours, Badger questions whether stealing is right. Mr Fox points out that the farmers steal from nature and from their animals — so what they are doing is only fair. Badger accepts this and joins the feast.