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Sue is a young, optimistic artist living in Greenwich Village. She shares an apartment and studio with Johnsy. She is originally from Maine, which may account for her being more resilient to the cold than Johnsy, who comes from California. Like many young artists, she has come to New York to follow her dreams. Having not yet achieved success, she works as a freelance artist, illustrating magazine stories to make a living.
Sue tries to remain optimistic to improve Johnsy’s spirits. She feigns a carefree attitude and glosses over the severity of Johnsy’s condition. In private, however, she is fearful. She cries and confides in Mr. Behrman. She’s pragmatic, knowing that she needs to work into the night in hopes of earning money to buy food to sustain Johnsy in her illness. Still, she is anxious, getting very little sleep during the stormy night when she expects the final leaf to fall. After Mr. Behrman dies, she delivers the sad news to Johnsy and reveals his sacrifice in painting the last leaf. Rather than focus on the heartbreaking news, she frames his final act of painting the last leaf as his masterpiece and his sacrifice as the key to providing Johnsy with hope.
