The Last Leaf: NCERT Class 9 English Supplementary Chapter 7

Summary of 'The Last Leaf'

In a small apartment in Greenwich Village, two young artists named Sue and Johnsy live together. In the cold winter, Johnsy contracts pneumonia and becomes gravely ill. She loses the will to live and develops a morbid fancy that her life is tied to an old ivy vine outside her window. She tells Sue that she will die when the last leaf falls from the vine. As the days pass, the leaves fall one by one, and Johnsy's condition worsens. Sue is deeply worried and tries everything to cheer her up, but Johnsy remains fixated on the vine. Sue confides in their downstairs neighbor, an old, unsuccessful painter named Behrman. He is initially gruff and dismissive of Johnsy's 'silly' idea but is secretly very fond of the girls. One night, a fierce storm rages, and only one leaf remains. Johnsy is sure it will fall, but the next morning, it is still there. Seeing the leaf cling to the branch through the storm inspires Johnsy; she regains her will to live and begins to recover. Later, Sue learns that Mr. Behrman has died of pneumonia. He had gone out in the storm to paint the last leaf on the wall, creating a masterpiece that saved Johnsy's life at the cost of his own.

Character Analysis

Understanding the characters is key to unlocking the story's meaning.

• Johnsy: A young artist who is physically and emotionally fragile. Her illness, pneumonia, is made worse by her psychological state of despair. By linking her life to the falling leaves, she gives up control and surrenders to pessimism. The painted leaf becomes a powerful symbol of endurance for her, shocking her out of her depression and rekindling her will to live. Her journey highlights the critical link between mind and body.
• Sue: The embodiment of a true friend. She is practical, loving, and relentlessly optimistic. She works tirelessly, nursing Johnsy, trying to distract her with art and cheerful chatter, and seeking help from the doctor and Behrman. Sue acts as the emotional anchor of the story, representing unwavering hope and selfless care.
• Behrman: The story's unlikely hero. He is portrayed as a grumpy, old painter who has always dreamed of painting a masterpiece but has never succeeded. He scoffs at Johnsy's fantasy but is deeply moved by her plight. His final act—painting a realistic leaf on the wall during a freezing storm—is his masterpiece. It is an act of ultimate sacrifice, saving Johnsy's life while he himself catches pneumonia and dies. He proves that true art is not about fame, but about giving life and hope to others.

How to Analyze the Themes of 'The Last Leaf'

1. Step 1: Identify the Central Conflict — The main conflict is not just Johnsy vs. pneumonia, but more deeply, Hope vs. Despair. Johnsy has given up hope and is waiting to die. The entire story revolves around the efforts of Sue and Behrman to restore her hope.
2. Step 2: Trace the Theme of Friendship and Loyalty — Analyze Sue's actions. She cooks for Johnsy, tries to earn money, talks to the doctor, and never gives up on her friend. Her loyalty is a constant force against Johnsy's despair. This shows that friendship is a powerful, life-sustaining bond.
3. Step 3: Uncover the Theme of Sacrifice — Focus on Mr. Behrman. He sacrifices his health and ultimately his life to save Johnsy. He goes out in a terrible storm to paint the leaf. His sacrifice is selfless and hidden, making it even more profound. He gives his life so that Johnsy may live.
4. Step 4: Connect the Themes to the Idea of a 'Masterpiece' — The story redefines what a masterpiece is. Behrman's dream was to paint one for fame and glory. However, his true masterpiece was not a grand painting in a gallery, but a single leaf painted on a wall. It was a masterpiece because it was an act of selfless love that saved a life. The true value of art, the story suggests, lies in its ability to inspire hope and humanity.

