The Last Leaf

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Sue and Johnsy are two young artists who shared a small flat on the third storey of an old house.

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Johnsy suffers from pneumonia, which she contracts in November and becomes very seriously ill.

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Johnsy believes that when the last leaf falls from the ivy creeper outside her window, she will die. She has convinced herself of this connection for three days.

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Behrman is a sixty-year-old painter who lives on the ground floor of the same building. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece, but it had remained unfulfilled.

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The doctor tells Sue that Johnsy has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. He says if she doesn't want to live, medicines will not help her - she needs the will to live.

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Johnsy starts counting backwards from twelve leaves. Three days ago there were almost a hundred leaves, but now only five remain. She continues counting down: twelve, eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven,

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It is autumn, which is significant because this is the natural time for leaves to fall. The seasonal change mirrors Johnsy's declining health and creates the natural backdrop for the leaf symbolism.

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Sue tries several methods: she talks about clothes and fashions, brings her drawing board into Johnsy's room to paint, whistles while working, brings soup, and begs Johnsy not to look out the window w