The Last Leaf Summary

“The Last Leaf,” a short story by O. Henry, is a touching tale of love, friendship, and sacrifice. The story’s unique narrative and unexpected plot twist make it a literary classic. This article will guide you on how to write a well-rounded summary of “The Last Leaf.”

Step 1: Understand the Story

The first step in writing a summary is reading the story and understanding it thoroughly. “The Last Leaf” outlines the tale of two young women, Sue and Johnsy, living in Greenwich Village, who are both artists. Johnsy falls ill with pneumonia, and her health deteriorates rapidly, causing her to lose hope and the will to live.

Step 2: Identify the Characters

The main characters in “The Last Leaf” are Sue, Johnsy, and Behrman. Sue is a caring friend who tries her best to help Johnsy regain her will to live. Johnsy is battling pneumonia and has become so hopeless that she believes she will die when the last leaf on the vine outside their window falls. Behrman, an older artist living in the same building, serves as a pivotal character in the story.

Step 3: Understand the Plot

While Sue and Johnsy are the primary characters in the story, the plot takes a significant turn due to Behrman. He’s an old, unsuccessful artist who has always dreamed of painting a masterpiece. When he learns about Johnsy’s condition and her strange belief about the last leaf, he decides to help. On a stormy night, he goes out and paints a leaf on the wall where the vine is. The next morning, Johnsy sees the ‘leaf’ still clinging to the vine, which ignites a spark of hope and aids her recovery. However, the same night, Behrman, who was out in the cold, catches pneumonia and dies, making the painted leaf his unintended masterpiece.

Step 4: Highlight the Themes

The story touches on themes of friendship, sacrifice, hope, and the power of art. Behrman’s sacrifice, Sue’s unwavering support for Johnsy, Johnsy’s regained hope upon seeing the last leaf, and the role of Behrman’s painting in this transformation are all significant aspects of the narrative.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

Start your summary with an introduction that provides an overview of the story:

“‘The Last Leaf’ by O. Henry is a heartwarming story of friendship, sacrifice, and hope told through the lives of two young artists, Sue and Johnsy, and their older neighbor, Behrman.”

Step 6: Summarize the Plot

After the introduction, summarize the plot:

“Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, live together in Greenwich Village. When Johnsy falls ill and loses hope, believing she will die when the last leaf on a nearby vine falls, Behrman, an older artist, paints a leaf on the wall to ignite hope in Johnsy. This act aids Johnsy’s recovery but costs Behrman his life.”

Step 7: Discuss the Themes

Next, discuss the main themes of the story:

“The story explores themes of sacrifice, hope, friendship, and the transformative power of art. Behrman’s final act of painting the leaf demonstrates the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of friendship and hope.”

Step 8: Conclude the Summary

Conclude the summary by summarizing the story’s essence:

“In ‘The Last Leaf,’ O. Henry skillfully weaves a tale of hope and sacrifice, demonstrating the profound impact of friendship and art. The surprise ending, a signature of O. Henry, adds depth to the story, leaving a lasting impression.”

Step 9: Review and Revise

Finally, review your summary, ensuring you’ve captured the plot, characters, and themes accurately. Check for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness.

Writing a summary of “The Last Leaf” involves understanding its plot, characters, and themes. By synthesizing these elements into a concise summary, you can effectively convey the essence of O. Henry’s touching tale. Remember, a good summary not only recounts the events but also encapsulates the underlying themes and messages of the story.

The Last Leaf Summary Example #1

“The Last Leaf” is a poignant short story written by O. Henry. It revolves around three key characters – Sue, Johnsy, and Behrman.

Sue and Johnsy are two young women artists who share a studio in Greenwich Village, New York. During a particularly harsh winter, Johnsy falls severely ill with pneumonia. As her condition deteriorates, she grows despondent and begins to lose her will to live.

Johnsy develops an odd fixation on a vine of ivy leaves visible from her window. She begins to correlate the falling leaves with her own impending death, stating that she will die when the last leaf falls.

Sue, distressed by her friend’s declining health and pessimism, confides in their elderly neighbor, Behrman. Behrman is a failed artist who has been always planning to create his masterpiece but has never begun. Despite his gruff exterior, he has a soft spot for the young women.