Important Points for Your Exam

When answering questions about 'The Last Leaf', remember these key points to score higher marks:

• Behrman's Masterpiece: Don't just say he painted a leaf. Explain why it was a masterpiece. It was a perfect illusion that fooled Johnsy, it was painted under extreme, life-threatening conditions, and its purpose was not fame but to save a life through an act of supreme sacrifice.
• The Power of the Mind: Emphasize the connection between Johnsy's mental state and her physical recovery. The doctor himself states that her chances are low because she has lost the will to live. Her recovery begins only when her mindset changes after seeing the resilient leaf.
• Irony: A key literary device in this story is irony. Behrman, the protector, dies from the very illness he saved Johnsy from. The 'last leaf' that dies is Behrman himself, while the painted leaf 'lives' on the wall, giving life to Johnsy. Mentioning this will show a deeper understanding.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: What was Behrman’s dream? Did it come true?
  A: Step 1: Identify Behrman's dream. Mr. Behrman was an old painter who had a lifelong dream of painting a masterpiece.
  Step 2: Explain how the dream was fulfilled. His dream did come true, but not in the way one might expect. He painted a single ivy leaf on the wall outside Johnsy's window during a stormy night.
  Step 3: Explain why it was a masterpiece. This painting became his masterpiece because it was so realistic that it tricked Johnsy into believing a real leaf had survived the storm. This illusion gave her the hope and will to live, ultimately saving her life. It was a masterpiece of art and sacrifice.
  Final answer: Behrman's dream was to paint a masterpiece. It came true when he painted the last leaf on the wall, an act of selfless art that saved Johnsy's life.

• Q: How did Sue prove to be a true friend to Johnsy?
  A: Step 1: Describe Sue's actions when Johnsy was sick. Sue looked after all of Johnsy's needs. She would make her soup, sit by her side, and talk about cheerful things like fashion and art to distract her from her illness.
  Step 2: Explain her emotional support. She tried hard to counter Johnsy's pessimism about the last leaf, showing her unwavering hope and love. She also worked on her own drawings in Johnsy's room to earn money for them.
  Step 3: Mention her seeking external help. When she was unable to help Johnsy on her own, she sought help from their neighbor, Mr. Behrman, sharing her worries and ultimately enabling the final act that saved Johnsy.
  Final answer: Sue proved to be a true friend by providing constant physical and emotional support, working to provide for them, and never giving up on Johnsy, even when Johnsy had given up on herself.

• Q: What is the significance of the title 'The Last Leaf'?
  A: Step 1: Explain the literal meaning in the story. The title refers to the last leaf on the ivy vine that Johnsy watches from her window. She believes her life will end when this leaf falls.
  Step 2: Explain the symbolic meaning. The 'last leaf' symbolizes hope. First, the real leaf's persistence gives a glimmer of hope. Then, the painted leaf becomes a powerful, enduring symbol of hope and resilience that inspires Johnsy to fight for her life.
  Step 3: Connect it to Behrman's sacrifice. The title also has a deeper, poignant meaning. The painted leaf is Behrman's 'last' work and his greatest achievement. In creating it, he sacrifices his own life, becoming, in a way, the final leaf to fall so that Johnsy could live.
  Final answer: The title 'The Last Leaf' is significant as it represents Johnsy's fragile hope, the powerful symbol of resilience that saves her, and Mr. Behrman's final, sacrificial act of creating his masterpiece.

• Q: 'It is a sin to want to die.' How did Johnsy feel this after her recovery?
  A: Step 1: Describe Johnsy's initial desire to die. Initially, Johnsy had lost all hope and was passively waiting for death, which she had linked to the fall of the last ivy leaf.
  Step 2: Explain the change in her perspective. After seeing the last leaf stubbornly clinging to the vine through the fierce storm, she has a profound realization. She understands that something has made that leaf stay there, and it was a sign for her.
  Step 3: State her final realization. She tells Sue that the leaf has shown her how wicked she was. She realizes it is a 'sin to want to die' because life is precious and one must fight to live, just as the little leaf had fought to stay on the branch. This marks her complete psychological and spiritual recovery.
  Final answer: After seeing the painted leaf survive the storm, Johnsy realized her wish to die was 'wicked.' The leaf's resilience taught her the value of life and the importance of having the will to live, making her understand that giving up is a sin.

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