The Last Leaf

Submitted to

Maam; Maimoona

Submitted by

Irfan Ullah

DEPARTMENT OF English national UNIVERSITY

Of modern languages ISLAMBAD

(18th-Sep-2017)
 Themes and characters in The lost leaf

Sacrifice
The story is roaming around the themes of sacrifice for humanity. Sacrifice may be seen in two
characters as a death of Behrman and Sue as she shows her interest to help the helpless girl Johnsy. A
forty years aged artist Behrman spent whole storming and rainy night on his masterpiece panting for the
survival of the girl (Jonsy).

Death
As we know that in the middle of the story Johnsy is counting the leaves for the countdown of her
own death. Unluckily Mr. Behrman kicks the bucket and for the sake of Johnsys life.

Compassion or pity
Dont be little fool. The doctor told me your chances for getting well. The doctor told me that
you are recovering very fast I am going to sell my painting and by that money I will bring best
edible things which may make you more healthy and strong. Behrman also shows his pity as he
was painting in cold night.

Hope
The hope is Hero in this story. Theme of hope is very nicely presented in this story. Doctor is a
very optimistic person and he tries to make Johnsy realized that is she has made her mind that
she will die when the last leaf fall that could be harmful for her. He told her that he can only
provide her medicine and that is effective as 50 cent, the next situation is in her hand.

I subtract 50 percent from the curative power of medicines.

If you will get her to ask one question about the new writer styles in cloak sleeves I will promise
you one-in-five chance for her, instead of

So O Henry conveys message one never let go for hope and optimist approach in life. It is out
state of mind which can bring worse or better for us in our lives

Sadie, someday I hope to point the bay of Naples

These lines show Johnsys desires and aspirations. It gives the picture of hope and this hope in
life gives us the spirit of living in this world.
Superstition
She believes that with the fall of last leaf I will face the dooms day of my life. Thats why she
was counting the leaves. When her friends Sue came and tell her that dont be fool there is no
relation between your life and these leaves.

Art
The story is totally based on painting and art. We may observe the love of art and nature in the story, as
we see that Behrman is painting since 40 years. The main character is also an artist and Sue as well. The
climax of the story is also totally depended on painting and the beauty of art.

Dedication
Behrman and Sue show their great dedication towards Johnsy as they were suggesting her for keeping
herself from superstations and hopelessness.

Friendship
In last leaf O Henry describes friendship between two friends. They care and love each other,
and she supports Johnsy Virtuously when she falls ill. She proves to be great support for Johnsy
and she tries her level best to bring back Johnsy towards life and in the world of optimism.

The story shows the effective relationship between two friends. Mr. Behrman also shows great
deal of love for these girls. Although he is bit careless person but he really cared for Johnsy and
his love is shown by his painting for the sake of Johnsys life.

Characters in the story the last leaf

The main characters are Sue, Johnsy, and Mr. Behrman . The secondary character is a
doctor. Sue, Johnsy, Mr. Behrman are protagonists and Mr. Pneumonia - antagonist. Sue is
shown as a young girl who is ill.

