...To be perfect short story neatness, brevity and a significant incident or an aspect of character or an experience of some psychological moment is essential. Within its short frame work, it must have a beginning, middle and an end. There must be completeness in its structure. All the elements plot, character, dialogue, descriptions and background must be organically connected with other. Generally a good story has a surprising end which bears a sense of endlessness. All these characteristics of a good short story are fulfilled in the short story of O Henry’s The Last Leaf. It has an ironical twist at the end that is surprising and at the same time striking to the readers. Old Behrman’s bold self sacrifice for the young Johnsy comes unexpectedly to the readers, but none the less convincing and admirable.The story if farther a parable of christian story of Resurrection and sacrifice. The story begins in a leisurely manner with the sketchy background. The old Greenwich village in which painters come to set up their art studio has curious maze streets criss-crossing one another. A traveler loses the directions of the streets. This description of the streets has relevance to the story in which a strong and strange psychological morbidity is focused. The main theme is then introduced it has two characters – Sue and Johnsy. They met together suddenly at a hotel and found themselves sharing taste chicory salad, bishop sleeves and in painting. They become intimate friends and in a cheap...
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...The Last Leaf Many artists lived in the Greenwich Village area of New York. Two young women named Sue and Johnsy shared a studio apartment at the top of a three-story building. Johnsy's real name was Joanna. In November, a cold, unseen stranger came to visit the city. This disease, pneumonia, killed many people. Johnsy lay on her bed, hardly moving. She looked through the small window. She could see the side of the brick house next to her building. One morning, a doctor examined Johnsy and took her temperature. Then he spoke with Sue in another room. "She has one chance in -- let us say ten," he said. "And that chance is for her to want to live. Your friend has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. Has she anything on her mind?" "She -- she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples in Italy some day," said Sue. "Paint?" said the doctor. "Bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking twice -- a man for example?" "A man?" said Sue. "Is a man worth -- but, no, doctor; there is nothing of the kind." "I will do all that science can do," said the doctor. "But whenever my patient begins to count the carriages at her funeral, I take away fifty percent from the curative power of medicines." After the doctor had gone, Sue went into the workroom and cried. Then she went to Johnsy's room with her drawing board, whistling ragtime. Johnsy lay with her face toward the window. Sue stopped whistling, thinking she was asleep. She began making a pen and ink drawing for a story...
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...The short story “The Last Leaf” portraits two young women named Sue and Johnsy living together in New York. Pneumonia has hit the area they are living in and Johnsy, not being used to the climate - as she is from California, is suffering from the disease. Sue takes on the role as the caretaker of Johnsy. Because Johnsy is terminally ill, she is therefore in need of medical help. The unnamed doctor, who is called in to Johnsys aid, is portrayed as a presumptuous and nonchalant man. He seems presumptuous by stating that he could increase Johnsys survival-prognosis if Sue got her “to ask one question about the new winter styles in cloak sleeves”; implying that by being a woman you automatically have an interest in fashion. The fact that he also declare that Johnsy should think about finding herself a man, simply underlines my point further: For all he knew Johnsy could be a lesbian. It is not apparent that she is though, however there are innuendos throughout the story which could suggest that Sue and Johnsy are more than just roommates. The doctor gives Johnsy a ten-to-one chance to survive the illness in her current state. According to him she needs to have the will to live, to survive. On the grounds that Johnsy has started the countdown to her own death by the use of the falling last leafs of an ivy vine, one could declare that will basically non-existent. Sue convinces Johnsy to stop counting the falling leafs so Sue can paint to make money instead of watching over her beloved...
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...Department of State of the site or the opinions presented therein. Photographs © Shutterstock.com 2 THE LAST LEAF PRE-READING ACTIVITY 1: VOCABULARY MATCHING Some vocabulary words from the story “The Last Leaf” are listed below. Each word also has a picture that shows its meaning. In this activity, practice these words before you read. PART 1: MATCH AND REWRITE Directions: Use the pictures below to guess the meanings of the words. Use a dictionary to look them up, when needed, then match each word and picture to the definition provided. Words Definitions A type of disease or illness painter A flat, (usually green) part of a tree or plant growing from a stem or twig painting materials An artist who paints pictures masterpiece A part of a tree that grows out from the trunk sickness Things for painting, such as paint and brushes to get well A person’s best work, a great piece of art leaf To feel better, not be sick anymore branch 3 PART 2: WORDS IN CONTEXT Now practice these new words and phrases. The following sentences are from “The Last Leaf.” Each sentence is missing one word or phrase. Clues are given below each blank. Directions: 1. Read the sentence and the clue below each line. 2. Choose one word or phrase from the box to complete the sentence. 3. Write the word on the line. The first sentence has been completed as an example. leaf sickness painter masterpiece branch painting materials getting well 1. The doctor told me what your...
