The last leaf

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
❖ O.Henry his full name was William Sydney Porter.
❖ Born On 11 September 1862 and died on 5 June 1910.
❖ He was an American short story writer, famous for his use of surprise endings.
❖ he wrote over 300 short stories.
❖ His stories are about the lives of ordinary people and are marked by his unique
narrative style.
❖ Most of his stories are based in New York City and speak of his fascination with the
place.

Theme Of The Story The Last Leaf
● The main theme in this story is selflessness and sacrifice. When
Behrman finds out that Johnsy is convinced that she will die once the
last ivy leaf falls, Behrman selflessly gets out in the rain and snow in the
middle of the night to paint an ivy leaf on the brick wall. Likewise, what
is the meaning of the last leaf? Behrman climbed up on a ladder and
painted the leaf in the cold and rain and caught pneumonia himself and
died. The leaf is a symbol of despair that turns into a symbol of hope.
Johnsy thinks the ivy leaf stands for her life, slowly falling away. When
the leaf remains, however, it becomes a symbol of hope for her.

Summary Of The Story
Two friends Sue and Johnsy live together in a rented
apartment. Johnsy contracts pneumonia and loses her desire to
live. She announces that she would die when the last leaf fell off
the ivy creeper that could be seen from the room’s window.
When the last leaf falls off, their neighbour, Mr Behrman goes
out in the storm to paint one. This gives hope to Johnsy. On the
other hand, Mr Behrman contracts pneumonia and dies.

The Last Leaf is a short story by O. Henry. It tells the story of an
old artist who saves the life of a young artist, dying of pneumonia,
by giving her they will to live. In the process of saving her, the old
artist falls ill and dies.
The Last Leaf Introduction

Word Meaning
● Seriously - Badly
● Pnuemonia - a disease caused due to the infection of the
lungs
● Gazing: looking
● Whisper - to speak softly using one’s
● Ivy - a climbing plant
● Finality - the state of the being final
● Begged - asked humbly
● Feeble - weak
● Cooperate - to work together

The Last Leaf
SUE and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat. The flat was on the
third storey of an old house. Johnsy fell very seriously ill in November. She
had pneumonia. She would lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of
the window. Sue, her friend, became very worried. She sent for the doctor.
Although he came every day there was no change in Johnsy’s condition.

● One day the doctor took Sue aside and asked her, ”Is anything worrying
Johnsy?”
“No,” replied Sue. “But why do you ask?”
The doctor said “Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind
that she is not going to get well.If she doesn’t want to live,
medicines will not help her.”

Sue tried her best to make Johnsy take an interest in things around
her. She talked about clothes and fashions, but Johnsy did not
respond. Johnsy continued to lie still on her bed. Sue brought her
drawing-board into Johnsy’s room and started painting. To take
Johnsy’s mind off her illness, she whistled while working.

Suddenly Sue heard Johnsy whisper something. She quickly rushed to the
bed and heard Johnsy counting backwards. She was looking out of the
window and was saying, “Twelve!” After sometime she whispered “eleven”,
then “ten”, then “nine”, “eight”, “seven”. Sue anxiously looked out of the
window. She saw an old ivy creeper climbing half-way up the brick wall
opposite their window. In the strong wind outside, the creeper was
shedding its leaves.

“What is it, dear?” Sue asked. “Six,” whispered Johnsy. “They are falling
faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred leaves. There are only
five left now.” “It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.” “When the
last leaf falls, I will die,” said Johnsy with finality. “I have known this for the
last three days.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “What have old ivy leaves to do with your
getting well? The doctor is confident that you will get better.” Johnsy did not
say anything. Sue went and brought her a bowl of soup.
“I don’t want any soup,” said Johnsy. “I am not hungry… Now there are only
four leaves left. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I will
sleep forever.”

Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. I can’t
draw the curtain for I need the light. I want to finish the painting and get some
money for us. Please, my dear friend,” she begged Johnsy, “promise not to look
out of the window while I paint.”
“All right,” said Johnsy. “Finish your painting soon for I want to see the last leaf
fall. I’m tired of waiting. I have to die, so let me go away peacefully like one of
those poor, tired leaves.” “Try to sleep,” said Sue. “I have to paint an old miner. I
will call Behrman up to be my model.”

● Sue rushed down. Behrman lived on the ground floor. He was a sixty-
year-old painter. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece but that
had remained a dream. Sue poured out her worries to Behrman. She told
him how Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell.
● “Is she stupid?” asked Behrman. “How can she be so foolish?” “She is
running a high temperature,”complained Sue. “She refuses to eat or drink
and that worries me a lot.”

“I will come with you and see Johnsy,” Behrman said. They tiptoed into the
room. Johnsy was sleeping. Sue drew the curtains together and they went to
the next room. She peeped out through the window. There was only one leaf on
the creeper. It was raining heavily and an icy-cold wind was blowing. It
seemed as though the leaf would fall any minute now. Behrman did not say a
word. He went back to his room.

