Bonala Kondal: THE LAST LEAF by O. Henry

11 September 2012

THE LAST LEAF by O. Henry

The Last Leaf

- O. Henry

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, wordplay, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.

    In a short story, The Last Leaf O' Henry describes how an old painter sacrifices his own life to save the life of a young artist.

    At the top of a three-story building, Sue and Johnsy had their studio. Sue and Johnsy were young artists. Johnsy was known as Joanna, she was from Maine. Sue was known as Sudie, from California.

    One day in November Johnsy was severely attacked by pneumonia, an illness. She lay on her side bed looking through the window at the blank wall of the next house. She was very upset with her illness.

    One morning doctor invited, he examined Johnsy. Doctor said that Johnsy was seriously ill. The chance of her living depends on her want to live so she should have interest for her life. The doctor left the place. Then Sue settled herself to draw a picture for a magazine story. But then she found that Johnsy was counting the number of leaves of decayed ivy-vine on the brick wall. Sue asked her what was there is to count. Then she replied that she would die when the last leaf fell. Johnsy goes on counting the leaves. Sue was irritated and worried of Johnsy's stupidity but tried a lot to make her comfortable.

    Sue when to Old Behrman, a sixty-year-old man to request him to be a model for her painting. Behrman, who lived on the ground floor of the same building. He was a failure in art. He wanted to paint a masterpiece but never yet begun it. For several years, he had painted a blend of paint in the line of advertising or commerce. He earned a little by serving as a model to young artists. He was paid. He drank gin to excess and always talked about his masterpiece which was never begun. He considered himself to be a guardian of the two young girls.

    Sue told him about Johnsy's fanciful fears. Behrman laughed at Johnsy's foolish thoughts.
Johnsy continued to think that she would die when the last leaf fell. Johnsy was sleeping when Behrman and Sue went upstairs. They went to another room and peered out the window fearfully at the ivy-vine. That night it rained heavily and the violent wind went on blowing throughout the night. But, the very next day, Johnsy found the last leaf remaining on the ivy-vine, then she realized that it was a sin to want to die. The doctor found that Johnsy's condition was improved.

    Later Sue told Johnsy that Behrman died of pneumonia. He went out during the fearful night of rain and winds to paint the last leaf on the brick wall. As a result, he attacked pneumonia and died. But his painting saved the life of Johnsy. The wonderful portrait of the characters made the picture a masterpiece. It ends with the death of Behrman. But, initially pneumonia severely attacked Johnsy but the end the story ends with the death of Old Behrman.