The last leaf (study for reading quiz)

Who wrote "The Last Leaf"?

O. Henry

Where does "The Last Leaf" take place?

Greenwich Village, in a district west of Washington Square in New York City.

Why did artists move to Greenwich Village?

They were attracted by north-facing windows, old-fashioned buildings and attics, and low rents.

Who are the two young artists in the story?

Sue and Johnsy.

What is Johnsy's real name?

Joanna.

Where are Sue and Johnsy originally from?

One is from Maine and the other from California.

How did Sue and Johnsy meet?

They met at a restaurant on Eighth Street and discovered that they shared similar tastes in art, food, and fashion.

What did Sue and Johnsy do after becoming friends?

They established a studio together.

When did Sue and Johnsy begin sharing their studio?

May.

What happens in November?

An outbreak of pneumonia spreads through the artists' colony.

What illness does Johnsy get?

Pneumonia.

How does O. Henry personify pneumonia?

He describes Pneumonia as a cold, unseen stranger who stalks through the colony and attacks people.

Where does Johnsy spend most of her time while sick?

In bed, looking through the window at the wall of the neighboring brick building.

What does the doctor say Johnsy's chance of survival is at first?

One chance in ten.

According to the doctor, what could improve Johnsy's chance of recovery?

Her desire and willingness to live.

What does the doctor believe is hurting Johnsy's chances of recovering?

She has decided that she is not going to get well and has lost her desire to live.

What does Johnsy hope to paint someday?

The Bay of Naples.

How does Sue react after hearing the doctor's diagnosis?

She cries after he leaves but then enters Johnsy's room acting cheerful and whistling.

Why is Sue making drawings?

She illustrates magazine stories to earn money.

What does Sue hear Johnsy doing while she works?

Johnsy is quietly counting backward while looking out the window.

What is Johnsy counting?

The leaves remaining on an old ivy vine outside the window.

What condition is the ivy vine in?

It is old, gnarled, decayed at the roots, and losing its leaves because of the cold autumn weather.

How many leaves had been on the vine several days earlier?

Almost one hundred.

What does Johnsy believe will happen when the final ivy leaf falls?

She believes she will die when the last leaf falls.

How does Sue respond to Johnsy's belief about the leaves?

She calls the idea nonsense and tries to convince Johnsy that the leaves have nothing to do with whether she survives.

Why does Sue want Johnsy to eat broth?

She wants Johnsy to regain her strength and recover.

Why does Sue ask Johnsy to stop looking out the window?

She wants Johnsy to stop obsessing over the falling leaves and also needs the window's light for her drawing.

How does Johnsy describe her desire to die?

She says she wants to let go of everything and drift away like one of the tired falling leaves.

Who is Behrman?

An elderly painter who lives on the ground floor below Sue and Johnsy.

How old is Behrman?

He is over sixty years old.

How long has Behrman been a painter?

About forty years.

What is Behrman's biggest artistic dream?

To paint a masterpiece.

Has Behrman ever painted his masterpiece when he is first introduced?

No. He has talked about it for years but has never begun it.

How does Behrman earn some money?

He works as a model for young artists who cannot afford professional models.

How is Behrman's personality described?

He is fierce, rough, and critical of weakness, but he is also protective of Sue and Johnsy.

How does Behrman feel about Sue and Johnsy?

He sees himself as their protector.

Why does Sue go to see Behrman?

She needs him to model as an old hermit miner and tells him about Johnsy's belief that she will die when the last leaf falls.

How does Behrman initially react to Johnsy's belief?

He angrily calls it foolish and is upset that she believes she must die when the leaves fall.

What does Behrman's emotional reaction reveal about him?

Although he acts rough and harsh, he deeply cares about Johnsy.

What is the weather like on the important night in the story?

There is persistent cold rain mixed with snow, strong wind, and harsh weather.

What do Sue and Behrman do when they look at the ivy vine?

They stare at it fearfully and then silently look at each other.

What does Johnsy ask Sue to do the next morning?

Raise the window shade so she can see whether the final leaf has fallen.

What does Johnsy discover after the storm?

One ivy leaf is still visible on the brick wall.

What does Johnsy expect the last leaf to do?

She expects it to fall and believes she will die when it does.

What happens to the last leaf during the following day and night?

It remains on the wall despite the wind and rain.

How does the last leaf affect Johnsy?

It causes her to reconsider her desire to die and gives her hope and the will to live.

What realization does Johnsy have after seeing the leaf survive?

She realizes that wanting to die was wrong and begins wanting to recover.

What does Johnsy ask Sue for after changing her attitude?

Broth, milk with some port, a hand mirror, and pillows so she can sit up.

What statement shows that Johnsy has regained hope for the future?

She says that someday she hopes to paint the Bay of Naples.

How do Johnsy's chances of survival change?

The doctor first gives her a one-in-ten chance, later says she has even chances, and finally says she is out of danger.

What does the doctor say Johnsy needs once she is out of danger?

Nutrition and care.

Who else becomes sick with pneumonia?

Behrman.

What does the doctor say about Behrman's condition?

He says Behrman's pneumonia is acute and there is no hope for his recovery.

What happens to Behrman?

He dies of pneumonia in the hospital after being ill for only two days.

How was Behrman found after the stormy night?

The janitor found him helpless in his room with his shoes and clothing soaked and icy cold.

What objects are found that reveal what Behrman had done?