Johnsy woke up next morning. In a feeble voice she asked Sue to draw the curtains.
Sue was nervous. She drew back the curtains very reluctantly.
“Oh!” Sue exclaimed as she looked at the vine creeper. “Look, there is still one leaf on
the creeper. It looks quite green and healthy. In spite of the storm and the fierce winds,
it didn’t fall.”
“I heard the wind last night,” said Johnsy. “I thought it would have fallen. It will
surely fall today. Then I’ll die.”
“You won’t die,” said Sue energetically. “You have to live for your friends. What
would happen to me if you die?”
Johnsy smiled weakly and closed her eyes. After every hour or so she would look out of
the window and find the leaf still there. It seemed to be clinging to the creeper.

In the evening, there was another storm but the leaf did not fall. Johnsy lay for
a long time looking at the leaf. Then she called out to Sue.
“I have been a bad girl. You have looked after me so lovingly and I have not
cooperated with you. I have been depressed and gloomy. The last leaf has
shown me how wicked I have been. I have realised that it is a sin to want to
die.”
Sue hugged Johnsy. Then she gave her lots of hot soup and a mirror. Johnsy
combed her hair and smiled brightly.

In the afternoon the doctor came. After examining his patient he told
Sue, “Johnsy now has the will to live. I am confident she’ll recover soon.
Now I must go downstairs and see Behrman. He is also suffering from
pneumonia. But I am afraid, there is no hope for him.”
The next morning Sue came and sat on Johnsy’s bed. Taking Johnsy’s
hand in hers she said, “I have something to tell you. Mr Behrman died of
pneumonia this morning. He was ill for only two days. The first day the
janitor found him on his bed. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was
shivering. He had been out in that stormy night.

Then they found a ladder and a lantern still lighted lying near his
bed. There were also some brushes and green and yellow paints on the
floor near the ladder. “Johnsy dear,” said Sue, “look out of the
window. Look at that ivy leaf. Haven’t you wondered why it doesn’t
flutter when the wind blows? That’s Behrman’s masterpiece. He
painted it the night the last leaf fell.”

Q1. Who was the author of the ‘The Last Leaf’?
(a)O.Henry
(b)Ruskin Bond
(c)Harsh Mander
(d)Oscar Wilde
Ans:-(a) O.Henry

Q2.Mention the characters of the story ‘The Last Leaf’.
(a)Behrman
(b)Sue
(c)Johnsy
(d)All the above
Ans:- (d)All the above

Q3. Who was Johnsy ?
(a)A sick girl
(b)A young artist
(c)A girl
(d)None of the above
Ans:- (b) A young artist

Q4.According to the doctor, about what had Jhonsy made
up her mind ?
(a)She will recover soon
(b)She is not going to get well
(c)She will recover late
(d)All of the above
Ans:- (b)She is not going to get
well

Q5. What was Behrman’s dream ?
(a)To paint a masterpiece
(b)To make a colourful painting
(c)To travel the world
(d)To make a poster
Ans:- (a) To paint a masterpiece

Q6. What was Behrman’s masterpiece?
(a) painting a picture of sue
(b) painting a picture of Johnsy
(c) painting a picture of a leaf
(d) all of the above
Ans:- (c) painting a picture of a leaf

Q7.What did Behrman die of ?
(a) fever
(b) heart attack
(c) cholera
(d) pneumonia
Ans:- (b) pneumonia

Q8. Who was the Behrman?
(a)A young boy
(b)40 years old man
(c)60 years old painter
(d)50 years old man
Ans:-(c) 60 years old painter

Q9. What will happen when the last leaf fall ?
A) Johnsy will recover
B) Johnsy will die
C) nothing extra ordinary will happen.
D) not clear in the topic
Ans B)Johnsy will die

Q10.Where did Behrman spend his night to make his
masterpiece?
(a)in a hotel
(b)on a mountain
(c)in a heavy storm
(d)none
Ans:- (c)in a heavy storm

Q11.According to the doctors what was the cure to her illness?
(a) medicines
(b) strong medicines
(c) love and care
(d) her own willingness to live
Ans:-(d) her own willingness to live

Q12. Mention the characters of the story.
a) Behrman
b) Sue
c) Johnsy
d) All
Ans:- d) All

Q13.Why do many teenagers feel depressed?
(a) because of too many desires
(b) because of higher aspirations
(c) because of inability to cope up with the expectations
(d) All
Ans:-(c) because of inability to cope up with the expectations

Q14. What happened to Johnsy when she saw Behrman’s
masterpiece painting ?
(a)She became confident that she could be cured
(b)felt delighted
(c)jumped out of bed
(d)none
Ans:- (a) She became confident that she could be cured

Q15. What can make a man recover soon ?
(a)the will to die
(b)eating healthy food
(c)will to live
(d)all of the above
Ans:-(a)will to live

Q16. Who painted the leaf on the wall ?
(a)Johnsy
(b)Behrman
(c)Sue
(d)All the above
Ans:- (a)Behrman

Q1. Where did Sue and Johnsy stay? What was their profession?
Ans:- They lived in a small flat on the
fourth storey of an old house. They were
both artists.

