The inspiration for South Pacific was the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener, which was published in 1946. Michener was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in the South Pacific during WWII. The book is a collection of short stories based on his own experiences and stories told to him by his comrades. Two of the stories in particular were intertwined to create the main plot lines for South Pacific: one, “Fo’ Dolla’,” created the roles of Bloody Mary, Liat, and Lieutenant Cable; another, “Our Heroine,” inspired the story of Emile and Nellie.
South Pacific guide sections
