Moments (Lesson - 7): - The Last Leaf
Synopsis
"The Last Leaf", a short story, was written by an American short story writer, O. Henry.
It was published in 1907 in his collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories. The
story is set in Greenwich Village, New York during a pneumonia epidemic. It tells the
story of an old artist by named Behrman, who saves the life of a young neighbouring
artist, Johnsy, who has pneumonia and has no willingness to live. The old artist, in the
rainy night, paints his masterpiece, an ivy leaf, on the wall and gives her the willingness
to get cured and live. In the process of painting that hoping-giving ivy leaf, he catches
pneumonia and dies after two days. Such was his sacrifice to save the life of a young
artist.
Characters in the Lesson
Johnsy
Johnsy is a young painter from California. She falls ill with pneumonia. With the
sickness, pain and negative thoughts she becomes pessimistic and believes she will
die when the last leaf drops from the ivy creeper which she sees out of her window.
Sue
Sue is Johnsy’s roommate. She takes care of Johnsy during her illness. Sue is also
an artist, and earns a living by drawing illustrations for magazines.
Behrman
Behrman is an old painter who lives in the basement apartment of the building Johnsy
and Sue live in. He is over sixty years old; he is small and weak and has a long grey
beard. All his life he has spoken of painting a masterpiece, but he has never started
work on it as he is looking for an opportunity. Behrman feels that the girls' safety is his
responsibility. To save Johnsy’s life, Behrman paints an ivy leaf on the brick wall that
she believes to be the last leaf. Behrman contracts pneumonia while painting and dies
two days later.
The Doctor
He is a busy, and an old man who attends to Johnsy and Behrman. The doctor comes
to Johnsy's bedside to assess her condition. He is pessimistic in the beginning about
Johnsy’s chances of survival, as he concedes (admits) that a patient's willingness to
live is integral to their survival. The doctor returns later in the story to confirm that
Johnsy has regained her health. He also informs Sue that Behrman died in the
hospital.
Short Answer Type Questions
1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?
Ans: Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. But later on,
she suffered from a misconception that she would die as soon as the last leaf on the
creeper would fall down. The medicine had no effect on her. Her willingness to live
could cure her.
2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?
Ans: Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon us how we take
it. Nowadays it is very common that teenagers are getting depressed because of cut-
throat competition. On the other hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively
and face difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further.
[Link] has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?
Ans: Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life. He kept waiting for the
opportunity to give it a practical shape. Yes, he could materialize his dream when he
painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper.
4. Why had Behrman felt the need to paint the leaf on the creeper?
Ans: Johnsy, his neighbour who had been suffering from pneumonia, had developed
a strong belief that she would die the day the last leaf of the creeper outside her
window fell. Behrman felt that he had to paint the leaf that night in order to save her
life, as all the leaves had fallen off in the storm.
[Link] impression do you get of Behrman?
Ans: Behrman appears to be a selfless, caring man, who was fond of his neighbours,
and put their welfare before his own. He is a great painter, because the leaf he
paints is so realistic that no one can distinguish it from a real one.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. How did Behrman save 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 falling
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 looked natural and real.
The readiness with which he gave up his life shows art unparalleled commitment to
talent. 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.
2.. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf ‘.
Or
Show why the story is entitled ‘The Last Leaf’?
Ans. This is a psychological story. The whole story is based on the last leaf. Johnsy
was a young artist girl. She and her friend Sue lived together. One day Johnny caught
pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. From her
window, Johnsy watched that creeper. Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds.
Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She
lost the will to live. Her condition became worse. Barman, an old painter came to know
of this fancy of Johnsy. The next night, the last leaf fell. But the same night Hellman
painted a leaf on the wall. It looked a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to
live returned. That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life. Thus, the leaf plays an important
role in the story. So, the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.
3. Draw a brief character-sketch of Sue.
Ans. She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Lear. She is an artist girl.
She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony. She is kind and noble at
heart. She has the qualities of a true friend. Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia. Sue
nurses her with love and care. She works day and night to earn enough money. With
this mone,y she buys medicines and good diet for her friend. She feels shocked when
the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery. Johnsy has a
fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls. She tries her best to cheer
her up. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless. She tells ofJohnsy’s fancy of
old Behrman. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy. Thus, Sue is a kind
and noble girl. She is a true friend.
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