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...The Last Leaf character analysis The Last Leaf is about a girl suffering from pneumonia, Josie, they have disappointed the most, just begging to the trees in the window of the vine around the vine leaves all fall out, they would be able to leave this world, the Soviet Union Iraq – her roommate, this fee through the brain, hoping to rekindle the hope of life Josey. But all in vain, to hear the news of the Bellman uncle, quietly in a stormy night to risk their lives on that one picture will never fade the vine leaves, that one never out of vine leaves to Josey realize that they should pick up the life of faith, her tenacious survived, but because the storm painting Berman vine leaves and put them pneumonia departed forever. I think this article has three main characters: Bellman uncle, Josie, Sue. Berman is an uncle for the benefit of others, no regard for the safety of others and their own high-quality a person. Embodied in the article when he learned that the small painter had pneumonia and become very passive, he Poverty and ill health in order to encourage the little artist that tenacious live, the old artist struggling with the stormy night to draw up a permanent wall The ivy leaves are not falling. For his own masterpiece and the price paid with his life, but the young artist has been encouraged so tenaciously against the disease. So I think he is a hero forever, he showed to others the sincerity of love and care, and make a valuable sacrifice, more reflects his self-sacrifice...
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...g h h hTo be perfect short story neatness, brevity and a significant incident or an aspect of character or an experience of some psychological moment is essential. Within its short frame work, it must have a beginning, middle and an end. There must be completeness in its structure. All the elements plot, character, dialogue, descriptions and background must be organically connected with other. Generally a good story has a surprising end which bears a sense of endlessness. All these characteristics of a good short story are fulfilled in the short story of O Henry’s The Last Leaf. It has an ironical twist at the end that is surprising and at the same time striking to the readers. Old Behrman’s bold self sacrifice for the young Johnsy comes unexpectedly to the readers, but none the less convincing and admirable.The story if farther a parable of christian story of Resurrection and sacrifice. The story begins in a leisurely manner with the sketchy background. The old Greenwich village in which painters come to set up their art studio has curious maze streets criss-crossing one another. A traveler loses the directions of the streets. This description of the streets has relevance to the story in which a strong and strange psychological morbidity is focused. The main theme is then introduced it has two characters – Sue and Johnsy. They met together suddenly at a hotel and found themselves sharing taste chicory salad, bishop sleeves and in painting. They become intimate friends and...
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..."The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is an interesting short story about a sick girl named Johnsy, who is deeply affected by a bare vine tree. Johnsy has decided she will not get well and has reconciled herself with the fact that she is going to die when the last leaf falls off the ivy bush outside her bedroom window. Johnsy's hopelessness and willingness to accept the worst without a fight is a major statement about the emotional state of the character. In his wonderful short-story “the last leaf”, using sacrificial themes, fear of pneumonia and a twist on the fatalistic tone, O.Henry depicted a really meaningful goal: Life must have hope. In brief, I love this story very much. Its plot and its characters are simply, but it is a very touching story that makes I recognize many things in life. Life is meaningful only for people who have hope and love. The hope helps us live better and heals our body and spirit. Hope is the foundation of our personal futures; each of us would probably suicide without hope. It is the virtue that helps us overcome obstacles. Without hope, we seem to give up easily like Johnsy in the story. Without hope, there is nothing. Another important thing in life is love. O. Henry, through the story, advices us should love ourselves and other people. The love between three persons, Johnsy, Sue and old Behrman makes a moving story. Johnsy had sometimes forgotten loving herself and cause the worry for Sue, but the biggest love is the love of the old Behrman for Johnsy...
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...medicine , and then , in 1881 , when 19 years old , he obtained a pharmacist. Porter moved to Austin in 1884 VACO a pretty exciting life here. He participated in both singing and acting. By 1894, he founded the weekly newspaper The Rolling Stone humorous and served as editor. He also worked for other newspapers and journalists contributed occasionally drawing cartoons. In 1919, the Arts and Science (Society of Arts and Sciences) set "O. Henry Memorial Award" (O. Henry Memorial Awards), awarded annually for outstanding short stories. In Vietnam there were many translations of some of O. Henry short story. The most recent book "The singer's final" due Literature Publishing House published. Short story last leaf was brought into the school program literature. The last leaf (last leaf) O. Henry was composed in 1907, is a...
