Homily Clock lives beneath a human house's floorboards as part of a Borrower family with her husband Pod and daughter Arrietty. She lives in constant fear of the dangers posed by humans and the catastrophic consequences of discovery, embodying deep anxiety and caution. This fear fuels her insistence on strict adherence to Borrower rules of invisibility and intense worry over Arrietty's adventurous nature. Yet, she reveals underlying pragmatism, ultimately supporting the family's necessary relocation when their safety shatters.

Homily possesses a distinct penchant for luxury, taking great pride in acquiring and maintaining comfortable, elegant borrowed items like fine china and miniature furniture for their home. This craving for finer possessions sometimes leads her to desire non-essentials, inadvertently increasing the risks Pod faces during borrowing expeditions.

Her relationship with Arrietty centers on fierce maternal protectiveness, often fretting over her daughter's curiosity and independence. Homily relies heavily on Pod's experience and judgment for survival tasks and decisions about external threats, typically deferring to him. Though generally pessimistic about the outside world and other Borrowers' existence, news from Spiller about possible surviving families briefly sparks genuine happiness and hope within her.

Homily's capture by the housekeeper Hara induces near-paralyzing terror, brutally confirming her deepest fears about human threats. Rescued by Arrietty and the human boy Sho, this trauma forces decisive action. Faced with undeniable danger and Pod's injury, Homily accepts the necessity of abandoning their long-time home. She finds the resolve to venture into the unknown, seeking safety among other Borrowers, demonstrating crucial adaptability when faced with necessity.