The Last Leaf

Given/Context: Johnsy (Joanna) is one of the two young artists sharing an apartment. She falls seriously ill in the story.

Answer:

Johnsy is suffering from pneumonia, a severe lung infection. The doctor tells Sue that medicine alone cannot save Johnsy because Johnsy has made up her mind that she is going to die. She has convinced herself that when the last ivy leaf falls from the vine outside her window, she too will die.

Therefore, it is the willingness to live — not medicine alone — that can truly cure her. The doctor himself says that the patient must want to live; if she keeps thinking she will not recover, medicine will have little effect. It is only when Johnsy sees that the last leaf has not fallen (not knowing it is Behrman's painted masterpiece) that she regains her will to live, starts eating, and begins to recover. This shows that a positive attitude and the desire to live are as important as medical treatment in fighting a serious illness.

Given/Context: This is a reflective/opinion-based question about Johnsy's state of mind and its relevance to teenagers in general.

Answer:

Yes, the feeling of depression that Johnsy experiences can be quite common among teenagers, though the reasons may vary. Teenagers often go through phases of self-doubt, hopelessness, and despair — especially when they face failure, illness, loneliness, or a sense of being unloved.

In Johnsy's case, her illness makes her feel helpless and she loses all hope of survival. She links her life to a falling leaf, which shows how deeply depressed she is. Similarly, many teenagers, when faced with difficult situations such as academic pressure, broken friendships, or personal loss, tend to feel that there is no way out.

However, just as Johnsy is saved by the care of Sue and the silent sacrifice of Behrman, teenagers too can overcome depression through love, support, friendship, and a renewed sense of purpose. It is important to seek help and not give up hope.

Given/Context: Behrman is an old painter who lives below Sue and Johnsy. He has been a painter for decades but has never produced anything significant.

Answer:

Behrman's lifelong dream is to paint a masterpiece — one great, extraordinary work of art that would establish him as a true artist. He has been talking about this masterpiece for over forty years but has never actually painted it. He earns a living by posing as a model for other artists and paints only occasionally.

Yes, his dream does come true, but in a most unexpected and selfless way. On the stormy night when the last ivy leaf falls from the vine, old Behrman goes out in the cold and rain and paints a single ivy leaf on the brick wall — so perfectly and realistically that Johnsy believes it is the real last leaf. This painted leaf gives Johnsy the will to live and she recovers.

Thus, Behrman's masterpiece is not a grand painting on a canvas in a studio, but a small, humble leaf painted on a wall — yet it saves a human life. Tragically, Behrman contracts pneumonia that very night and dies, but his masterpiece lives on. His dream of creating a masterpiece comes true in the most noble and sacrificial manner possible.

Given/Context: At the end of the story, Sue reveals the truth about the last leaf to Johnsy.

Answer:

Behrman's masterpiece is the ivy leaf he painted on the brick wall outside Johnsy's window on the cold, stormy night when the last real leaf fell.

Sue calls it a masterpiece for the following reasons:

1. Artistic perfection: The painted leaf was so lifelike and realistic that neither Johnsy nor anyone else could tell it apart from a real leaf. It did not flutter in the wind because it was painted on the wall, yet it looked completely natural with its serrated edges and the yellow and green colours of an autumn leaf.

2. The circumstances under which it was painted: Behrman painted it on a dark, stormy night in freezing rain and howling wind. He was an old man, and this exposure to the cold caused him to develop pneumonia, from which he died two days later. He sacrificed his life to paint that leaf.

3. Its purpose and impact: The leaf was not painted for fame or money. It was painted purely out of love and compassion to save Johnsy's life. When Johnsy saw that the leaf had not fallen despite the storm, she regained her will to live and recovered.

Thus, Sue rightly calls it Behrman's masterpiece — it is the greatest work of his life, painted with selfless love, at the cost of his own life, and it achieved what no other painting could: it saved a human life.

Note: This is a personal, open-ended activity meant for classroom discussion. The following is a model response that students may use as a guide and adapt based on their own experiences.

Model Response:

Yes, like most people, I have experienced moments of depression and rejection. Once, when I worked very hard for a school competition but did not get selected, I felt deeply disappointed and began to doubt my own abilities. I felt that no matter how hard I tried, I would never succeed.

However, I overcame these feelings in the following ways:

- Talking to someone I trusted: I spoke to a close friend and my parents, who listened patiently and encouraged me. Just sharing my feelings made me feel lighter.
- Keeping myself engaged: I threw myself into activities I enjoyed — reading, drawing, and playing — which helped distract me from negative thoughts.
- Changing my perspective: I reminded myself that failure is a part of life and that every setback is an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Setting new goals: Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, I focused on improving myself for the next opportunity.

The story of Johnsy in *The Last Leaf* teaches us that the will to live and hope are the most powerful forces. Just as Johnsy was saved by a painted leaf and the care of her friends, we too can overcome depression through love, support, and a positive outlook on life.

*(Students are encouraged to share their own personal experiences in class discussion.)*