Sue, one of the story’s three main characters, is a struggling artist who has come to Greenwich Village, New York, from Maine. With Johnsy, she shares a third-floor apartment that has “good light and […] a low cost” (12). Her love for Johnsy is evident. Sue calls Johnsy “dear,” cries after hearing the poor news from the doctor, and generally strives to care for Johnsy while she is sick. Sue’s efforts to feed Johnsy speak to Sue’s nurturing nature. In Sue’s plea to Johnsy to live, Sue also exposes her own vulnerability by asking Johnsy “What would I do?” should she die (16).

Sue is arguably not as passive of a character as she might seem. Determined, even after her brief cry in the workroom, Sue “carrie[s] some of her painting materials” while “singing” (14) into Johnsy’s room. Despite Johnsy’s coldness toward her, she insists “I’d rather be here by you” (15). Finally, it is Sue who fetches Behrman, even though he is drunk and initially unwilling to come.

Johnsy, the second of the story’s three main characters, is a struggling artist from California. Johnsy is a dynamic character in that she undergoes a transformation during the story.