THE LAST

LEAF
By: O. Henry
Two young artists, Johnsy and
Sue, live in a Greenwich Village
apartment facing a brick wall
with an ivy vine clinging to it. Fall
approaches, bringing a cold
wind and illness.
Johnsy contracts pneumonia
and becomes despondent. She
fixates on the ivy vine, believing
that her life is linked to its leaves
– when the last leaf falls, she will
die.
Sue tries everything to cheer up
Johnsy, but her friend's spirit
dwindles with each falling leaf.
The doctor expresses concern
about Johnsy's lack of will to
live.
An old, down-on-his-luck
artist named Behrman lives
downstairs. He overhears
Johnsy's morbid belief and
feels compelled to act.
A fierce storm rages outside,
tearing at the remaining
leaves on the vine. Johnsy
weakens further, counting the
leaves as they fall.
Behrman ventures out into the
storm with Sue, determined to
paint a new leaf on the wall
before dawn to deceive Johnsy
into thinking the vine still clings
to life.
Battling the cold and wind,
Behrman manages to paint
a single, vibrant leaf on the
wall, mimicking the real
ones.
Johnsy wakes up and, to her
surprise, sees the last leaf
still defiantly clinging to the
vine. A spark of hope ignites
within her.
Over the next few days,
Johnsy begins to recover,
fueled by her newfound hope
and resilience. She learns
about Behrman's sacrifice
and is deeply moved.
Tragically, Behrman falls ill with
pneumonia himself, likely due to
his exposure during the storm.
He passes away, having
unknowingly saved Johnsy's life.
The story ends with a reflection on
the power of hope, sacrifice, and
the unpredictable nature of life and
death. The last leaf becomes a
symbol of these themes,
representing both mortality and the
enduring spirit of human kindness.
 END OF
PRESENTATION
Presented by:
• Hazel Claudette F. Abitria
• Lara Aurea B. Acosta
• Luis Angelo B. De Leon
 Reference:
https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/th
e-last-leaf.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2qDXkkiWjXkM0DkW-
fi3Z5QSjRCG3CUrWcSvl1j1b_d_0bCmbuaTLcRBg