The Last Leaf...Summary
The last leaf is a famous story written by O.Henry. The main theme of the story is human psychology. It was published in 1907 in his collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories. The story was set in Greenwich Village. It was a story of two young women artists Sue and Johnsy and an old artist named Mr Behrman who was the neighbour of Sue and Johnsy. In this story, the old artist saved the life of Johnsy with his lively painting. This story told us how a lively painting and art saved the life of Johnsy. It was a story of a young girl who was dying with pneumonia but an old artist named Mr Behrman saved her life by giving her the will to live with the help of his painting. A long time ago there was a street in the town of Florence named Artsville Street.
It was famous for arts and paintings. But slowly the street lost its glory. The reason behind it was poverty. Everybody wanted to love arts but did not want to pay more to artists and painters. Therefore the artists and painters started to do jobs in their neighbourhood to earn their living. It was really a bad time for artists still there were a few artists who kept doing what they love. The did not leave their work of painting and arts. There were also two young women artists among them named Sue and Johnsy. They were good friends. They lived together and took care of each other. both the women were different in nature. Sue was a strong headed and practical woman. She would work hard and face every problem with grace. While Johnsy was always looked worried for the future.
Sue and Johnsy had a neighbour named Mr Behrman. He was also a good artist. now he was being old still he was full of life. He would paint anything for his satisfaction and inner happiness whether it was a bench on the road, a tree and steps in his building. He was one of those artists who tried to keep the spirit of Artsville alive. Being a painter he always helped Sue with her work. And Sue always said to him to sell his paintings and earn money but he always replied to her that not everything had to be done for money. You must never stop doing what you really love. He always said to Sue that one day he would paint a masterpiece to save the life of others.
His paintings will save the life of people one day. All was going well until one-day Johnsy fell ill. This was the time when there was spreading epidemic Pneumonia everywhere in the town. Johnsy also fell ill with pneumonia. She always lied on the bed and she was being weaker day by day. She always looked worried about her health and said that she never be cured of pneumonia but Sue always said to her that she will get well soon. there was an ivy vine outside the window and Johnsy always watched the leaves fall from that vine. She decided that when the last leaf dropped she too would die while Sue always told her not to think like that.
But she always thought negative about her health. She said that she never could be cured of illness. now She was being weaker day by day. The doctor advised her to think positive about her health. Then she could be cured soon. The doctor told Sue that Johnsy had no will to live so she was not being well. If she had the will to cure then she would be cured very soon. one day Sue went to Mr Behrman and told him about Johnsy,s illness and also told him about her claim of death after falling off the last leaf of a vine which was outside her window. Mr Behrman became surprised to hear Johnsy' foolishness but as he wanted to save Johnsy, a good artist so he decides to see Johnsy and the vine. At that night a very bad storm came and the wind blowed very fast and It started raining heavily.
To see the very bad climate outside Sue shut the window and closed the curtains. After it, she told Johnsy to go to sleep. Sue knew that there was only one leaf left on the vine. So Sue didn't want Johnsy to see the last leaf fall but Johnsy protestsp still Sue insisted her to sleep. After it in the morning, Johnsy wanted to see the vine and the last leaf She said to Sue to open the curtain but Sue didn't not want to open it.
It was famous for arts and paintings. But slowly the street lost its glory. The reason behind it was poverty. Everybody wanted to love arts but did not want to pay more to artists and painters. Therefore the artists and painters started to do jobs in their neighbourhood to earn their living. It was really a bad time for artists still there were a few artists who kept doing what they love. The did not leave their work of painting and arts. There were also two young women artists among them named Sue and Johnsy. They were good friends. They lived together and took care of each other. both the women were different in nature. Sue was a strong headed and practical woman. She would work hard and face every problem with grace. While Johnsy was always looked worried for the future.
Sue and Johnsy had a neighbour named Mr Behrman. He was also a good artist. now he was being old still he was full of life. He would paint anything for his satisfaction and inner happiness whether it was a bench on the road, a tree and steps in his building. He was one of those artists who tried to keep the spirit of Artsville alive. Being a painter he always helped Sue with her work. And Sue always said to him to sell his paintings and earn money but he always replied to her that not everything had to be done for money. You must never stop doing what you really love. He always said to Sue that one day he would paint a masterpiece to save the life of others.
