What Is Johnsy Illness What Can Cure Her

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What Is Johnsy Illness What Can Cure Her
Ans: Johnsy was sick with pneumonia. She could only be cured if she was willing to live. She’d made up her mind that she wouldn’t get better. Medicines would not assist her if she did not wish to live, according to the doctor.

What is Johnny’s illness?

X Johnsy has pneumonia, a bad sickness.

What made Johnsy recover from her illness?

Johnsy has a baseless fear and depression that she will die as the last leaf fell down but behrman who was the painter painted a duplicate ivy leaf and helped her to come out of the depression and fear that she had born in herself,yes it is Physiological in nature because today ‘s young have such baseless depression that they had born,

Who were Sue and Johnsy?

Sue and Johnsy were two young girl-artists. They lived together in the artists’ colony. Once Johnsy caught pneumonia. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the I y creeper fell. –

How could Johnsy’s life be saved?

Behrman saved Johnsy’s life by painting the last ivy leaf on the wall, which gave realistic impression. He did so to save her life as the last ivy leaf had fallen last night.

What does the doctor say about Johnsy’s illness?

The doctor told Sue that chances of Johnsy to live was like one in ten. She had made up her mind that she was not going to get well.

Who took care of Johnsy when she was seriously ill?

Sue is from Maine. She is Johnsy’s roommate, and she takes care of Johnsy when she gets sick. Berhman lives in the same building as Johnsy and Sue.

Who got sick in the last leaf?

The Last Leaf, short story by O. Henry, published in 1907 in his collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories, “The Last Leaf” concerns Johnsy, a poor young woman who is seriously ill with pneumonia. She believes that when the ivy vine on the wall outside her window loses all its leaves, she will also die.

How did the last leaf survive?

“The Last Leaf” is a story from the Class 9 English Moments book about a sick woman named Johnsy who thinks she will die when all the leaves fall off the ivy plant outside her window. But her neighbor, an artist named Behrman, paints a leaf on the wall to give her hope, and miraculously, Johnsy gets better. Very Short Answer Type Important Questions Very short question answers of “The Last Leaf” chapter in Class 9 English are crucial for quick revision, effective exam preparation, and improving overall comprehension of the chapter. Here are some very short questions and answers of the chapter: Q1.

  1. Who were Sue and Johnsy? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two artists. Q2.
  2. What happened to Johnsy? Ans: Johnsy became severely ill in November. Q3.
  3. What fear did Johnsy have in her mind? Ans: Johnsy had a fear in her mind that she would pass away on the day when the last leaf on the creeper fell. Q4.
  4. Why was the doctor confused about Johnsy’s illness? Ans: The doctor was perplexed because none of the medicines were proving effective on Johnsy’s illness.

Q5. What was happening to the leaves on the creeper outside Johnsy’s window? Ans: The leaves were falling due to the combination of extreme cold and strong wind outside Johnsy’s window. Q6. Who was Behrman? Ans. Behrman was an old painter. Q7. What did Behrman do? Ans: Behrman painted a picture of a creeper with a single leaf on the wall.

Q8. What happened to Behrman? Ans: Behrman passed away due to pneumonia. Q9. What was Behrman’s dream? Ans: Behrman aspired to paint a masterpiece. Q10. What was Behrman’s masterpiece? Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the painting of a creeper with a single leaf on it. Q11. Was Johnsy’s life saved? Ans: Indeed, Johnsy’s life was saved.

Q12. Who saved Johnsy’s life? Ans: Behrman, the old painter, saved Johnsy’s life. Short Answer Type Important Questions “The Last Leaf” is a significant chapter that highlights the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit. Short question answers related to this chapter are indispensable for students to gain a better understanding of the plot, characters, and themes of the story in a more focused and concise manner. Q1. Who were Sue and Johnsy? Where did they live? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were young artist friends who were struggling to establish themselves in the world of art. Both lived in a small flat which was on the third floor of an old house. They shared this place.

  • Q2. Why was Sue worried when Johnsy got sick? Ans: Sue was worried because Johnsy was lying in bed without moving and only staring out the window.
  • Although Johnsy had pneumonia, which could be cured, her condition was not improving.
  • This made Sue concerned about Johnsy’s health. Q3,
  • Why was Johnsy’s condition worrisome according to the doctor? Ans: According to the doctor, Johnsy’s condition was worrisome because she did not show any signs of improvement despite good treatment.

He thought that perhaps she had lost her will to live and no medicine could help her in this negative state of mind. Q4. How did Johnsy associate herself with the falling leaves? Ans: It was autumn and the ivy creeper leaves were falling gradually. This depressed an already ill Johnsy and strangely enough, she associated her falling health with the leaves.

  1. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell. Q5.
  2. How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her? Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s interest in things around her.
  3. She also moved her drawing-board to Johnsy’s room and whistled as she painted, to keep Johnsy’s mind off her illness.

Q6. How did Sue help Johnsy during her illness? Ans: Sue helped Johnsy by looking after all her needs. She would give her hot soup from time to time and sit by her side and talk to her. She called the doctor and even sought help from their neighbor Behrman.

Q7. Why was Johnsy counting backward while looking out of the window? Ans: Johnsy kept looking out of the window and counted backward to note the number of leaves left on the ivy creeper. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell whereas the leaves were falling in a normal process of nature during the autumn season.

Q8. What did Sue see when she heard Johnsy counting backward? A ns: When Sue heard Johnsy counting backward, she looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing halfway up the brick wall opposite their window. The creeper was shedding leaves due to the strong autumn wind.

