[Yip1982]

Something made me think of South Pacific lately, and I've thought a little about the way the South Pacific characters seem to be drawn, as far as their wills were concerned.
I've had this funny feeling that Nellie and Lieutenant Cable seem to be the characters in the story with the strongest wills. Emile eventually develops the strong will to resist the prejudices that tear him away from Nellie, and that tear Lieutenant Cable away from Liat. Between Bloody Mary and Liat, I can see Bloody Mary as somewhat strong-willed. She knows she wants Liat to marry as soon as possible, even though Lieutenant Cable jilts her. I know Liat may be the weakest-willed of the main principal characters, because she might not be aware of the predicaments that the protagonists are experiencing.

[Salome]

Nellie and Cable both confront their phobias and social prejudices in he show. Nellie overcomes hers..succeeds and gets her love.
Cable cannot accept them...and dies.