The Mind

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The power of your mind

THE LAST LEAF BY WILLIAM SYDNEY PORTER (O.HENRY)

William Sydney (O. Henry) Porter, is a famous American author of short stories. His works are famous for its surprise endings. His important storied included: "The Gift of the Magi", "The Ransom of Red Chief", "The Cop and the Anthem", "The Furnished Room", "After Twenty Years" etc. 

In the short story "The Last leaf", the author aims to highlight how important it is for a person to have willpower and hope to overcome the hardest struggles of human life. 

 

Melancholy: A feeling of intense sadness.

Stubborn: Difficult to change

Muster: Call together or bring together

Ivy: A type of climbing plant.

Aghast: filled with horror

Introduction of Sue and Johnsy:

• Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat on the third floor of an old house.
• They were leading a happy life until Johnsy fell seriously ill with pneumonia in November.

Johnsy’s Illness and Melancholy:

• Johnsy became melancholic, lying in bed and gazing out the window.
• Her friend Sue, worried about Johnsy’s health, called the doctor, but there was no improvement.

The Doctor’s Concern:

• The doctor explained to Sue that Johnsy had lost the will to live, which was preventing her recovery.

Sue’s Efforts to Lift Johnsy’s Spirits:

• Sue tried to cheer up Johnsy by talking about fashion and whistling while painting, but Johnsy remained unresponsive.
• Johnsy started counting the leaves falling from the ivy creeper outside the window.

Johnsy's Belief about the Last Leaf:

• Johnsy believed she would die when the last leaf fell from the ivy creeper.
• Sue tried to dismiss this thought, but Johnsy was convinced she would die.

Sue's Desperation and Behrman’s Introduction:

• Sue was deeply worried and went to Behrman, a 60-year-old painter living downstairs, to tell him about Johnsy’s strange belief.
• Behrman, whose lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece, was upset by Johnsy’s hopelessness.

Behrman’s Secret Action:

• Behrman assessed the situation and decided to help. He went out during the stormy night.
• The next morning, Johnsy noticed that one ivy leaf was still clinging to the vine, despite the fierce wind.

Johnsy’s Restored Faith in Life:

• Johnsy, seeing the last leaf still holding on, realized her mistake and regained her will to live.
• She admitted to Sue that wanting to die was wrong and that she now had hope.

Johnsy’s Recovery and Behrman’s Sacrifice:

• The doctor confirmed that Johnsy had the will to live and would recover.
• The next morning, Sue informed Johnsy that Behrman had died of pneumonia after being out in the stormy night.

Behrman’s Masterpiece:

• Sue revealed to Johnsy that the last leaf on the creeper was Behrman’s masterpiece—he had painted it on the night the real last leaf had fallen, sacrificing himself to give Johnsy hope.

Summary

"The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is a story about hope and friendship. It takes place in New York City, where two young artists, Sue and Johnsy, live together in an apartment.

One winter, Johnsy becomes very sick with pneumonia and loses hope of getting better. She believes she will die when the last leaf falls from a vine outside her window. Sue is worried about Johnsy and tries to cheer her up, but Johnsy keeps watching the leaves fall.

Their neighbour, Mr. Behrman, is an old artist who hasn't created his masterpiece yet. He hears about Johnsy's belief and decides to help. On a stormy night, he does something special.

The next morning, Johnsy sees that one leaf is still clinging to the vine despite the storm. Seeing this, she starts to feel hopeful and slowly recovers. Later, Sue tells Johnsy that Mr. Behrman painted that last leaf on the wall to give her hope. Sadly, Mr. Behrman catches pneumonia himself and dies, but he finally created his masterpiece—the leaf that saved Johnsy's life.

The central message

The central message of "The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is about the power of hope and selfless acts of kindness. The story shows how hope can play a crucial role in healing and recovery. It also highlights the impact of selfless actions, as seen in Mr. Behrman's decision to paint the last leaf to give Johnsy hope and the will to live. His act of kindness and sacrifice ultimately saves her life.

Textual Answers

C. 1. a. The doctor said this to Sue. The person is talking about Johnsy.

 b. The person doesn’t want to live because she has lost her will to.

2. a. The speaker is counting the leaves because she is waiting for the last leaf

to fall. Once the last leaf falls, she can die peacefully.

 b. The speaker has a pessimistic frame of mind with no will to live.

3. a. Behrman said this to Sue. He is talking about Johnsy.

 b. because she has lost all her hope to live.