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...NAME: Mecca Ann A. Llena YEAR&SECTION: HRM 1-A The Last Leaf O. Henry In the 1890s, many artists lived in Greenwich Village, in New York City. Sue and Johnsy were artists. The two girls met each other in the month of May, at a restaurant in Greenwich Village. ‘I’m from the State of Maine,’ Sue said to Johnsy. ‘I draw pictures for stories in magazines.’ ‘I’m from California,’ Johnsy said to Sue. ‘But I want to go to Italy. I want to paint a picture of the Bay of Naples!’ The two girls talked happily for an hour – about art, about clothes, about food. Soon after their first meeting, Sue and Johnsy moved into a studio apartment together. Their rooms were at the top of an old brick house in Greenwich Village. In December, it was very cold in New York. Snow fell and there was ice in the ground. Many people in the city became ill. The illness was called pneumonia. The doctors tried to help the sick people, but many of them died. That month, Johnsy had pneumonia. She was very ill. She lay in her bed and she did not move. A doctor visited her every day. But Johnsy was not getting better. One morning, the doctor spoke quietly to Sue outside Johnsy’s room. ‘I can’t help her,’ the doctor said. ‘She is very sad. She doesn’t want to live. Someone must make her happy again. What is she interested in?’ ‘She’s an artist,’ Sue replied. ‘She wants to paint a picture of the Bay of Naples.’ ‘Painting!’ said the doctor. ‘That...
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...O. HENRY, THE LAST LEAF In the 1890s, many artists lived in Greenwich Village, in New York City. Sue and Johnsy were artists. The two girls met each other in the month of May, at a restaurant in Greenwich Village. ‘I’m from the State of Maine,’ Sue said to Johnsy. ‘I draw pictures for stories in magazines.’ ‘I’m from California,’ Johnsy said to Sue. ‘But I want to go to Italy. I want to paint a picture of the Bay of Naples!’ The two girls talked happily for an hour – about art, about clothes, about food. Soon after their first meeting, Sue and Johnsy moved into a studio apartment together. Their rooms were at the top of an old brick house in Greenwich Village. In December, it was very cold in New York. Snow fell and there was ice in the ground. Many people in the city became ill. The illness was called pneumonia. The doctors tried to help the sick people, but many of them died. That month, Johnsy had pneumonia. She was very ill. She lay in her bed and she did not move. A doctor visited her every day. But Johnsy was not getting better. One morning, the doctor spoke quietly to Sue outside Johnsy’s room. ‘I can’t help her,’ the doctor said. ‘She is very sad. She doesn’t want to live. Someone must make her happy again. What is she interested in?’ ‘She’s an artist,’ Sue replied. ‘She wants to paint a picture of the Bay of Naples.’ ‘Painting!’ said the doctor. ‘That won’t help her!’ The doctor left the apartment. Sue went into her own room and she cried quietly for a few minutes. Then...
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...------------------------------------------------- so he renamed it The Rolling Stone. For a while, he did the writing and even the illustrations, but couldn't keep it up. The ------------------------------------------------- Rolling Stone apparently gathered moss and failed. He was a master of the short story . He was an American story writer whose real name was William Sydney Porter.. ------------------------------------------------- Johnsy and Sue are artists who move into Greenwich Village in New York City.As winter approaches and the weather gets colder, Johnsy becomes ill with pneumonia. She gets so sick that she believes that when the last leaf falls from the vine outside her window , she will die. An old artist , named Behrman , who lives in the same building as the girls, braves a storm one night to paint a leaf on the wall – a leaf that will never fall.Cold and wet from painting in the icy rain , he catches pneumonia and dies. This gives Johnsy the hope to survive her illness , and it also creates the masterpiece Behrman had always dreamed of painting . Summary | Living in early 20th century Greenwich Village are two young women artists, Sue and Johnsy (familiar for Joanna). They met in May, six months previously, and decided to share a studio apartment. Stalking their artist colony in November is "Mr. Pneumonia." The story begins as Johnsy, near death from...
