Book Review By Devika Santhosh

THE LAST LEAF - O. Henry

'The last leaf' is a short story by O.Henry published in 1907. This story is taken from the collection 'The Trimmed lamp and other stories'. William Sydney Porter better known by his pen name O.Henry was an American short story writer born on September 11, 1862 at greenshoro ,North Carolina ,CSA. O. Henry's short stories frequently have surprise endings. In the story 'The last leaf 'the main characters are 'Sue as a young artist, who lives with her friend Johnsy. Johnsy, another young artist and Behrman an old artist. The story is set in Greenwich village during a pneumonia epidemic.It tells the story of an old artist who saves the life of a young neighbouring artist dying of pneumonia ,by giving her the will to live. Through her window she can see an old ivy Creeper gradually shedding its leaves as autumn turns into winter,and she has taken the thought into her head that she will die when the last leaf Falls. The leaves fall day by day but the last lone leaf stays on for several days the ill johncsy's health quickly recovers.At the end of the story we learn that the old artist who always wanted to produce a Masterpiece painting but had never had any success he spend the time painting with great Realism a leaf on the wall for whole night. The old artist himself dies of pneumonia contracted while being out in the wet and cold. I hope you all will read the story'The last leaf ' Thank you and have a nice day.