The Last Leaf
"The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is an interesting short story about a sick girl who is deeply affected by a bare ivy vine. Johnsy thinks that she will die as soon as the last leaf on that vine falls. She becomes close to death, but a neighbor called Mr. Behrman, an artist, saves her life and dies. This paper will focus on different causes and effects involved in, first, Johnsy's case and, second, the death of Mr. Behrman.
First, many things lead Johnsy to be touched with the idea of death. When Johnsy becomes ill with pneumonia, she loses her strength and her body becomes weaker. That makes her think that it is the end of her life. She also believes that her doctor says she will not live ...
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Psychologically. Johnsy, by staring at it all the time, starts to feel that she will also die when the vine dies. In other words, when the last leaf falls. Psychologists might suggest that it is because of a negative feeling in her subconscious mind. However, when she wakes up after a rainy night and finds that the last leaf is still there, Johnsy begins to think wisely. She tells Sue how bad she is because of her silly ideas. Finding that the last leaf is still there is a turning point in Johnsy's case. She begins to recover and think optimistically. She says, " Sudie, some day I hope to paint the Bay of Naples."
Instead, someone else dies and gives his life as a gift for Johnsy. Mr.Behrman, the artist who dreams of painting a masterpiece one day, is the neighbor of Sue and Johnsy. When he knows about Johnsy and the vine, he tries to do something in order to help her. In a rainy night, when the last leaf falls, he takes a ladder and there he paints a leaf that will never falls. ...
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of pneumonia and a twist on the fatalistic tone, O.Henry depicted a really meaningful goal: Life must have hope.
In brief, I love this story very much. Its plot and its characters are simply, but it is a very touching story that makes I recognize many things in life. Life is meaningful only for people who have hope and love. The hope helps us live better and heals our body and spirit. Hope is the foundation of our personal futures; each of us would probably suicide without hope. It is the virtue that helps us overcome obstacles. Without hope, we seem to give up easily like Johnsy in the story. Without hope, there is nothing. Another important thing in life is love. O. Henry, through ...
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"The Last Leaf." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 8 Oct. 2013. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Last-Leaf/103107>
"The Last Leaf." Essayworld.com. October 8, 2013. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Last-Leaf/103107.
"The Last Leaf." Essayworld.com. October 8, 2013. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Last-Leaf/103107.
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