A complete analysis of 'The last leaf' a story by O.Henry

‘The Last Leaf’, a marvelous story by O. Henry, depicts the treasury of life and the inevitability of faith to tackle the hindrances we battle through our life. The value of the life is the cynosure of the story where all things go back and revolve around it. The sequence of events is smoothly carved in with the supporting details. The story starts with a whimsical setting called the ‘places’ and the description of the present situation of Johnsy, the main character. The melodramatic and picturesque setting of the story connects to the negative status of Johnsy facing life and death subject matter. The setting also helps to describe the resources at hand to ‘combat’ the pneumonia mentioned later in the story because they are in a small district where they find themselves unable to treat it effectively with traditional methods.        

The story begins as Johnsy, a young girl victimized by pneumonia, lies in bed waiting for the last leaf of an ivy vine on the brick wall she spies through her window, to fall. She watches each leaf fall. She is very pessimistic about her health and says that with the fall of the last leaf, she will die. Mr. Behrman, an old man considers himself as a frustrated but magnificent painter who is just waiting for the right opportunity to create his first masterpiece. He daubs the last leaf on the wall after the real one falls. At the end, he is able to finish his masterpiece, a real one not because it is fabulous but it serves as a tree of hope for Johnsy to fight against what many believe as an unbeatable illness. Then he catches pneumonia and dies.

‘The Last Leaf’ is the true depiction of O. Henry’s writing traits: skillful plot and twist ending. As the story moves on, the reader cannot expect such a heroic act from Mr. Behrman who sacrifices his life and makes a special appearance in the end to show the sacrificial masterpiece. The leaf becomes his masterpiece because he paints it with the passion to save a life, the courage and determination to make an art not to prove himself but to help others prove that life is something to enjoy and fight for.

The action of Mr. Behrman appears to be chivalric in nature, thus, forming the major theme of the story: theme of the sincere friendship and the selfless sacrifice. He risks his life for Johnsy. He sacrifices his life so that she may not die of pessimism and disbelief.  Sue, friend of Johnsy, becomes the representation of sincere friendship. She always stays home and does whatever she can to keep very good care of Johnsy.

Imagery employed in “The Last Leaf” whether it is sight imagery or sound imagery go hand in go with the theme of death and dying. It helps to set the mood, and tone of the story that assists in imposing the author’s theme and motive upon the reader. An example of sight imagery is how Johnsy seems to feel about the ivy vine outside her window, she feels as though the leaves on the vine are her clock to death.   The sound and touch imagery is revealed when Johnsy and Sue both describe the howling wind outside as “beating rain and fierce gusts of wind that had endured through the livelong night, there yet stood out against the brick wall one ivy leaf.” The images such as ‘a bare, dreary yard’ and ‘a persistent, cold rain’ enhance the effect of something unwelcoming in the situation.

O. Henry in his artistic and unique style of writing brings home the idea how a person, no matter, how hopeless he/she is, can become a symbol of hope and courage to others. Hence, ‘The Last Leaf’, the story of passion, hope and personal sacrifice, inculcates the spirit of selfless sacrifice and optimism in its readers.

Themes:

Death:

Last leaf is a short story that entails the treasury of life and the existence of faith and hope. It need to the importance of living and how we deal with the hindrances we battle through our life story. It is a moving story across the traps that come across us in the most significant parts of our lives, the value of life is the centerpiece of story, where all the things go back and revolve…Apart of this story gives us a hint that God is the only one who knows that whether we ride on with life and chances or trail on and be drawn against the judgment, the melodramatic and picturesque setting of the story connects to the negative status of main character facing life and death subject matter.

The title of this story conveys the theme of death. Last means very close to death or closely to be end. The life or growth of the tree or plant may be guessed through its branches and the condition of leaves. There were almost a hundred leaves clinging with the stem but they were falling due to autumn season. Autumn is the mortal season for leaves. At the same time Johnsy fell ill due to Pneumonia. Pneumonia is the symbol of death for human being and old Behrman dies of it.

 “When the last one falls I must go, too.”

            “Mr. Behrman died of Pneumonia today in the hospital.”

Pessimism and Optimism:

The system of this universe is based on two opposite things i.e. day and night, black and white, good and bad, hope and frustration etc. ‘The Last Leaf’ is very symbolic story which conveys the theme of Pessimism and Optimism. Pessimism deals with the darken aspects of life. As optimism is totally against to pessimism, it deals with the positive ways of life. It also can be said that optimism and pessimism are the two sides of a single coin. Johnsy always leads her life as a pessimist. Sue consoles Johnsy and she consults a painter to paint the fancy of Johnsy in an optimist way.

           “When the last one falls I must go, too.” –P

           “She was looking out the window and counting-counting backward.” –P

            “It is a sin to want to die.” –O

Johnsy the main character seems to be a very pessimistic person. She has lost the entire positive attitude in life due to her disease and she is waiting for her death.

“Your little lady has made up her mind that she’s not going to get well.”

That is the first step of Johnsy that she has made up her mind that she will die when the last leaf falls. That signifies the mental and psychological condition of her and is describing the theme of pessimistic.

