Class : 9 – Lesson (23) The Last Leaf
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
📚 Introduction to the Story
The Last Leaf is a short story by O. Henry, celebrated for his twist endings and themes of love, sacrifice, and hope. This story revolves around two young artists, Sue and Johnsy, and their elderly neighbour Behrman.
It highlights the power of hope 🟢,
the value of sacrifice 🟡,
and the miracle of faith 🔵.
👨🎨 About the Author
O. Henry (William Sydney Porter, 1862–1910) was an American short-story writer known for his clever twists and humane themes. His stories often combine humour, irony, and compassion, making him one of the most loved storytellers in English literature.
💡 Themes of the Story
🟢 Hope and optimism as life-giving forces.
🔵 Sacrifice and selflessness as the highest virtue.
🟡 The healing power of art and imagination.
🟠 Friendship and care during illness.
🟣 Irony of life and death.
🎬 Main Episodes of the Story
1️⃣ Introduction of Characters
Sue and Johnsy are two young artists who share a small apartment. In winter, Johnsy falls seriously ill with pneumonia.
2️⃣ Johnsy’s Despair
Lying weak in bed, Johnsy stares out of the window at a vine on the wall. She convinces herself that when the last leaf falls from the vine, she too will die. Her hopelessness worsens her condition.
3️⃣ Sue’s Concern
Sue, worried about her friend, tries to cheer her up, telling her not to be foolish. She calls the doctor, who warns that Johnsy’s recovery depends more on her will to live than on medicine.
4️⃣ Behrman’s Role
Behrman, an elderly unsuccessful artist living downstairs, loves Sue and Johnsy like daughters. On hearing of Johnsy’s despair, he decides to do something extraordinary to give her hope.
5️⃣ The Miracle of the Last Leaf
One night, during a storm, Behrman paints a realistic green leaf on the wall after the real ones have fallen. Johnsy, seeing the leaf still clinging to the vine the next morning, believes it to be a sign of life and regains her will to live.
6️⃣ Behrman’s Sacrifice
It is later revealed that Behrman painted the last leaf in the freezing cold, caught pneumonia, and died. His sacrifice gave Johnsy new life, and his final work became his masterpiece.
🎭 Tone, Style, and Devices
✨ Tone – Compassionate, emotional, and inspirational.
✨ Imagery – Falling leaves symbolise fading hope and life.
✨ Symbolism – The last leaf symbolises faith, hope, and resilience.
✨ Irony – Johnsy lives, while Behrman dies, giving his life for hers.
✨ Narrative Style – Simple storytelling with a powerful emotional twist.
🕊️ Lessons and Takeaways
✔️ Hope can revive life even when medicine cannot.
✔️ True art is not just for beauty, but for saving lives and inspiring hope.
✔️ Sacrifice is the greatest expression of love and humanity.
✔️ Friendship and compassion strengthen courage in difficult times.
✔️ Life is unpredictable, but kindness leaves a lasting legacy.
🌟✨ Summary (Approx. 150 words) ✨🌟
The Last Leaf by O. Henry is a touching story of hope and sacrifice. Johnsy, a young artist suffering from pneumonia, loses her will to live and convinces herself that she will die when the last leaf falls from the vine outside her window. Her friend Sue tries to comfort her and seeks help from their old neighbour Behrman, an unsuccessful painter. One stormy night, Behrman paints a realistic green leaf on the wall after the real ones have fallen. The next morning, Johnsy sees the leaf still clinging to the vine and regains hope and the will to live. Later, it is discovered that Behrman had caught pneumonia while painting the leaf in the cold and died. His sacrifice saved Johnsy’s life and gave the world his masterpiece—the painted leaf, a symbol of hope and resilience.
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PASSAGE
📖 Passage
“She was looking out of the window and counting—counting backward. ‘Twelve,’ she said, and a little later, ‘eleven’; then, ‘ten,’ and ‘nine’; and then she said, ‘Eight,’ almost together. Sue heard her and came to her bed. ‘What is it, dear?’ she asked.”
🌟 Questions and Answers
1️⃣ Question: Why was Johnsy counting backward while looking out of the window?
🟢 Answer: Johnsy was counting the leaves falling from the ivy vine, as she believed her life would end when the last leaf fell.
2️⃣ Question: What belief did Johnsy associate with the falling leaves?
🟢 Answer: She believed that with each falling leaf, her life was slipping away, and when the last one fell, she would die.
3️⃣ Question: How did Sue react when she noticed Johnsy counting the leaves?
🟢 Answer: Sue became worried and tried to cheer up Johnsy, telling her not to be foolish and urging her to think positively.
4️⃣ Question: What does Johnsy’s counting of the leaves symbolise in the story?
🔵 Options:
A. Her artistic nature
B. Her loss of hope and obsession with death
C. Her habit of counting things daily
D. Her excitement about the weather
🟢 Answer: B. Her loss of hope and obsession with death
5️⃣ Question: Assertion (A): Johnsy believed that her fate was linked to the ivy leaves.
Reason (R): She felt that as the last leaf fell, her life too would come to an end.
🔵 Options:
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is true, but R is false.
D. Both A and R are false.
🟢 Answer: A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
6️⃣ Question: How does this passage contribute to the central idea of the story?
🟢 Answer: It highlights Johnsy’s despair and loss of hope, which makes Behrman’s sacrifice and the symbolism of the “last painted leaf” even more powerful as a source of renewed faith in life.
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OTHER IMPORTANTQUESTIONS: –
1️⃣ Question: Who is the author of The Last Leaf?
🟢 Answer: The story is written by O. Henry.
2️⃣ Question: Who were Sue and Johnsy?
🟢 Answer: Sue and Johnsy were two young artists who shared a small apartment and were close friends.
3️⃣ Question: What illness did Johnsy suffer from?
🟢 Answer: Johnsy suffered from pneumonia during the cold winter.
4️⃣ Question: What strange belief did Johnsy develop during her illness?
🟢 Answer: She believed she would die when the last leaf of the ivy creeper outside her window fell.
5️⃣ Question: How did Sue try to comfort Johnsy?
🟢 Answer: Sue encouraged her, called the doctor, and tried to distract her by talking about art and their future.
6️⃣ Question: Who was Behrman?
🟢 Answer: Behrman was an old painter who lived downstairs, often speaking of painting a masterpiece but never succeeding.
7️⃣ Question: How did Behrman react when he heard of Johnsy’s belief about the leaves?
🟢 Answer: Behrman was shocked at her foolishness but decided to do something brave to save her.
8️⃣ Question: What was Behrman’s masterpiece?
🟢 Answer: Behrman’s masterpiece was the realistic painting of a green leaf on the wall after the real ones had fallen.
9️⃣ Question: How did the “last leaf” affect Johnsy?
🟢 Answer: Seeing the last leaf still clinging to the vine gave her hope and determination to live.
🔟 Question: What happened to Behrman after painting the leaf?
🟢 Answer: Behrman caught pneumonia while painting the leaf in stormy weather and later died of the illness.
1️⃣1️⃣ Question: Why is the story titled The Last Leaf?
🟢 Answer: The title refers to the painted last leaf, which symbolised hope, saved Johnsy’s life, and became Behrman’s masterpiece.
1️⃣2️⃣ Question: What values are reflected in Behrman’s sacrifice?
🟢 Answer: His sacrifice reflects love, compassion, selflessness, and the nobility of saving another’s life through art.
1️⃣3️⃣ Question: What message does the story The Last Leaf convey?
🟢 Answer: The story conveys that hope is vital for survival, true art inspires life, and sacrifice is the highest form of human goodness.
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