Sula

Sula defended Nel by pulling out a paring knife and slicing the tip of her finger. She did this is in order to scare off the boys and defend her friend. This was unexpected because in terms of personality, Nel is normally the strong one, while Sula is likely to flare up with emotion."Nel seemed stronger and more consistent than Sula, who could hardly be counted on to sustain any emotions for more than three minutes" (pg. 53). This showed how tough Sula was because most people wouldn't be willing to hurt themselves in order to prove that they can do something worse to them. In another incident, Nel provided the calm that Sula needed. Sula is spinning a little boy named Chicken little around, he flies from her arms and into the lake and drowns. Sula is terrified, so she panics and runs back to Nel in tears. Nel tries to comfort her by telling her it was all just an accident and leading Sula away from the scene of the drowning. In both situations, the girls react differently because when one is emotionally unstable, the other is there to be that stability that holds them together.
             However, though Nel at first seems "innocent and pure" and Sula seems tough and heartless, Morrison complicates this through Chicken Little's incident." The good feeling she had had when Chicken's hands slipped."Why didn't I feel bad when it happened? How come it felt so good to see him fall?""". "All these years she had been secretly proud of her calm, controlled behavior when Sula was uncontrollable, her compassion for Sula's frightened and shamed eyes. Now it seemed that what se had thought was maturity, serenity and compassion was only the tranquility that follows a joyful stimulation" (pg.170). Nel finally admits her part in the tragedy and realizes that she herself had been the evil one that day. She had been pleased to see Chicken Little drown, while Sula was in distress. Nel has always believed in her own basic goodness, feeling like she has been victimized by Sula.