Summary of chapter The last leaf

Moments Lesson- 7 The Last Leaf Introduction The Last Leaf by O Henry is a beautiful story depicting the virtue of human sacrifice and love. This story is about Sue, Johnsy, and Mr. Behrman; Sue and Johnsy were two young artists, they lived on the third floor of an apartment in Greenwich Village, a favourite place for aspiring painters to live at. Sue and Johnsy had met at a restaurant and became soul-mate friends. In the winter pneumonia epidemic affected many people in that area; Johnsy also fell prey to it. Her condition became worse from bad with each passing day. The doctor confided to Sue one day that Johnsy was losing hope and desire to get well under the painful influence of the disease. She began to harbour a belief that she would die the moment the last leaf fell from the ivy climber on the wall opposite her window. She also shares her belief with her friend, Sue. Sue discussed it with Mr. Behrman, an extremely talented painter living in obscurity in their neighbourhood. Mr. Behrman decided to save Johnsy’s life. That night when it was extremely cold and raining, he painted a leaf on the ivy climber in such a manner that it looked like a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that the last leaf on the ivy climber on the opposite wall had not fallen, she was somehow filled with the desire to heal and get well. This desire helped her recuperate fast. And she recovered. Jhonsy accused herself. She admitted before Sue that she had been a bad girl. The next morning Sue told Johnsy that, Mr. Behrman, was affected by pneumonia and died. She tells her that the janitor found him on bed with wet clothes and shoes two day back. There was a ladder, a lantern, some colours and paint brushes lying on the floor. Thus he laid his life to save Johnsy’s life with his last masterpiece.