HISTORICAL APPROACH OF THE LAST LEAF

In the early 20th century, New York experienced rapid population growth. One of the reasons for this is
the influx of European immigrants to America (like Mr. Berman). The Last Leaf sat in New York's
Greenwich Village, which has developed into a diverse and vibrant artist community. However, as
history shows, urbanization and overpopulation have also led to worsening living conditions, resulting in
a higher rate of disease. The early 20th century was also a tumultuous time in the art world as artists set
about to move away from realism (such as Behrmann's fantastic leaf paintings) to more experimental
styles such as Cubism, Futurism, and Fauvism. As such, The Last Leaf sat on the precipice of a radical
shift in the art world at the final moment when an illusionist painting of a leaf was considered a
masterpiece.

O. Henry, therefore, suggests that physical health is strongly associated with hope for the future. The
Last Leaf artists' hope for the future is to fulfill their purpose in life. But hope, as doctors say, comes
from many sources. The only thing that matters in restoring physical health is that a person has
something to look forward to.

Thus, "The Last Leaf" portrays two women lived uncommon lives. Whether or not Johnsy and Sue have a
love relationship, their decision to start a family together violates gender stereotypes of the period,
especially the idea that women in the early 20th century should devote their lives to their husbands and
children. Johnsy and Sue create a new, alternative model of the family by committing themselves to one
another and art instead, implying that women's interests and skills are much more diversified than most
men of the time could comprehend.

At the end of the story, Behrman paints his masterpiece. This is the leaf illusion painted on the wall in
front of Johnsy's window. After completing this great work, Behrman succumbed to pneumonia,
suggesting that the anticipation of his masterpiece was his only driving force. Significantly, he created
this masterpiece after decades of lonely struggle. Ultimately, he desires to help his neighbors, which
inspires him to create magnificent works of art. As a result, "The Last Leaf" implies that even poor artists
rely on social relationships in their community. Behrman served as Sue's model, he was inspired by
Johnsy, and thanks to Behrman's masterpiece, Jonesy was able to find his will to live again. She mainly
does this because she reminds her drive to produce excellent work. Therefore, creating a masterpiece in
painting requires more than simply technical skill. The narrator claims that creating art is a communal
endeavor.