It is impossible not to admire the work of O. Henry. This American writer, like no one else, was able to reveal human vices and extol virtues with one stroke of a pen. There is no allegory in his works, life appears as it really is. But even the tragic events the master of the word describes with his intrinsic subtle irony and good humor. We bring to your attention one of the most touching author’s short stories, or rather its summary. “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry is a life-affirming story written in 1907, just three years before the writer's death.
Young nymph battled by a serious illness
Two aspiring artists, whose names are Sue and Johnsy, rent an inexpensive apartment in a poor area of ​​Manhattan. The sun rarely peers into their third floor, as the windows face north. Behind the glass, you can see only a blank brick wall entwined with old ivy. The first lines of O. Henry’s short story “The Last Sheet” sound something like this, a brief summary of which we are trying to produce as close to the text as possible.
The girls settled in this apartment in May, having organized a small painting studio here. By the time of the events described, November was in the yard and one of the artists was seriously ill - she had pneumonia. The incoming doctor fears for Johnsy's life, as she lost heart and prepared to die. The thought firmly stuck in her pretty head: as soon as the last leaf fell from ivy outside the window, the last minute of life would come for herself.
Sue is trying to distract her friend, instill at least a small spark of hope, but she does not succeed. The situation is complicated by the fact that the autumn wind mercilessly tears leaves from the old ivy, which means that the girl does not have long to live.
Despite the brevity of this work, the author describes in detail the manifestations of Sue's touching concern for a sick girlfriend, the appearance and characters of the characters. But we are forced to omit many important nuances, as we set out to convey only a brief summary. “The last sheet” ... O. Henry gave his story, at first glance, a nameless expression. Its deep meaning is revealed as the plot develops.
Evil old man Berman
In the same house, a floor below lives the artist Berman. For the past twenty-five years, an aging man dreams of creating his own picturesque masterpiece, but there is still not enough time to get to work. He draws cheap posters and drinks soundly.
Sue, the girlfriend of a sick girl, thinks Berman is an old man with a nasty character who has survived from his mind . But still he tells him about Johnsy's fantasy, her obsession with her own death and the falling ivy leaves outside the window. But how can a failed artist help?
Probably, in this place the writer could put a long ellipsis and complete the story. And we would have to have a sympathetic sigh, reflecting on the fate of a young girl, whose life was fleeting, in the book language, "had a brief summary." The “last sheet” by O. Henry is a plot with an unexpected ending, as, indeed, most of the other works of the author. Therefore, it is too early to put an end.
A little feat in the name of life
Outside the night a strong wind raged with rain and snow. But when in the morning Johnsy asked her friend to open the curtains, the girls saw that a yellow-green leaf was still hanging on the stiff ivy stalk. And on the second and third day the picture did not change - the stubborn leaf did not want to fly away.
Jonesy also perked up, believing that it was too early for her to die. A doctor who visited his patient said that the disease had receded and the girl’s health was recovering. Fanfare should be heard here - a miracle happened! Nature sided with man, not wanting to rob the hope of salvation from a weak girl.
A little later, the reader will understand that miracles occur at the will of those who are able to perform them. This is easy to verify by reading the story in full, or at least a brief summary. “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry is a story with a happy ending, but with a touch of sadness and light sadness.
A few days later, the girls find out that their neighbor Berman died in hospital from pneumonia. He caught a bad cold that very night, when the last leaf was supposed to fall from ivy. The artist painted the yellow-green spot with a stalk and like living veins with paints on a brick wall.
Inspiring hope in the heart of a dying Jonesy, Berman sacrificed his life. So ends the story of O. Henry “The Last Leaf”. An analysis of a work could take more than one page, but we will try to express its main idea with just one line: “And in everyday life there is always room for a feat.”