THE LAST LEAF

1. What was Johnsy suffering from? Why wasn’t Johnsy recovering even after the doctor treated her
every day ?

Ans. Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia. Johnsy wasn’t recovering from her illness even after the
doctor treated her every day because she had made up her mind that she wasn’t going to get well. The
medicines didn’t help her because she didn’t want to live.

2. What did the doctor say about Johnsy’s chances of recovery?

Ans.Johnsy had pneumonia. Due to some financial crisis, she got depressed and lost faith in life. The
doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. Her willingness to live could save
her.

3. Why did Johnsy link her death to the last leaf?

Ans: Johnsy was emotionally disturbed. She developed a belief that she would die with the fall of the
last leaf on the creeper. She started counting the leaves. In fact, she had an attack of depression too.

4. How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her?

Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s interest in things around her. She also
moved her drawing-board to Johnsy’s room and whistled as she painted, to keep Johnsy’s mind off her
illness.

5. Why does Sue rush down to meet Mr. Behrman?

Ans. Sue rushes down to meet Mr. Behrman, an old painter to pour out her worries regarding Johnsy.
She told him about Johnsy’s strange fancy how she was convinced that she would die when the last leaf
falls.

6. How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy?

Ans. When Behrman came to know about Johnsy’s belief regarding the fall of leaves, he saw the creeper
and realised that the last leaf was sure to fall. He said nothing and went out. He decided to do
something to save her life. It was his masterpiece that saved Johnsy.

7. What sacrifice did Behrman make for Johnsy?

Ans. Behrman was an old artist. He knew that the last leaf was sure to fall that night. He decided to paint
a leaf on the wall. It was a stormy night. It was raining heavily. But Behrman completed the job. He
caught pneumonia and died.

8. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true? Or

What was Behrman’s dream? How did it come true?

Ans: Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece some day. His dream did come true when he painted a
leaf that was a near replica of a real leaf. This masterpiece saved a young life and fulfilled Behrman’s
ambition too. Unfortunately, it cost him his life.

9. I’m tired of waiting.’ Why did Johnsy say so to Sue?

Ans: Johnsy wanted Sue to finish her painting quickly so that she could see the last leaf fall. She believed
that she would die with it but this was taking too long. She became tired of waiting for the last leaf to
fall.