Q2.What illness did Johnsy have? Who looked after her?
Ans:-Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia. Her friend Sue
looked after her.

Q3.What did Sue feel when she saw the last leaf on the creeper?
Who was at the window with her?
Ans:- Sue felt extremely worried that the lead would fall off
by the next morning, and if Johnsy saw that, she would not
survive. Behrman, an old painter and her neighbour, was at
the window with her.

Q4. What fear did Johnsy have in her mind?
Ans:- She feared that she would die on the day when the last leaf
on the creeper fell.

Q5.What was happening to the leaves on the creeper outside
Johnsy’s window?
Ans:- The leaves were falling because of the extreme cold and
strong wind.

Q6.Who was Behrman?
Ans:- Behrman was an old painter.

Q7. What did Behrman do?
Ans:- He painted a picture of creeper with a leaf on the wall

Q8. What happened to Behrman?
Ans:- Behrman died of pneumonia.

Q9.What was Behrman’s Dream?
Ans:-Behrman’s dream was to paint a masterpiece.

Q10. Was Johnsy’s life saved?
Ans:- yes,Johnsy’s life was saved.

Q11.Where did Sue and Johnsy stay? What was their profession?
Ans:- They lived in a small flat on the fourth storey of an old house.
They were both artists.

Q12. What did the presence of the paints and brushes near
Behrman’s bed signify?
Ans:-They signified that he had been out painting in the middle of the
snowy, windy night.

Q13. How did Behrman die?
Ans:- He died of pneumonia. He had been out in the stormy night, painting
a leaf on the creeper outside Johnsy’s window. He came home soaked in the
rain and fell ill there. The janitor found him there in the morning.

Q14. How did the doctor react to Johnsy’s recovery? What news
did he give Sue?
Answer : He declared that as Johnsy’s will to live had been revived, she
would recover soon. He informed Sue that their neighbour Behrman had
fallen ill with pneumonia and that he did not expect him to survive.

Q15. Why was Sue nervous to draw back the window
curtains?
Answer: She was worried that the last leaf on the creeper might have fallen
off in the wind and snow the previous night, and that her friend Johnsy
would consider it as a warning that she was also going to die soon.

Q1.Do you think Behrman was a great artist or a great
human being? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans:- In my opinion, Behrman was a great human being. No doubt he was
a talented artist, which is evident from his painting of the leaf on the wall. The
painting was so realistic that everyone thought it was a real leaf, which saved
Johnsy’s life. Johnsy had made up her mind that she would die of her illness
the day the last leaf fell off the creeper.However, Behrman decided to help
Sue, her friend, who was worried about the effect the falling of the last leaf
would have on Johnsy. This shows how caring, selfless and concerned he
was. He went out in the stormy and cold night to paint the leaf, and came
back soaked to the skin, in no condition to even remove his wet clothes and
shoes. He made the supreme sacrifice of his life to save the life of another
human being.

Q2.Why has the story been called ‘The Last Leaf? Do you
think it is appropriate? Give reasons for your answer?
Ans:- As the title suggests, the story revolves around the importance of a
single leaf on a tree. The leaf is particularly important in saving the life
of a girl, who had convinced herself that she would die the moment the
last leaf fell off the tree. However, the leaf miraculously stays on the tree,
giving the girl hope to survive. The title also refers to the fact that the leaf
is the last artwork made by an out of work painter, which also becomes
his masterpiece.

Q3.What is the theme and message of the story?
Ans:- The story explores the idea of the impact of true art, and what
makes a painting a true masterpiece. It also highlights the themes of
selflessness and the supreme sacrifice of self to save the life of another
human being. It also explores the loyalties of a true friendship, and
the levels to which we can go to help a friend. The story shares a
message of the power of love and friendship. It reminds us that
selflessness is the highest virtue one can attain.

Q4. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe
the same thing?
Ans:- Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls. They had a joint studio. They
loved each other like sisters. One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia. There was an
ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. Johnsy could see it through her
window. The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy
developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell.
She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy's fancy. She tried her best to
cheer up Johnsy. She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves
and her death. She nursed Johnsy with love and care. She told Behrman about
Johnsy's fancy. Behrman was a painter. He painted a leaf on the wall when the
last leaf fell. This saved Johnsy's life. Thus Sue played an important role in
saving Johnsy's life.

Ans:-Behrman saved Johnsy's life by sacrificing himself at the altar of art.
"The Last Leaf" is about his extreme sacrifice that infuses life in a young
depressed woman. Johnsy's illness was serious but could be cured if she had
the will to live. Her failing health was more due to her state of depression than
pneumonia.The sixty-year-old painter Behrman took upon himself the
difficult responsibility of saving Johnsy. He made a single handed effort to
brave the icy winds and rain to reach the window by climbing a ladder and
finally paint a fresh and green leaf that looks natural and real. He painted
the leaf with such passion that it revived the sinking breath of Johnsy. He thus
saved Johnsy's life by sacrificing his own.
Q5. How did Behrman save Johnsy's life?

The last leaf

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to The last leaf

Similar to The last leaf (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

The last leaf