Short Story Review

Title of the short story: The Last Leaf

Author: O. Henry
No. of pages: 6

PLOT:

At the top of a squatty, three-story brick Sue and Johnsy had their studio. They had met at the table d’hte of an English
Street “Delmonico’s,” and found their tastes in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves so congenial that the joint studio
resulted. But unfortunately, Sue’s friend Johnsy caught pneumonia.

A doctor spoke to Sue that Johnsy has one chance and that chance is for her to want to live. Sue went to her friend’s
room and saw her looking at the window, counting backward. Sue looked out of the window and saw an old ivy vine,
gnarled and decayed at the roots, climbed half up the brick wall. Johnsy told Sue that if the last leaf of the ivy vine falls,
she will die. Sue went to Behrman, a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them and was a failure in art. She
told him about Johnsy’s fancy.

Johnsy saw the last leaf was still there after a heavy rain and fierce gusts of wind that had endured through the livelong
night, she decided that she would live and told her friend that it is a sin to want to die.

The doctor told Sue that her friend Johnsy was out of danger now, and she learnt that old Behrman caught pneumonia
and is in the hospital and that there is no hope for him.

Sue told her friend that Behrman died two days ago because of pneumonia. They have learned that the last leaf was Mr.
Behrman’s first, and last masterpiece. He had gone out in the storm to paint it, causing him to catch pneumonia and die.

CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATION:

Sue, a good friend and an optimistic person.

Johnsy, Sue’s friend who caught pneumonia
Mr. Behrman, a good friend, and artist, and a good painter.

SETTING:

A little district west of Washington Square, Old Greenwich Village.

Sue and Johnsy’s studio.
Mr. Behrman’s home (ground floor).

SUMMARY:

The Last Leaf is a short story by O. Henry. The story is about a boy who is sick due to pneumonia. She believes that when
the ivy vine on the wall outside her window lose all its leaves, she would die too. Her neighbor, Behrman, an artist, tricks
her by painting a leaf on the wall and the reason why Johnsy recovers. However, Behrman caught pneumonia while
painting the leaf, and he dies.

SUBMITTED BY:

Ann Marie Lawan

BSED – ENGLISH II