1. Chapter Introduction
Hello students! Today we are diving into Chapter 7 of the Moments book: “The Last Leaf” by the renowned American writer O. Henry. This is a deeply moving story about hope, friendship, and supreme sacrifice. It revolves around two young female artists, Sue and Johnsy, and an old, grumpy painter named Behrman. When Johnsy falls seriously ill and loses her will to live, it takes a tremendous act of love and sacrifice to save her life. The story teaches us that true art is not just about painting on a canvas, but about bringing hope and saving lives.
2. Characters Detail
- Johnsy: A young, struggling artist who falls severely ill with pneumonia. She becomes depressed and links her life to the falling leaves of an ivy creeper outside her window, believing she will die when the last leaf falls.
- Sue: Johnsy’s loyal and caring friend. She tries her best to cheer Johnsy up, works hard to earn money for her treatment, and desperately seeks help to save her friend.
- Behrman: A 60-year-old grumpy painter who lives on the ground floor. He has been painting for 40 years but has yet to paint his “masterpiece.” He acts tough but has a kind heart and ultimately sacrifices his life to save Johnsy.
3. Full Summary: The Last Leaf Class 9
Johnsy’s Illness and Despair
Sue and Johnsy were two young artists who shared a small flat on the third story of an old house. In November, Johnsy fell seriously ill with pneumonia. She lay in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window. The doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s chances of survival were low because she had lost the will to live. Medicines would not work unless she actually wanted to get better. Sue tried her best to make Johnsy take an interest in clothes, fashion, and painting, but Johnsy remained unresponsive.
The Counting of the Leaves
Sue noticed that Johnsy was constantly looking out the window and counting backward. When Sue asked what she was looking at, Johnsy pointed to an old ivy creeper climbing up the brick wall opposite their window. The strong autumn wind was blowing its leaves away. Johnsy chillingly declared that when the last leaf fell from the creeper, she would die too. Sue tried to convince her that this was nonsense, but Johnsy’s mind was made up.
Old Behrman and His Dream
Desperate, Sue went downstairs to fetch an old painter named Behrman to act as a model for her drawing. Behrman was a 60-year-old man who had always dreamed of painting a masterpiece, but he had never started it. When Sue told him about Johnsy’s foolish belief regarding the last leaf, Behrman got very angry at Johnsy’s foolishness but secretly went up to see her. They looked out the window at the ivy creeper. Only one leaf was left, and a fierce, freezing storm was raging outside.
The Miracle of the Last Leaf
The next morning, Johnsy asked Sue to draw the curtains. Both were surprised and relieved to see that despite the fierce wind and heavy rain throughout the night, the last leaf was still clinging to the creeper. It looked green and healthy. Seeing the leaf’s resilience, Johnsy realized how wicked she had been to want to die. She regained her will to live, asked for some soup, and promised Sue that she would try to recover. The doctor soon confirmed that Johnsy was out of danger.
The Supreme Sacrifice
The next day, Sue gave Johnsy some heartbreaking news. Old Behrman had died of pneumonia in the hospital. The janitor had found him two days ago in his room, freezing wet, with his clothes and shoes soaked. They found a ladder, a lantern, and a palette with green and yellow colors near his bed. Sue explained the truth to Johnsy: the last leaf on the wall wasn’t real. It didn’t flutter in the wind because Behrman had painted it there on the stormy night the real last leaf fell. Behrman had finally painted his masterpiece, sacrificing his own life to save Johnsy’s.
4. Multiple Choice Questions (10 MCQs)
Q1. Who is the author of the story “The Last Leaf”?
(a) Ruskin Bond | (b) O. Henry | (c) Harsh Mander | (d) William Wordsworth
Answer: (b) O. Henry
Q2. What disease was Johnsy suffering from?
(a) Malaria | (b) Typhoid | (c) Pneumonia | (d) Cholera
Answer: (c) Pneumonia
Q3. What were Sue and Johnsy by profession?
(a) Singers | (b) Teachers | (c) Artists | (d) Doctors
Answer: (c) Artists
Q4. What was Johnsy looking at out of the window?
(a) A busy street | (b) An old ivy creeper | (c) A banyan tree | (d) A flying bird
Answer: (b) An old ivy creeper
Q5. What was Johnsy’s foolish belief?