His paintings will save the life of people one day. All was going well until one-day Johnsy fell ill. This was the time when there was spreading epidemic Pneumonia everywhere in the town. Johnsy also fell ill with pneumonia. She always lied on the bed and she was being weaker day by day. She always looked worried about her health and said that she never be cured of pneumonia but Sue always said to her that she will get well soon. there was an ivy vine outside the window and Johnsy always watched the leaves fall from that vine. She decided that when the last leaf dropped she too would die while Sue always told her not to think like that.
But she always thought negative about her health. She said that she never could be cured of illness. now She was being weaker day by day. The doctor advised her to think positive about her health. Then she could be cured soon. The doctor told Sue that Johnsy had no will to live so she was not being well. If she had the will to cure then she would be cured very soon. one day Sue went to Mr Behrman and told him about Johnsy,s illness and also told him about her claim of death after falling off the last leaf of a vine which was outside her window. Mr Behrman became surprised to hear Johnsy' foolishness but as he wanted to save Johnsy, a good artist so he decides to see Johnsy and the vine. At that night a very bad storm came and the wind blowed very fast and It started raining heavily.
To see the very bad climate outside Sue shut the window and closed the curtains. After it, she told Johnsy to go to sleep. Sue knew that there was only one leaf left on the vine. So Sue didn't want Johnsy to see the last leaf fall but Johnsy protestsp still Sue insisted her to sleep. After it in the morning, Johnsy wanted to see the vine and the last leaf She said to Sue to open the curtain but Sue didn't not want to open it.
Johnsy again insisted her to do so. Therefore Sue had to open the curtain and she looked outside the window. There was still one leaf left on the vine. She became surprised to see the last leaf on the vine in spite of the storm and heavy rain. Sue told Johnsy about the last leaf. After listening to her Sue became surprised that it was still on the vine. To see the last leaf left on the vine, Johnsy told sue that The last leaf did not fall that night in spite of the storm and heavy rain. If that leaf could remain on the vine then I also could be cured of my illness.
now she gainsg a new will to live. She got recovered from her illness in throughout the day. she started to take medicines again to cure. now she had faith to be healthy very soon. Seeing this Sue became very happy for his friend. In the afternoon Sue came to know that Mr Behrman was in the hospital. The doctor told sue that he had come here with pneumonia. Her condition was not well. He was being taken to the hospital in his final hours.
But now It was too late to cure him. Watchman did not know what Mr Behrman was doing outside in the stormy night. He only found lantern that was still lit, a ladder and some scattered brushes with a palette with green and yellow colours mixed on it. Sue also saw these things outside her window in the morning. Sue came to know about the reality of the last leaf left on the vine on a stormy night. She said to Johnsy to look out the window and see the last ivy leaf on the wall. She told her that this was Mr Behrman's masterpiece. He painted it on the wall to save her life. This painting has saved her life.
now she gainsg a new will to live. She got recovered from her illness in throughout the day. she started to take medicines again to cure. now she had faith to be healthy very soon. Seeing this Sue became very happy for his friend. In the afternoon Sue came to know that Mr Behrman was in the hospital. The doctor told sue that he had come here with pneumonia. Her condition was not well. He was being taken to the hospital in his final hours.
But now It was too late to cure him. Watchman did not know what Mr Behrman was doing outside in the stormy night. He only found lantern that was still lit, a ladder and some scattered brushes with a palette with green and yellow colours mixed on it. Sue also saw these things outside her window in the morning. Sue came to know about the reality of the last leaf left on the vine on a stormy night. She said to Johnsy to look out the window and see the last ivy leaf on the wall. She told her that this was Mr Behrman's masterpiece. He painted it on the wall to save her life. This painting has saved her life.
It was really his masterpiece which had saved the life of an artist. She told Johnsy that Mr Behrman has died with pneumonia. After hearing this Johnsy became very sad that he had died while making the painting of the last leaf on the wall for her life.
