"Unlike photography which records an image as seen from a single viewpoint, a hologram is a record of an image as seen from many viewpoints." (1) Just like a hologram, Sula's birthmark reveals several different images as seen from various perspectives. The different images of her birthmark mirror people's perception of her, and at the same time reveal aspects of the perceiver. (2) Holograms capture different dimensions of activity (3), and the birthmark on Sula's eyelid captures different images, five to be exact: a stemmed rose, a tadpole, a copperhead or rattlesnake, a scary black thing, and ashes. (4) Each image recorded by this hologram-like mark is accentuated by the way the other characters perceive Sula.
             Nel's perception of Sula's birthmark is that of a stemmed rose. A single and striking stemmed rose exhales natural beauty and uniqueness, which is appreciated on any kind of level. Nel's recording of a stemmed rose on Sula's eyelid shows a degree of love and respect she has for her peculiar friend. Sula breaks away from all that is conventional in the community of the Bottom and is looked down upon for this, and yet, Nel can see nothing but beauty and magic in her and their friendship. "Although it was she alone who saw this magic, she did not wonder at it. She knew it was all due to Sula's return to the Bottom." (5)
             Different characters, different perspectives. Nel's stemmed rose seen from Shadrack's perspective scatters and takes the shape of a tadpole. Tadpoles become frogs or toads, which usually seem to awaken a sense of anguish and disgust in humans. Tadpoles however, are small and harmless, almost friendly. When Shadrack first met Sula, she came running to his cabin: "there was a tear-stained face turning, turning toward him; eyes hurt and wondering..." On her, he saw a tadpole over her eye, "that's ho
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