The Last Leaf

NATIONAL ECONOMICS UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR ADVANCED EDUCATION PROGRAM

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT FOR LITERATURE COURSE

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        “The last leaf” is considered as one of the most outstanding short stories of the American author O’Henry, whose stories are famous for humorous languages and surprising endings. The story was published in 1907 in his collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories. The success of “The last leaf” is not only to build round and dynamic characters, especially Mr. Behrman, but also to convey the themes which have deeply humane messages about pessimism, hope, self-sacrifice and friendship.

        The story took place in a New England town in the late 1800’s. It was autumn and pneumonia was spreading through the town. A young girl Johnsy became ill and was on the verge of the death. She said she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy vine. An old man Berhrman painted an exact copy of the last leaf during a fierce storm. Behrman later died of pneumonia but in dying, he saved Johnsy’s life. She realized the error of her ways and the stupidity of dying with the falling of the last leaf.

        Behrman is the main character in the story, but he is only mentioned mostly through words of the narrator and some dialogues between Sue and Johnsy. In spite of not appearing many times, his character is still prominent and deep. First of all, Behrman is a poor and unsuccessful artist, but he lives honestly and always has a desire to create a masterpiece. Already sixty years old, but he still lives alone “on the ground floor of the apartment building"; he even can afford his own house.. He also has to earn money hardly to make both ends meet, so he does not have enough time to make his dream of famous painter become true: “for years, he had always been planning to paint a work of art”. Somewhere in his house there was still "a blank canvas". No paintings for sale, daily he has to earn "a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model". This is the poverty not by the talent prevents the old artist from devoting his life for art. What such an misery and insecure life is!  Secondly, Berhman is an optimistic person. But not because of poverty makes his quality and spirit downfall . He feels  really angry when he hears about the story of Johnsy with the leaf of ivy vine . It turns out that he does not accept the weak spirit of any people under any circumstance. Futhermore, Behrman is a great man willing to sacrifice for others. This old man is the hero who painted the leaf, which helps Johnsy to cast off her spiritual burden on a windy, stormy November night. After finishing this painting, he comes down with pneumonia severely, leading his death two days after. However, the image of the leaf that not falling makes Johnsy aware of her life and recover her disease. This shows Behrman’s kind and loving heart because he does not hesitate to sacrifice himself to bring life to others. The author is very successful in building round and dynamic character of Behrman with very little words to describe him directly. His initial appearance might cause readers to have negative impression on a poor and failed artist, but not until reading the end of the story, do they realize the  fact that he has an extremely noble heart.