The Last Leaf
About the Author: O. Henry
O. Henry was the pen name of William Sydney Porter, an American short story writer born on 11 September 1862 in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is famous for writing stories with surprise endings, strong emotional impact, and simple yet powerful moral messages.
Some of his well-known works include The Gift of the Magi, The Ransom of Red Chief, and After Twenty Years. His stories often highlight love, sacrifice, kindness, and human values.
Story Summary: The Last Leaf
The story takes place in Greenwich Village, where two young artists, Sue and Johnsy (short for Joanna), live together. One winter, Johnsy falls seriously ill with pneumonia. The disease makes her physically weak and mentally depressed.
Johnsy believes she will die soon. She begins counting the leaves on a vine outside her window and develops a strange thought — she believes that her life will end when the last leaf falls.
Sue tries her best to encourage and comfort her, but Johnsy refuses to listen. She has lost hope and waits for the final leaf to fall.
Meanwhile, their elderly neighbour, Mr. Behrman, a frustrated painter who has never created a masterpiece, learns a