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...The last leaf - Art for Human Life (Literary criticism essay) 08/06/2009 08:17 | 1,819 lượt xem After reading the story, perhapsmany readers can say that American artists’ life is so poor. It seems be totally true. Nothing their property is. Their residences are bad too, “north windows and eighteenth-century gables and Dutch attics and low rents”. Sue and Johnsy are those kind of artist. However, Old Buhrman is the best exemplary one. So is it true that “The last leaf” was written in order toaccuse the misery of American artists? It must be NO. The profound meaning of the story, as the main sound of a song, is the deep-felt love between poor artists. That love wins poverty, disease. That love is more valuable than art. It makes art become alive. The time when that love is revealed is “a cold, unseen stranger” appears and touches his cold fingers on little Johnsy whose blood is going dry by wind from the west. Sue, herfriend, does everything for her with a big heart. Sue draws many more illustrated paintings to earn money to buy soup, wine. She invites doctor to come to see her friend. Shecooks, comforts Johnsy to eat and drink medicine. With Sue, the biggest hope of her is to see Johnsy become happy with her desperation, drawing the Naples guff.So noble that love is. But it is not strong enough to drown Johnsy’s desperation. Reading these pages, readers seem to be nearly strangled by her bigger and bigger desperation: “I want to see the last one fall. I'm tired of waiting...
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...The Last Leaf by O. Henry from The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories This Level 1 ELLSA lesson can be accessed on the internet at http://www.rdlthai.com/ellsa_lastleaf1.html Lesson plan and text: Jeffrey Taschner, 1999 Print and web-adaptation: John Morgan, 1999 © USIA, 1999. All rights reserved 1. SYNOPSIS 1a) Synopsis Johnsy and Sue are artists who move into Greenwich Village in New York City. As Winter approaches and the weather gets colder, Johnsy becomes ill with pneumonia. She gets so sick that she believes that when the last leaf falls from the vine outside her window, she will die. An old artist, named Behrman, who lives in the same building as the girls, braves a storm one night to paint a leaf on the wall — a leaf that will never fall. Cold and wet from painting in the icy rain, he catches pneumonia and dies. This gives Johnsy the hope to survive her illness, and it also creates the masterpiece Behrman had always dreamed of painting. 1b) Vocab checkpoint • approaches (verb) To approach is to move towards. It is often used with seasons and special occasions (New Year, Christmas, birthdays) as in the example here, as well as with people and moving objects (vehicles, etc). • becomes (verb) In this example, becomes has the same meaning as "gets". With illnesses, we often use "to fall", or "to be taken": Johnsy fell ill/Johnsy was taken ill • pneumonia (noun) Pneumonia is a serious illness of the lungs. • vine (noun) A vine is like...
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...The Last Leaf by O. Henry This story takes place in New York City where two young women share an apartment. They, like all the tenents in their building, are artists who earn their daily break making drawings for magazine advertisements. All the artists, though, hope to paint a masterpiece, someday. One of the girls has come down with pneumonia. She isn't in a hospital (as she would be today) but is being nursed by her room-mate. The doctor has visited the apartment and advises the healthy girl that her ill friend will only recover if she has the will to live. The sick girl is in bed staring out the window. On this rainy November day, she is staring through the window watching leaves fall from a vine on the opposite building wall. She announces that when the last leaf falls, she will die. The nurse is in a panic. She does her best to bring some cheer, to infuse her friend with the will to live. The sick girl refuses to improve. The healthy girl visits an old artist who lives downstairs. She tells the old drunk that their friend needs a reason to live. He scoffs at this suggestion, and our nurse goes home dejected. The next day, the last leaf is still on the vine. And, the next day, it's still there. Our patient begins to improve. The doctor visits and gives her a much better chance of survival. But, he lets her know that the old man downstairs is now stricken with pneumonia. They found him in his room sick, wet, and cold. Outside was a ladder and his pallette...
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...apartment. The story begins as Johnsy, near death from pneumonia, lies in bed waiting for the last leaf of an ivy vine on the brick wall she spies through her window to fall. Mr. Behrman, an old man who lives in the apartment below Sue and Johnsy, who enjoys drinking, works sometimes as an artist’s model, and as yet has made no progress over the past 40 years on painting his own masterpiece, becomes in typical authors fashion the hero. The evidence of his heroics is found the day before he dies from pneumonia. JOHNSY - She suffers from pneumonia in this story. Her wish for death and her dialogues reflect her disparity for life. - Her word has no direct relation with Sue’s question, which shows her state of mind, the blank mind. It’s a vivid description of a dying Johnsy. - With her actions and condition we were able to realize that we have hope and we must believe and have a faith. MR. BEHRMAN - Though the hero appears only once and speaks twice in the whole story but he, successfully reveals his affection to two young artists and his noble spirit. - Though he was hard in the outside, he was full of gentle feelings in heart. - His love towards Johnsy and Sue was fraternal or fatherly affections. SUE - Sue who is caring nursing, tolerating, through perseverance and gentleness. - Shows her fondness for her weak friend. - She does her duty as a concerned friend. II. SETTINGS The last leaf takes place in New York City. The largest city in America, the location of the story is...
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