The Last Leaf — PROSE

The Last Leaf – O. Henry About the Author:
 William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), well known by his pen name O. Henry, was born in Greensboro, North Carolina to Dr. Algernon Sidney Porter a physician, and Mary Jane Virginia Swaim Porter. Porter was a studious child and read everything, in 1879, he started working in his uncle’s drugstore and in 1881, at the age of nineteen; he was licensed as a pharmacist, though he tried his hands in a number of jobs. He also began writing as a sideline,
 In 1891, Porter began working at the First National Bank of Austin as a teller and book-keeper. He was a careless book keeper and in 1894, he was accused by the bank of embezzlement and consequently los his job. He then worked full-time on his humorous weekly called The Rooling Stone, which he started while working at the bank. Porter and his family moved to Houston in 1895, where he started writing for the Post. While he was in Houston, the First National Bank of Austin was audited by federal auditors and they found the embezzlement shortages that had led to his firing. A federal indictment followed and he was arrested on charges of embezzlement. Porter, having little to say in his own defence, was found guilty of embezzlement in February 1898, sentenced to five years in prison, and imprisoned on March 25, 1898, at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio. While in prison, Porter, as a licensed pharmacist, worked in the prison hospital as a night druggist. He had fourteen stories published under various pseudonyms while he was in prison, but was becoming best known as “O. Henry”, a pseudonym that first appeared over the story “Whistling Dick’s Christmas Stocking” in the December 1899 issue of McClure’s Magazine. A friend of his in New Orleans would forward his stories to publishers, so they had no idea that the writer was imprisoned. Porter was released on July 24, 1901, for good behaviour after serving three years. Porter’s most prolific writing period started in 1902, when he moved to New York City to be near his publishers. While there, he wrote 381 short stories. He wrote a story a week for over a year for the New York World Sunday Magazine.
 O. Henry’s stories frequently have surprise endings. In his day, he was called the American answer to Guy de Maupassant. Both authors wrote stories which had twist endings, but O. Henry’s stories were much more playful. His stories are also known for witty narration. Most of O. Henry’s stories are set in his own time, the early 20th century. Many take place in New York City and deal with ordinary people: clerks, policemen, waitresses etc.
 O. Henry’s work is wide-ranging. “The Last Leaf” was first published in 1905. Summary:
 The plot revolves around two artist girls -* Sue and Johnsy who have their own ‘studio’ in quaint old Greenwich Village. They have a relationship fastened on mutual trust and their common tastes in art. All went hunky dory till Johnsy fell ill with pneumonia and cold in November month. The disease seemed to drain out the last streaks of will and womanly taste from her being. She lay all day in bed awaiting her death, looking out of the window listlessly. The doctor put her chances at one-in-ten. Sue asked Johnsy what she would most passionately like to do or what was her wish. And Johnsy replied that she would like to paint the Bay of Naples. Sue sat in the room sketching with determination, trying to drawn her sorrow to her art. She put the sketching book and pencil on the bedside of Johnsy who was lying sick on the bed. Johnsy is determined to die when the last leaf of the vine falls.
An old, frustrated artist named Behrman lives below Johnsy and Sue. He has been claiming that he will paint a masterpiece, though he has even attempted to do so. Sue goes to him and tells him that her friend is dying of pneumonia, and that Johnsy claims that when the last leaf falls off of the vine outside her window, she will die, Behrman scoffs at this as foolishness, but as he is protective of the two young girls-he decides to see Johnsy and the vine. In the night, a very bad storm comes and wind the wind is howling and the rain is splattering against the window. Sue closes the curtains and tells Johnsy to go to sleep, even though there was still one leaf left on the vine. Johnsy protests but Sue insists on doing so because she doesn’t want Johnsy to see the last leaf fall. In the morning, Johnsy wants to see the vine to be sure that all the leaves are gone, but to their surprise, there is still one leaf left. Johnsy believes that the leaf stayed there to show how wicked she was, and that she sinned in wanting to die. She regains her will to live, and makes a full recovery throughout the day. In the afternoon, doctor talks to Sue. Behrman painted a masterpiece he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.”
