PPT: The Last Leaf

 Page 1


The Last Leaf
O.Henry
Page 2


The Last Leaf
O.Henry
ABOUT  THE AUTHOR
? O.Henry his full name was  William Sydney Porter.
? Born On 11 September 1862 and died on 5 June 1910.
? He was an American short story writer, famous for his use of surprise endings.
? he wrote over 300 short stories.
? His stories are about the lives of ordinary people and are marked by his unique 
narrative style.
? Most of his stories are based in New York City and speak of his fascination with the 
place.
Page 3


The Last Leaf
O.Henry
ABOUT  THE AUTHOR
? O.Henry his full name was  William Sydney Porter.
? Born On 11 September 1862 and died on 5 June 1910.
? He was an American short story writer, famous for his use of surprise endings.
? he wrote over 300 short stories.
? His stories are about the lives of ordinary people and are marked by his unique 
narrative style.
? Most of his stories are based in New York City and speak of his fascination with the 
place.
Theme Of The Story The Last Leaf
? The main theme in this story is selflessness and sacrifice. When 
Behrman finds out that Johnsy is convinced that she will die once the 
last ivy leaf falls, Behrman selflessly gets out in the rain and snow in the 
middle of the night to paint an ivy leaf on the brick wall. Likewise, what 
is the meaning of the last leaf? Behrman climbed up on a ladder and 
painted the leaf in the cold and rain and caught pneumonia himself and 
died. The leaf is a symbol of despair that turns into a symbol of hope. 
Johnsy thinks the ivy leaf stands for her life, slowly falling away. When 
the leaf remains, however, it becomes a symbol of hope for her.
Page 4


The Last Leaf
O.Henry
ABOUT  THE AUTHOR
? O.Henry his full name was  William Sydney Porter.
? Born On 11 September 1862 and died on 5 June 1910.
? He was an American short story writer, famous for his use of surprise endings.
? he wrote over 300 short stories.
? His stories are about the lives of ordinary people and are marked by his unique 
narrative style.
? Most of his stories are based in New York City and speak of his fascination with the 
place.
Theme Of The Story The Last Leaf
? The main theme in this story is selflessness and sacrifice. When 
Behrman finds out that Johnsy is convinced that she will die once the 
last ivy leaf falls, Behrman selflessly gets out in the rain and snow in the 
middle of the night to paint an ivy leaf on the brick wall. Likewise, what 
is the meaning of the last leaf? Behrman climbed up on a ladder and 
painted the leaf in the cold and rain and caught pneumonia himself and 
died. The leaf is a symbol of despair that turns into a symbol of hope. 
Johnsy thinks the ivy leaf stands for her life, slowly falling away. When 
the leaf remains, however, it becomes a symbol of hope for her.
Summary Of The Story
Two friends Sue and Johnsy live together in a rented 
apartment. Johnsy contracts pneumonia and loses her desire to 
live. She announces that she would die when the last leaf fell off 
the ivy creeper that could be seen from the room’s window. 
When the last leaf falls off, their neighbour, Mr Behrman goes 
out in the storm to paint one. This gives hope to Johnsy. On the 
other hand, Mr Behrman contracts pneumonia and dies.
Page 5


The Last Leaf
O.Henry
ABOUT  THE AUTHOR
? O.Henry his full name was  William Sydney Porter.
? Born On 11 September 1862 and died on 5 June 1910.
? He was an American short story writer, famous for his use of surprise endings.
? he wrote over 300 short stories.
? His stories are about the lives of ordinary people and are marked by his unique 
narrative style.
? Most of his stories are based in New York City and speak of his fascination with the 
place.
Theme Of The Story The Last Leaf
? The main theme in this story is selflessness and sacrifice. When 
Behrman finds out that Johnsy is convinced that she will die once the 
last ivy leaf falls, Behrman selflessly gets out in the rain and snow in the 
middle of the night to paint an ivy leaf on the brick wall. Likewise, what 
is the meaning of the last leaf? Behrman climbed up on a ladder and 
painted the leaf in the cold and rain and caught pneumonia himself and 
died. The leaf is a symbol of despair that turns into a symbol of hope. 
Johnsy thinks the ivy leaf stands for her life, slowly falling away. When 
the leaf remains, however, it becomes a symbol of hope for her.
Summary Of The Story
Two friends Sue and Johnsy live together in a rented 
apartment. Johnsy contracts pneumonia and loses her desire to 
live. She announces that she would die when the last leaf fell off 
the ivy creeper that could be seen from the room’s window. 
When the last leaf falls off, their neighbour, Mr Behrman goes 
out in the storm to paint one. This gives hope to Johnsy. On the 
other hand, Mr Behrman contracts pneumonia and dies.
The Last Leaf is a short story by O. Henry. It tells the story of an 
old artist who saves the life of a young artist, dying of pneumonia, 
by giving her they will to live. In the process of saving her, the old 
artist falls ill and dies.
The Last Leaf Introduction