Introduction
"The Last Leaf"
"The Last Leaf" is a short story by O Henry published in 1907 in his collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories.There are three main characters in the story us under,
The last leaf is a story about ill girl whose whish of life related with last leaf. There is one painter in this story who became always unsuccessful in his work. But then he draw beautiful and realistic leaf and because of that painting girl become confident and then she lives her life. But that painter can't able to save himself. He died because of thunder outside, and he made that picture.
That is called as "master peace". So it is good for them.
Summary:
In Greenwich Village which is part of the City West of Washington Square, some painters live here and they found rooms they like, with good light and at a low cost. Sue and Johnsy live at the top of the building with three floors. Sue is from Maine and Johnsy is from California. They met at a restaurant on Eight Street. They discovered that they like the same things, especially arts, so they decided to live and work together.
Toward winter, a cold stranger entered Greenwich Village, he was a bad sickness and Doctor called him as Mr. Pneumonia, no one can see him. He always walked around and touching the person with his icy finger. He touched Johnsy once. Johnsy lay on her bed and look at the side wall of the house next to hers.
One morning, the doctor talked to Sue away from Johnsy. The doctor told Sue that Johnsy has a little chance, he said that if person wants to live, it will have a great chance and if not, the half of doctor’s work would be useless. Sue cried to her workroom, then she walked into Johnsy’s room and carried some painting stuffs.
Johnsy’s eyes opened and always looking at the window and counting back. She was counting the leaves left at the old tree on the side wall of the house next to hers. She said that if the last leaf falls, she must go too. Sue didn’t agree about what Johnsy said, Sue said that there’s no any sense on it and there’s no any connection about on her health. Sue can’t close the window, because she needs light for her work and to have some oney to buy some food. Johnsy always mind the tree, but Sue didn’t want it, so she commanded Johnsy to close her eyes and just sleep.
Sue called Mr. Behrman to be her model in his work. Mr. Behrman lived at the first floor of the same house, he was past sixty and forty years in the Art Industry, but there’s no any success a painter. He had always talked about his masterpiece, but he had never yet started it. He drank too much, but sometimes he still talked about his masterpiece. He will do everything possible just to help Sue and Johnsy. Sue told Mr. Behrman all about Johnsy and the leaves on the vine. They some argue and after a minute, they went upstairs. Johnsy as sleeping, Sue covered the window and took Behrman to the workroom. They looked at the tree and they look at each for a moment of silence. A very cold and rainy night happened on that day.
In the morning, after an hour of sleep, Johnsy opened her eyes looking toward the window. Sue took the cover from the window. After the strong wind and stormy night, there’s still one leaf. It was still dark green and having some yellow part, because of the age. Johnsy said that it will surely fall later and she must go to. Sue showed her concern to Johnsy, she was really mad because of what Johnsy said. The day slowly passed, the north wind blow and the rain past.
The next morning, the last leaf was still there. Johnsy realized that she was a bad girl, because she decide to die, but it is wrong to want to die. They have been bond too long and Sue said that someday she will go to Italy and paint the Bay of Naples. In that afternoon, the doctor came. Sue followed him outside Johnsy’s room. The doctor said that chances are great and he gave some advises, because there’s another patient in that house and it was Mr. Behrman. He had Pneumonia too, and there is no hope for him, but they will take him in the hospital.
In the next day, the doctor came again and said that Johnsy’s safe now and he still leave some advises. In that afternoon, Sue came to Johnsy’s bed then lay. Sue revealed that Mr. Behrman died because of Pneumonia today in the hospital. He was ill only to days. Someone found him helpless, his clothes and shoes are wet and cold as ice. The night where he had been was cold and wild. They also found some things, there ad light and a paint of green and yellow. Johnsy’s didn’t wonder, why the last leaf didn’t move while wind is blowing. The last leaf was Mr. Behrman’s masterpiece.
It was entitled “The Last Leaf”, because the last leaf was the reason why Johnsy thinking like she was dying and the last leaf was the reason why Mr. Behrrman died. He take responsibility to Sue and Johnsy’s life. The superstitious belief of Johnsy, “When the last leaf falls, she must go to” was the problem of two painters, Mr. Behrman and Sue. Sue and Mr. Behrrman were so desperate to keep Johnsy’s health stable or safe, they will do everything for Johnsy. If I were Sue, I will pursue Johnsy to just only mind her situation. Being a guardian, it is hard to take responsibility in one’s life. I know what Sue feels about the condition of Johnsy, but being panic is not a way to solve your problem.
O’ Henry and his story “The Last Leaf” was great. His style of writing was pretty awesome. He make the sickness as a real man, from Pneumonia to Mr. Pneumonia with cold fingers. I saw many stories like this, but this was perfect unselfish sacrifice story. It was a dramatic story that can touch your feelings and emotions.
Conclusion
“The Last Leaf” was a self-less sacrifice short story, that can give you a lot of lessons. First Lesson: Keeping one’s promise was a reason why you need to do sacrifices for them. Second Lesson: You need stay calm so your problem would not be worse. Third or Last Lesson: Helping and working together was the solution to your problems. I would like to share my own experience of unselfish sacrifice. My parents was the one who commit unselfish sacrifice all the time, even though they know that they need to rest, they will still work just for us. All the time, they always mind our safety instead of their safety. I must honor them as the unselfish people in the world.
Thanks😊
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