D. 1. They symbolise the limited time that Johnsy has on this earth and her fading willpower. With the last leaf falling, she wants to die peacefully.

2. Sue tried different ways to change Johnsy’s attitude—talking about clothes and  fashion to inspire her, bringing her hot soup to help her regain her health and constantly keeping her company and talking to her in order to cheer her up.

3. Behrman knew the last leaf wouldn’t survive the storm. So, he went out in the stormy weather and painted a leaf on the wall so that Johnsy would still think the leaf is intact come morning.

4. The story teaches us the importance of hope, the strength of human resilience, the value of friendship and support, and the significance of finding inspiration and purpose in life. It also emphasises the power of art to move and transform us.

HOW DOES THE POET DISCUSS THE ROLE OF ART IN THE STORY? 

In "The Last Leaf," the poet shows that art can give people hope and help them feel better. Mr. Behrman, an old artist, paints a leaf on the wall to look like the last leaf on the vine. This leaf gives Johnsy hope and makes her believe she can get better. The painted leaf shows how art can be powerful and bring comfort to people in difficult times.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST JOHNSY'S INITIAL DESPAIR AND HER EVENTUAL REALISATION OF THE VALUE OF LIFE?

At the beginning of the story, Johnsy is very sick and feels hopeless. She believes that when the last leaf falls from the vine outside her window, she will die. This shows her deep despair and loss of will to live.

As the story progresses, she sees that one last leaf stays on the vine even after a storm. This gives her hope and a new desire to live. She realizes that she was wrong to give up so easily. Johnsy starts to understand the value of life and becomes determined to get better.

In contrast, her initial despair makes her feel like she has no control over her life, while her eventual realization brings her hope and the strength to fight her illness.

Past Perfect Continuous Tense

Definition

The past perfect continuous tense is used to show that an action started in the past and continued up until another point in the past. It emphasizes the duration of the action.

Format

Subject + had been + present participle (verb + ing) + rest of the sentence.

Examples

She had been studying for three hours before the power went out.

I had been reading a book when she called.

 Had you been sleeping when the alarm went off?

She had been working at the company for five years when she got promoted.

They had been living in the city for a decade before they moved to the countryside.

He had been playing the guitar for an hour before dinner.

I had been writing the report for three hours before my computer crashed.

We had been waiting for the bus for twenty minutes when it finally arrived.

 EMAIL WRITING

Definition

Email: An email (electronic mail) is a method of exchanging digital messages over the internet. It allows people to send and receive text, documents, images, and other files quickly and efficiently.

Structure

To: The recipient's email address.

Subject Line: A brief summary of the email’s content.

Salutation: A greeting to the recipient, such as "Dear [Name]" or "Hello [Name]."

Introduction: A short opening that states the purpose of the email.

Body: The main content or information you want to communicate.

Conclusion: A closing statement or summary of what you want or need.

Closing: A polite sign-off, such as "Sincerely" or "Best regards."

Signature: Your name and additional contact information if needed.

Model Example

To: ms.smith@gmail.com

Subject: Request for Information on Summer Camps

Dear Ms. Smith,

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Emily, and I am interested in finding out more about the summer camps your organization offers.

Could you please provide me with details about the camp schedules, activities, and registration process? I would appreciate any brochures or links to your website for more information.

Thank you for your assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

Emily Johnson

Model 2

To: jane.doe@example.com

Subject: Inquiring About Your Recent Updates

Hi Jane,

I hope you’re doing great! It’s been a while since we last talked, and I thought I’d drop you a quick email to see how you’re doing.

How’s everything going with the new job? Are you still working on that awesome project? I’ve been busy with work and just finished a big presentation. Let’s catch up soon!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Your friend,

Alex

MODEL 3

To: Jack@gmail.com

Subject: Don't Give Up on Your Musical Dreams!

Hi Jack,

Thanks for your email. I was sorry to hear that you didn't get into the school orchestra. I can imagine how you feel; it must be really disappointing.

Try to stay positive and not let this setback discourage you. I've heard you play and you're amazing! If you keep practicing, I have no doubt that you'll improve even more.

I think you should definitely keep playing and give it another shot next semester. Why don't you make sure you practice regularly and maybe even get some feedback from a teacher or someone who can help you improve?

You can do anything you set your mind to! Write back soon and let me know what you're going to do. Hope to see you soon!

Love,

Name