When Behrman hears about Johnsy’s fixation on the ivy leaves, he scoffs at her foolishness. However, that night, in the midst of a violent storm, he sets a ladder against the wall where the vine is and begins to paint a leaf with perfect detail.

The next day, Johnsy is surprised to see one leaf still clinging to the vine. Seeing the lone leaf resist the wind gives her hope and rekindles her will to live. Her health begins to improve rapidly from that point on.

Unfortunately, in a tragic twist, the night Behrman painted the leaf on the wall was his last. He is found dead in his room, having contracted pneumonia after being out in the cold storm. His final masterpiece had given Johnsy the hope she needed to recover.

The story concludes with the realization that Behrman’s last act was the creation of a masterpiece, not on a celebrated canvas, but on a humble wall, and it was a masterpiece because it saved a life. The narrative is a touching depiction of sacrifice, friendship, and the power of hope and art.

The Last Leaf Summary Example #2

“The Last Leaf” by O. Henry is a poignant tale of friendship, hope, and sacrifice set in Greenwich Village, New York. The story centers around three artists – Sue, Johnsy, and Behrman.

Sue and Johnsy share a studio in the artistic hub of the city. However, their creative pursuits are interrupted when Johnsy falls gravely ill with pneumonia during a severe winter. As her condition worsens, she becomes despondent and develops a morbid fascination with a vine of ivy leaves outside her window, declaring that she will die when the last leaf falls.

Sue, alarmed by her friend’s deteriorating mental and physical health, seeks help from their curmudgeonly neighbor, Behrman. Despite his gruff demeanor, Behrman is deeply fond of the young women. He’s an unsuccessful artist who has always dreamt of painting a masterpiece but has never realized this ambition.

Upon hearing about Johnsy’s belief, Behrman dismisses it as silly. Yet, later that night, during a fierce storm, he sets up a ladder and paints a single, lifelike leaf on the wall where the vine is.

The following day, Johnsy is astonished to see one leaf still clinging to the vine, despite the harsh weather. This resilient leaf ignites a spark of hope within her, and she gradually regains her will to live, leading to her recovery.

However, the story takes a tragic turn when it’s revealed that Behrman, after being out in the stormy night, succumbs to pneumonia. His final act of creating a convincing leaf on the wall becomes his long-awaited masterpiece – a piece of art that saved a life.

In conclusion, “The Last Leaf” is a moving story of sacrifice and hope, where the act of creating art becomes a life-saving gesture. Behrman’s last painting, though not on a canvas, becomes his masterpiece, demonstrating the redemptive and transformative power of art and friendship.

The Last Leaf Summary Example #3

“The Last Leaf” is a compelling short story by O. Henry, positioned in the backdrop of Greenwich Village in New York City. The story revolves around the lives of three artists: Sue, Johnsy, and Behrman.

Sue and Johnsy, two young women, share a studio in the artistic neighborhood. Their peaceful life takes a turn when Johnsy contracts pneumonia during a harsh winter. Her health deteriorates, and she becomes obsessed with a vine of ivy leaves outside her window, asserting that she will die when the last leaf falls.

Worried about Johnsy’s declining health and her morbid fixation, Sue turns to Behrman, their gruff but kind-hearted neighbor. An artist who has spent his life dreaming of creating a masterpiece, Behrman is moved by Johnsy’s plight.

Although initially, he scoffs at Johnsy’s belief, he decides to help. On a stormy night, he ventures out to paint a single leaf on the wall where the ivy vine is. The leaf is so lifelike that it fools Johnsy.

The next morning, Johnsy is surprised to find one leaf still clinging to the vine, despite the storm. The sight of the last leaf fighting against the odds sparks a change in her. She discards her fatalistic belief and gradually regains her will to live, leading to her recovery.

However, the act of painting the leaf out in the cold storm costs Behrman his life. He catches pneumonia and passes away, leaving behind his final and greatest masterpiece – the leaf that saved a life.

In conclusion, “The Last Leaf” is a touching narrative about the power of hope, friendship, and the transformative potential of art. Even though Behrman’s masterpiece was not a grand painting on a canvas, it turned out to be a life-saving act of sacrifice, thus becoming a masterpiece in its own right.