Main Characters

Sula Peace - Sula is portrayed as an unconventional and transgressive figure who defies societal norms and expectations. She is described as having a "free-spirited" and "uncompromising" nature. Her actions and behavior often alienate her from the community, leading to her being labeled as a "pariah" and a "witch". However, Morrison presents Sula as a complex character who challenges traditional gender roles and embraces her individuality.

Nel Wright (later Nel Greene) - Nel, on the other hand, represents the more conventional and conformist side of the African American experience. She is portrayed as Sula's childhood friend and foil, initially drawn to Sula's rebellious nature but eventually succumbing to societal pressures and embracing traditional values. Nel's character highlights the struggle between individuality and conformity within the black community.

Supporting Characters

Eva Peace - Sula’s grandmother, a fiercely independent and tough woman who raises her family after her husband, BoyBoy, abandons her. Eva’s extreme actions—like allegedly setting her son Plum on fire to "save" him from drug addiction—highlight her complex morality and survival instinct. She’s a matriarchal figure in the Peace household.

Hannah Peace - Sula’s mother and Eva’s daughter, Hannah is sensual and carefree, known for her casual relationships with men after her husband, Rekus, dies. Her death by fire (she accidentally burns alive) is a pivotal moment, and her relaxed attitude toward love influences Sula’s outlook.

Jude Greene - Nel’s husband, a man frustrated by racism and lack of opportunity. He marries Nel seeking comfort but later has an affair with Sula, which destroys his marriage and Nel’s friendship with Sula. He eventually leaves the Bottom.

Helene Wright - Nel’s mother, a proper and socially conscious woman raised by her grandmother after her own mother, a Creole prostitute, left her. Helene strives for respectability and tries to instill the same in Nel, often clashing with the freer spirits around her.

Shadrack - A World War I veteran suffering from shell shock (what we’d now call PTSD), Shadrack founds "National Suicide Day," an annual ritual where he marches through the Bottom with a cowbell, offering people a day to confront death. He’s an eccentric, haunting presence tied to the community’s sense of loss and survival.

Plum Peace - Eva’s son and Sula’s uncle, Plum returns from the war addicted to heroin. Eva’s drastic act of burning him alive (out of love, in her view) underscores the family’s tangled dynamics and the toll of war on Black veterans.

The Deweys - Three boys (not biologically related) whom Eva takes in and names Dewey. They blend into a single, mischievous entity in the story, symbolizing both community and indistinction. They drown during the tunnel collapse late in the novel.

BoyBoy - Eva’s husband who abandons her and their three children (Hannah, Plum, and Pearl). His departure sets the stage for Eva’s resilience and the Peace family’s struggles.

Chicken Little - A young boy who drowns when Sula accidentally swings him into the river. His death is a haunting moment that binds Sula and Nel in guilt and secrecy, foreshadowing their eventual rift.

Tar Baby - A quiet, possibly white alcoholic man who lives with Eva. His presence adds to the eclectic mix of the Peace household, and he too dies in the tunnel collapse.

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