(a) She would die when it rained | (b) She would die when the last leaf fell | (c) She would die if she ate | (d) She would die in winter
Answer: (b) She would die when the last leaf fell
Q6. How old was Behrman?
(a) 40 years old | (b) 50 years old | (c) 60 years old | (d) 70 years old
Answer: (c) 60 years old
Q7. What was Behrman’s lifelong dream?
(a) To travel the world | (b) To paint a masterpiece | (c) To become rich | (d) To buy a big house
Answer: (b) To paint a masterpiece
Q8. Who painted the last leaf on the wall?
(a) Sue | (b) Johnsy | (c) The doctor | (d) Old Behrman
Answer: (d) Old Behrman
Q9. How did Behrman die?
(a) Heart attack | (b) Pneumonia | (c) Old age | (d) Accident
Answer: (b) Pneumonia
Q10. What made Johnsy realize her mistake?
(a) The doctor’s advice | (b) Sue’s crying | (c) Seeing the last leaf survive the storm | (d) Taking medicines
Answer: (c) Seeing the last leaf survive the storm
5. Short Answer Questions (30-40 Words)
Q1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?
Ans. Johnsy is suffering from pneumonia. According to the doctor, medicine alone cannot cure her because she has lost hope. Only her own willingness to live and a positive mindset can cure her.
Q2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?
Ans. Yes, the feeling of depression is quite common among teenagers. Because of the pressures of modern life, studies, and peer expectations, teenagers often feel stressed, lonely, and depressed, leading them to lose hope easily, just like Johnsy did.
Q3. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?
Ans. Behrman’s dream was to paint a true masterpiece. Yes, his dream finally comes true. The realistic ivy leaf he painted on the wall during the freezing storm to save Johnsy’s life was his greatest masterpiece.
Q4. What did Sue do to make Johnsy cheerful?
Ans. Sue tried her best to cheer Johnsy up. She talked about clothes and fashions, brought her drawing board into Johnsy’s room, and whistled while painting to distract Johnsy’s mind from her illness and gloomy thoughts.
Q5. Why did Behrman spend the night in the storm?
Ans. Behrman spent the night in the freezing storm to paint a realistic ivy leaf on the brick wall. He knew the real last leaf had fallen, and he wanted to give Johnsy the hope and will to live.
6. Long Answer Questions (60-80 Words)
Q1. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?
Ans. Behrman’s masterpiece is the single ivy leaf he painted on the brick wall during a fierce storm. Sue calls it a masterpiece because it was incredibly realistic—it fooled Johnsy into believing the real leaf had survived. More importantly, it is a masterpiece because it achieved the greatest thing art can do: it saved a human life. Behrman sacrificed his own life to paint it, giving Johnsy the hope and courage to fight pneumonia.
Q2. Write a brief character sketch of Old Behrman.
Ans. Old Behrman was a 60-year-old struggling painter who lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He had painted for forty years but never produced anything extraordinary, though he always talked about painting a masterpiece. Outwardly, he was a grumpy, foul-mouthed old man who drank too much. However, inwardly, he had a very kind and compassionate heart. He cared deeply for Sue and Johnsy and ultimately proved his heroic nature by sacrificing his own life to save Johnsy.
Q3. Discuss the role of Sue in saving Johnsy’s life.
Ans. Sue played a vital role in saving Johnsy. As a true friend, she stood by Johnsy during her severe illness. She worked hard on her paintings to buy food and medicine. When the doctor said Johnsy lacked the will to live, Sue tried everything to cheer her up. Most importantly, she sought Old Behrman’s help, which led to the creation of the painted leaf. Sue’s continuous care, patience, and love provided the foundation for Johnsy’s recovery.
Q4. “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” Justify this statement with reference to the story.
Ans. The story beautifully justifies this proverb through the characters of Sue and Behrman. Sue proved to be a true friend by taking complete care of Johnsy, providing emotional support, and trying to pull her out of depression. Similarly, Old Behrman acted as a true friend and protector. Even though he was old and frail, he risked going out in a freezing storm to paint a leaf, just to save a young girl’s life. Both demonstrated the true meaning of selfless friendship.
