THE LAST LEAF

TITLE JUSTIFICATION

The entire story revolves around the ivy leaf on the

vine. The protagonist, Johnsy, announces that she will
die when the last leaf falls, and the leaf becomes a
symbol of despair and demise. She loses her hope of
living her life and waits to rest forever. The story binds
the credence of Johnsy and the sacrifice of Behrman.
It implies how the last leaf, initially a messenger of
death, becomes a ray of hope.

Theme

This story cherishes the idea of hope, willpower, and

sacrifice. It emphasizes the importance of mental
strength in staying alive. The leaf in the story plays a
significant role as a symbol of demise and in
producing Behrman's masterpiece. Behrman's selfless
act of painting the last leaf at the cost of his own life is
explicitly portrayed. The existence of Behrman's
painted leaf provides the necessary mental support to
Johnsy to survive and fight her illness. Moreover, it also
made her realize that she was wrong to think of dying.