Critical Appreciation:
 After reading the story, perhaps many readers can say that American artists life is so poor. It seems to be totally true. Sue and Johnsy are those kind of artists. However, Old Behrman is the best; exemplary one.
 The profound meaning of the story, as the main sound of the song, is the deep love felt between the poor artists, that when love is more valuable than art, it makes art become alive. The time when that love is revealed comes “a cold, unseen stranger” who appears and touches his cold fingers at little Johnsy whose blood is going dry; by wind from the west.” Sue, her friend, does everything for her.
 Sue draws many more illustrated paintings to earn money to buy soup and wine. She invites the doctor to come to see her friend. She cooks, comforts Johnsy to eat and drink medicine. For a Sue, the biggest hope is to see Johnsy become happy drawing the Gulf of Naples, something she wanted to do desperately. So noble that love is, but it is not strong enough to drown Johnsy’s desperation. Johnsy seems to be approaching her end. At that time, Old Behrman appears. Old Behrman is the most strange in the story. His life is unsuccessful and miserable. The biggest unsuccessful thing is in art. For forty years, he has not touched the hem of art fairy. And after twenty years, he even cannot lay the first line of drawing for his masterpiece of which he has been dreaming. His work is ‘model’. However, his portrait is staring at the end of life, he finishes his masterpiece - Johnsy’s life. He pours the rest of his life into Johnsy. That “loveful” voluntary act is silently taken place in a dark night that makes the old artist become immortal.
 The last leaf on the wall is hope and life which he leaves not only for Johnsy but also the readers. It is sure that, Old Behrman understands Johnsy’s emotion. He sympathises with her spleenful embittered heart. He also loves her and wants to dispute her from her death. His thought is both deep and simple: the artist, Johnsy, believes that when the last leaf falls, she will die. That is very simple. But the falling of the leaf is not unavoidable; and he draws a leaf which never falls. He protests the law of nature. He fights with his lofty heart and sincere art. And he rescues Johnsy. This is the beautiful meaning of his action.
 The scenery which Old Behrman draws the leaf is very, special and moral. In the dim and immense, cold and quiet night, the man is old and weak. How to draw a leaf like a real one? The last leaf is Behrman’s masterpiece. Because his painting, is drawn by his own heart in extremely difficult circumstances. It takes Johnsy back to her life in which she can carry out her dream. And also, the painting reminds readers of the great sacrifice of an honest artist. Through Behrman, the theme of the story is revealed fully. By ‘The Last Leaf’ 0. Henry sends to readers a message which is written on the last leaf which never faills to love everybody. That is why art survives.
Characterisation:
 Johnsy :  Johnsy is a struggling artist living in New York with Sue. As winter approaches, she suffers from pneumonia. That year many people were dying due to pneumonia and she thought she would also die. She connected her death wish with the falling ivy leaves and thought that the moment the last leaf of the ivy tree falls, she is going to die. It is her pessimism which was a greater disease than pneumonia. Sue nurses her and tries to instill hope in her and ultimately with the help of old Behrman is able to save her life.
 Sue:  Sue, another struggling artist in New York, a friend of Johnsy living in the same house with Johnsy, is a caring friend who does her best to instill optimism in Johnsy. She nurses Johnsy during her illness, and her perseverance brings fruit as she is able to save Johnsy. As a concerned friend, her love for Johnsy is portrayed by 0. Henry throughout the story.
 Behrman:  Though Behrman, a sixty year unsuccessful old artist, appears only once and speaks twice in the whole story, his affection for the two young artists is very well manifested in the story. It is he who with his self-sacrifice is able to instill faith in Johnsy’s mind and made her survive Pneumonia, though he himself becomes a victim of it. His love towards Johnsy and Sue can be termed as fraternal or fatherly affection.