The Last Leaf

by O. Henry

Living in early 20th century Greenwich Village are two young women artists, Sue and Johnsy

(familiar for Joanna). They met in May, six months previously, and decided to share a studio

apartment. Stalking their artist colony in November is "Mr. Pneumonia." The story begins as

Johnsy, near death from pneumonia, lies in bed waiting for the last leaf of an ivy vine on the

brick wall she spies through her window to fall.

"I’m tired of thinking," says Johnsy. "I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing

down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves"(16). However, an unexpected hero arrives

to save Johnsy. It’s not the brusque doctor who gives her only one in ten chances to survive,

raising them to one in five if Sue can get her to hope for something important like a man, not her

true desire to "paint the Bay of Naples someday" (14).

Mr. Behrman, an old man who lives in the apartment below Sue and Johnsy, who enjoys

drinking, works sometimes as an artist’s model, and as yet has made no progress over the past 40

years on painting his own masterpiece, becomes in typical O. Henry fashion the hero. The

evidence of his heroics are found the day before he dies from pneumonia: outside Johnsy’s

window are a ladder, a lantern still lighted "some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and

yellow colors mixed on it . . . it’s Behrman’s masterpiece--he painted it [a leaf] there the night

that the last leaf fell"(19), Sue informs Johnsy.

The power of hope is the main idea of O. Henry’s “The Last Leaf”

Hope is what threads through this moving story of the love that one young lady from New York

has for another from California, along with the love from one grumpy little old man. The power
of the hope that these characters hold onto throughout O. Henry’s narrative acts as an antidote to

Johnsy’s deadly illness.

Sue tells Johnsy that her idea of dying when the last leaf falls is “nonsense” and makes an effort

to change her friend’s mind by giving her hope. She tells her to hold onto the words of the dictor,

who has said that her chances are ten to one. Sue then draws down the curtain so that Johnsy will

not watch the leaves.

Sue also solicits the assistance of the Old Behrman, who cares deeply for Johnsy. He ensures that

Johnsy will retain her hope of getting well by painting the leaf on the wall of the building

opposite her window because she has said she will die when the last leaf falls. When Johnsy sees

the painted leaf, she is encouraged to get well with a renewed hope.

There are two interesting things I found in this story in addition to the general theme of death and

dying. First, there is the ambiguity surrounding the relationship of the two women. I believe that

they may have been lovers, but it was something that the author only felt comfortable hinting at.

Second, I’ve been fascinated for years about the number of persons, especially among the "house

cases" I’ve seen on rounds, who have been cared for by neighbors. In this story, the neighbor,

Mr. Behrman, makes the ultimate sacrifice through his neighborly caregiving. I’m convinced that

there are many persons whose lives are saved (or at least the quality of their lives is significantly

improved) by caring acts of friends and neighbors.

 St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur
(Member, St. Paul University System)
St. Paul Avenue, Bayubay Sur, San Vicente, Ilocos Sur 2727
COLLEGE DEPARTMENT

In Partial Fulfillment

Of Requirements for the Subject

Purposive Communication

Submitted to:

Mrs. Irma Maglinong

Instructor

Submitted by:

Charina Aubrey Riodil

October 2018