“She was looking out of window and counting -counting backwards”

The psychological disturbances shown by O’ Henry in these lines as she is tired of waiting that when the last leaf falls, she will be near to death.

“When the last one falls I must go, too.”

Here in these lines Henry has showed extreme pessimism.

“It is the last one, said Johnsy “I thought it would surely fall during the night. I heard the wind. It will fall today, and I shall die at the same time.”

These words uttered by Johnsy again show her desperate and chaotic state of mind. She has supposed the things which have no logic and waiting for her death, or waiting for the last leaf to fall.

Self-Sacrifice:

Mr. Behrman risks his life for Johnsy. He has sacrificed his own life, to give life to Johnsy the painting he made at the wall, shows his self sacrificing, kind and noble nature.

He himself catches the pneumonia and dies, but he didn’t let Johnsy die.

With the character of Mr. Buhrmann, O’ Henry is showing the sacrificing nature of a man and it gives us a message that self sacrificing is a great deed and one has to be kind and gentle towards others.

“Mr. Buhrmann died of pneumonia today in hospital.”

Hope:

Theme of hope is very nicely presented in this story. Doctor is a very optimistic person and he tries to make Johnsy realize that is she has made her mind that she will die when the last leaf falls 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 our state of mind which can bring worse or better for us in our lives

“Sudie, someday I hope to paint the bay of Naples”

These lines show Johnsy’s desires and aspirations. It gives the picture of hope and this hope in life gives us the spirit of living in this world.

Hope is also one of the major themes in ‘The Last Leaf’. The system of this universe is running at the idea of hope. We dream for future life due to hope. For example, if an old man is seriously ill still he is dreaming for his recovery because of hope. He does not think about the black or fatal bird. The significance of the leaf is life and nurture. Leaf is the hope of life for tree or plant. When Johnsy sees the painted leaf against the wall through the window then she says,

“Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me a how wicked I was. It is a sin to want to die.”

 The Doctor said to Sue, “She’s out of danger. You’ve won.”

Love and Friendship:

In last leaf O’ Henry describes friendship and bondage between two friends. They care and love each other, and Sue supports Johnsy morally 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.

“Dear, Dear!” said she, learning her won face down to the pillow” think of me, if you won’t think of yourself. What would I do?”

These lines show 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 Johnsy’s life.

“The last leaf” shows the theme of friendship and sacrifice. Friendship is such a relationship that is completed with the ties of sacrifice, sincerity, love, loyalties etc. Sue is friend of Johnsy and she progresses this relation through sacrifices.

Said Sue, “Will you promise me to keep your eyes close, and not look out the window until I am done working?”

The Last Leaf Summary

‘The last leaf’ consists of four human characters; JOHNSY, SUE, DOCTOR and BEHRMAN, and a non-living character Mr. Pneumonia. Johnsy and Sue are roommates. Johnsy falls ill and she bounds herself with such a fancy that she will die with the falling of last ivy leaf. But Sue, the very optimist, consults the painter, Behrman, to paint an ivy leaf against the wall. Behrman paints such a leaf which is clinging to its stem against the wall. At last, Johnsy recovers her health. But Behrman dies of pneumonia in the hospital.

Figures of Speech

Personification

A variety of Figurative or metaphorical language in which things or ideas are treated as if they were human beings, with human attributes and feelings is called Personification. In the very first line of this story “the Last Leaf”, streets are personified by the writer but there streets symbolize human passions and relationships.

“The streets run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called ‘places’.”

 Pneumonia is a serious kind of disease and may become the cause of death. Johnsy falls ill due to the prey of pneumonia. While Behrman dies of it.

 “Mr. Pneumonia was not what you would call a chivalric old gentleman.”

Simile/Metaphor

 These deal with the relatedness of one thing to other with direct or indirect reference. Simile is the relatedness by ‘as’ or ‘like’. But metaphor is direct relation of one thing to the other on the behalf of some quality. For example,

                       “Johnsy was lying white and still as a fallen statue.”

“Behrman had a Michael Angelo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp.”

Comparison

It is a technique used by O’ Henry to explain things through contrast and comparison. It is based on the quality or quantity of something. Art and literature are very close to each other but the writer compares them on the level of their functions. He pleads,

“Young artists must pave their way to art by drawing pictures for magazine stories that young authors write to pave their way to literature.”

 Symbolism/Imagery

This story also does have the devices of symbolism and imagery. Leaf deals with life, nutrition and growth as well. The symbol of shoes and icy cold is also used in this story. Shoes are the symbol of oppression, tyranny and death as well. The writer uses this symbol to show the death of Mr. Behrman.

            “His shoes and clothing were wet through and icy cold.”

 Imagery is also very close to symbolism but it appeals to senses and feelings. There is a lot of color imagery in this story.

            “I have something to tell you, white mouse.”

 The image of white mouse is used for Johnsy because she recovers her health now. The white color presents innocence and purity.

 “Johnsy was contentedly knitting a very blue and very useless woolen shoulder scarf.”

             “Old Behrman, with his red eyes…”