Mr. Behrman
Mr. Behrman was apparently intended to be the antithesis of "a knight on a white horse." In this
story, "a knight on a white horse" would probably be a romantic young unknown artist who
sacrifices his life to save Johnsy, the girl he loves. O. Henry wanted to write a story about a girl
who was dying of pneumonia and had the conviction that she would die when the last ivy leaf on
the wall...
Mr. Behrman was apparently intended to be the antithesis of "a knight on a white horse." In this
story, "a knight on a white horse" would probably be a romantic young unknown artist who
sacrifices his life to save Johnsy, the girl he loves. O. Henry wanted to write a story about a girl
who was dying of pneumonia and had the conviction that she would die when the last ivy leaf on
the wall of a nearby house fell. The author's plot was based on the idea that someone might paint
a fake ivy leaf on the wall in the middle of the night, and the girl would recover because of the
example set by what appeared to be one brave remaining ivy leaf. O. Henry wanted his ending to
come as a surprise, which was his trademark as a writer. O. Henry had to introduce a painter into
the story who would end up being the one to paint the fake leaf and sacrifice his life in doing so,
but he didn't want the reader to suspect this ending when he introduced the painter. Therefore, O.
Henry did not want a man who might conceivably be in love with the sick girl, because right
away the reader would say, "Ah, ha! He's going to save her somehow!" So O. Henry needed a
man who was a painter and who cared for Johnsy but who could not be imagined as her lover.
This explains why Sue has the following interchange with the doctor:
Sheshe wanted to paint the Bay of Naples someday, said Sue.
Paint?bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking about twicea
man, for instance?
A man? said Sue, with a jew's-harp twang in her voice. Is a man worthbut,
no, doctor; there is nothing of the kind.
Then when O. Henry introduces Behrman, there can be no suspicion that this old man could be
Johnsy's potential savior. Behrman is old. He is a drunkard. He seems half-crazy. He smells of
gin. He has a bad temper. In his broken English, he speaks contemptuously of Johnsy's idea that
she is going to die when the last leaf falls.
Vass! he cried. Is dare people in de world met der foolishness to die because
leafs day drop off from a confounded vine? I have not heard of such a thing. No, I
will not base as a model for your fool hermit-dunderhead.
Behrman's character and personality are intended to mislead the reader. He seems angry,
obstinate, and self-centered. His broken English is a smokescreen to hide his thoughts and
feelings. He doesn't even seem physically capable of climbing a ladder with paints, brushes, and
a lantern to paint a leaf on a wall twenty feet above the ground. It turns out, of course, that
Behrman is a romantic at heart and the kind of man who actually would risk his life to paint a
leaf on the wall of the nearby building. The reader is taken by surprise when this fact is revealed
at the very end when Sue tells Johnsy:
"Didn't you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah,
darling, it's Behrman's masterpiecehe painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.
Sue
Sue is also an important character of the last leaf. She has unpredictable character in the form
of friend as like a mother. First time they met each other in a restaurant ,both have similar aims
and feeling thats why they decided to be roommates. Sue is very careful regarding Johnsy. We
can see her love when the busy doctor spoke to her alone in a hall where Johnsy couldnt hear.
When she heard about the illness of the Johnsy she starts crying. When Johnsy counts the falling
leaves, she quickly closed the window. She goes to Behrman house to inform him about illness
and requested him to come for her care. She always encourages her that you will be soon
recovered. The protagonist and viewpoint character is Sue. She shares a small flat in Greenwich
Village
with another young woman called Johnsy. Both are aspiring artists and both are having a hard
time surviving in the competitive careers they have chosen. Sue's biggest problem when the story
opens is caring for Johnsy, who has caught pneumonia and thinks she is dying. The old doctor
who visits Johnsy tells Sue:
She has one chance inlet us say,...
The protagonist and viewpoint character is Sue. She shares a small flat in Greenwich Village
with another young woman called Johnsy. Both are aspiring artists and both are having a hard
time surviving in the competitive careers they have chosen. Sue's biggest problem when the story
opens is caring for Johnsy, who has caught pneumonia and thinks she is dying. The old doctor
who visits Johnsy tells Sue:
She has one chance inlet us say, ten, he said, as he shook down the mercury
in his clinical thermometer. And that chance is for her to want to live."

Johnsy
The heroin in the story, Johnsy has a soul character in the story. Johnsy is combating with her
illness. She is hopeless and tired because of her illness. Johnsy adds to Sue's problems by
believing that she is dying and obviously not caring. She keeps
looking apathetically out their bedroom window at the old ivy vines growing up the side of a
neighboring brick building. As the leaves keep dying off and falling in the cold winter wind,
Johnsy imagines that she will die when the last leaf falls.
Leaves. On the ivy vine. When the last one falls I must go, too. I've known that
for three days. Didn't the doctor tell you?
Dear, dear! said Sue, leaning her worn face down to the pillow, think of me, if
you won't think of yourself. What would I do?
Susie's future is tied to Johnsy's. If Johnsy dies, Sue will probably give up the struggle and go
back home to Maine, where opportunities for artists are nil. She would lose the companionship
of her friend and would have no one to share the rent. So her need for Johnsy's recovery is
practical as well as emotional.
But miraculously one of the leaves refuses to fall in spite of the wind and rain. Inspired by the
resiliency of that brave leaf, Johnsy makes up her mind to recover from her pneumonia.
With Johnsy on her way to complete recovery, Sue confides to her that the leaf is not real. It was
painted there in the middle of the stormy night by Old Behrman. And he died of pneumonia
resulting from his exposure to the cold.

Symbolism
Leaf
The painted leaf on the wall shows hope. When Johnsy was totally out of senses regarding her
life meanwhile leaf becomes the hope for her life. The leaf becomes soul for her and brings her a
new life.

Winter
Winter symbolized death and sadness.

Doctor
Doctor represents the hope of recovery and same he is shown his love and passions towards
humanity.

Thank you