A still-lit lantern, a ladder, scattered brushes, and a palette containing mixed green and yellow paint.

What is revealed about the last ivy leaf at the end?

It is not a real leaf; Behrman painted it on the wall after the real last leaf fell.

Why didn't the last leaf move in the wind?

It was painted on the brick wall rather than actually growing on the vine.

When did Behrman paint the last leaf?

During the cold, stormy night when the real final leaf fell.

Why did Behrman paint the leaf?

He wanted Johnsy to believe that the final leaf had survived so she would regain hope and the desire to live.

What is Behrman's masterpiece?

The painted ivy leaf on the brick wall.

Why is the painted leaf considered Behrman's masterpiece?

It is the great work he had always dreamed of creating, and it saves Johnsy's life by restoring her hope.

What sacrifice does Behrman make?

He goes outside in terrible weather to paint the leaf, contracts pneumonia, and dies as a result.

What is ironic about Behrman's masterpiece?

He spends years talking about painting a masterpiece, but when he finally creates one, it is a simple painted leaf that costs him his life and saves someone else's.

What does the last leaf symbolize?

Hope, perseverance, survival, and the determination to keep living.

What does the falling ivy initially symbolize to Johnsy?

Her weakening health and approaching death.

How does the meaning of the leaf change during the story?

At first the falling leaves represent death to Johnsy, but the final leaf comes to represent strength, endurance, and hope.

What is a major theme of "The Last Leaf"?

Hope and the will to live can have a powerful effect on a person's ability to survive hardship.

What is another major theme of the story?

Self-sacrifice and love can profoundly affect another person's life.

How is friendship shown in "The Last Leaf"?

Sue cares for Johnsy, tries to keep her hopeful, works to support them, and remains by her side during her illness.

How is self-sacrifice shown in "The Last Leaf"?

Behrman risks his own health and ultimately gives his life to create the painted leaf that restores Johnsy's hope.

How is art important to the story?

Art is not merely decorative; Behrman's painting becomes an act of compassion that helps save Johnsy's life.

How does Johnsy change during the story?

She changes from hopeless and ready to die to hopeful, willing to eat, recover, and pursue her dream of painting.

How does Behrman's character differ from his outward appearance?

He seems gruff, angry, and unsuccessful, but his final actions reveal that he is compassionate, courageous, and selfless.

How does Sue show loyalty to Johnsy?

She cares for her, encourages her to eat and recover, hides her own fear, and tries to keep her from giving up.

What role does the doctor play in the story?

He explains that Johnsy's mental attitude and desire to live are important to her chances of recovery.

What is an example of personification in the story?

Pneumonia is described as a person who stalks through the colony and strikes victims with icy fingers.

What is an example of symbolism in the story?

The last ivy leaf symbolizes hope, endurance, and Johnsy's renewed desire to live.

What is an example of irony in the story?

Behrman believes he has failed as an artist, but his final painting becomes his masterpiece because it saves Johnsy's life.

Why is the title "The Last Leaf" important?

The last leaf is the central symbol of the story and becomes the reason Johnsy regains her hope and desire to live.

What is the climax of "The Last Leaf"?

Johnsy sees that the last leaf has survived the storms and begins to regain her desire to live.

What is the major twist at the end of the story?

Sue reveals that the last leaf was actually painted by Behrman and that he died after creating it during the storm.

What does Behrman's death reveal about his character?

It reveals that beneath his rough personality he was deeply caring and willing to sacrifice himself for Johnsy.

What lesson does Johnsy learn?

She learns that giving up on life was wrong and regains hope after seeing what she believes is the leaf's determination to survive.

What is the relationship between hope and recovery in the story?

The story suggests that Johnsy's renewed desire to live plays an important role in her physical recovery.

What does the ending reveal about the meaning of a "masterpiece"?

A masterpiece can be important not only because of artistic skill but because of its purpose and the effect it has on others.

Why is the ending both tragic and hopeful?

It is tragic because Behrman dies, but hopeful because his sacrifice saves Johnsy and restores her desire to live.

Who ultimately survives pneumonia?

Johnsy survives, while Behrman dies from the illness.

What happens to Johnsy at the end of the story?

She recovers from pneumonia and regains her hope for the future.

What happens to Sue at the end of the story?

She tells the recovering Johnsy the truth about Behrman's death and his painted masterpiece.

What happens to Behrman at the end of the story?

He dies from pneumonia after painting the last leaf during the storm.

What is the central conflict within Johnsy?

She struggles between giving up on life and finding the hope and desire to survive.

How is the central conflict resolved?

The painted leaf remains through the storm, inspiring Johnsy to choose life and begin recovering.

What does Behrman's blank canvas symbolize earlier in the story?

It represents the masterpiece he has dreamed of creating but has failed to begin for many years.

How long had Behrman's canvas been waiting for his masterpiece?

Twenty-five years.

Why is the detail about Behrman's blank canvas important?

It establishes his lifelong desire to create a masterpiece and makes the ending more meaningful when his painted leaf finally fulfills that dream.

What evidence foreshadows Behrman's final act?

After learning about Johnsy's belief, he becomes emotional, goes upstairs during terrible weather, and looks fearfully at the ivy vine with Sue.

What is the overall message of "The Last Leaf"?

Hope, friendship, compassion, and selfless sacrifice can give people strength during seemingly hopeless circumstances.