Q9. How did Sue try to convince Johnsy that her belief about dying with the last leaf was nonsense? Ans: Sue immediately rubbished Johnsy’s belief as nonsense. She tried to convince her by telling that old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. The doctor too was confident that she would get better.

Q10. Why did Sue seek the promise from Johnsy not to look out of the window while she completed her painting? Ans: Sue sought this promise because she did not want Johnsy to go deeper into the depression on seeing the ivy leaves fall. Moreover, she could not even pull the curtains to stop Johnsy from looking out as she needed the incoming light to complete her painting and get money for the two of them by selling it.

  1. Q11. Who was Behrman? Why did Sue share her worry with him? Ans: Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter who lived on the ground floor of the same building as Sue and Johnsy.
  2. Sue shared her worry with him because Behrman was an elderly person and his vast experience of life could be of great help. Q12.
  3. Behrman has a dream.

What is it? Does it come true? (Textual) Or What was Behrman’s dream? How did it come true? Ans: Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece someday. His dream did come true when he painted a leaf that was a near replica of a real leaf. This masterpiece saved a young life and fulfilled Behrman’s ambition too.

  1. Unfortunately, it cost him his life. Q13.
  2. I’m tired of waiting.’ Why did Johnsy say so to Sue? Ans: J ohnsy wanted Sue to finish her painting quickly so that she could see the last leaf fall.
  3. She believed that she would die with it but this was taking too long.
  4. She became tired of waiting for the last leaf to fall.

Q14. What did Sue and Behrman see from the window of the room next to Johnsy’s? Ans: Sue and Behrman saw that only one leaf was left on the ivy creeper that was fluttering in the icy-cold wind accompanied by heavy rain. Under such conditions, it was bound to fall anytime soon.

Q15. Why was Sue nervous and reluctant while drawing the curtains on the morning after the storm? Ans: Sue was nervous because she was certain that the last leaf had fallen at night. This could make Johnsy quit all hope of survival as she had associated her death with the falling leaves of the ivy creeper.

Q16. What made Sue exclaim about looking out of the window on the morning after the storm? Or What did Sue point out to Johnsy when she looked out of the window in the morning after the storm? A ns: Sue exclaimed in amazement and delight because the last leaf was still there on the ivy creeper.

  • She pointed out to Johnsy that the leaf looked quite green and healthy.
  • It had not fallen in spite of the fierce winds and rain.
  • This meant that Johnsy too could recover. Q17.
  • How did Sue try to encourage Johnsy? Ans: Sue tried to encourage Johnsy by telling her that she won’t die and that she had to live for the sake of her friends.

She further pleaded with Johnsy to spare a thought for her as she could not live without Johnsy. Q18. What did Johnsy admit to Sue when the last leaf did not fall? or When did Johnsy realize her mistake? Ans: When Johnsy saw the last leaf intact, she admitted that Sue had looked after her so lovingly and she, in turn, had been a bad, wicked, gloomy, and non-cooperative girl.

She had now realized that it was a sin to want to die. Q19. When and why was the doctor’s report encouraging about Johnsy’s condition? Ans: The doctor gave an encouraging report about Johnsy’s condition after examining her in the afternoon a day after the storm. He believed that the report was encouraging because now Johnsy had regained her will to live.

Q20. What news about Behrman did the doctor convey to Sue when he came to examine Johnsy? Ans: When the doctor came to examine Johnsy, he told Sue that Behrman too was suffering from pneumonia. He said that he was confident of Johnsy’s recovery but feared that there was no hope for Behrman.

  1. Q21. What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death? Or Why did Behrman spend a night out in the storm and rain? Ans: Behrman died because he had spent the entire stormy night painting a replica of the last leaf on the ivy creeper and had caught pneumonia as a result.
  2. He did this to save Johnsy’s life.
  3. He did not want her to see the creeper without its last leaf and lose the will to live Q22.

Which items were found near Behrman when he died? What did this signify? Ans: A ladder and a lighted lantern were found near Behrman’s bed when he died. There were also some brushes and green and yellow AT paints on the floor near the ladder. This signified that the last green and fresh leaf had been painted by Behrman all through the stormy night,

Q23. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? (Textual) Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the leaf that he painted on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window. He had braved icy winds and rains at night while painting the leaf. Sue called it a masterpiece as it was green and healthy like a real leaf.

Besides, it saved Johnsy’; life by reviving her will to live. Thus, Behrman’s painting was a masterpiece in the sense that it had saved a precious life and was able to fox an artist. Q24. What saved Johnsy’s life? Ans: The last half painted by Behrman on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window saved her life.

The leaf was a true replica of the last leaf hanging on the ivy creeper. Johnsy mistook it to be a real leaf and felt that she had been wicked and it was a sin to want to die. Q25. “It looks quite green and healthy”. What was the cause of the leaf’s color and freshness? Ans: The last leaf on the ivy creeper looked quite green and healthy because it was not a real leaf, but a painted one.

Behrman had painted it overnight to help save Johnsy’s life. Q26. Why did Johnsy keep looking out of the window? Ans: There was a creeper on the wall facing Johnsy’s window. She had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. The leaves were falling because it was an autumn season.

So Johnsy kept looking out of the window. Q27. How did Sue try to keep Johnsy cheerful? Ans: The doctor had said that Johnsy’s chances of recovery were only one out of ten. Sue became sad and cried bitterly. But she wanted to cheer up Johnsy. So she entered her room, whistling a cheerful tune. Q28. How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy? Ans: J ohnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell.

Brennan did not like this fancy of Johnsy. He called her fancy mere nonsense. He said that she should not have such absurd ideas. Q29. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same? Ans: Johnsy got a fancy that she would die with the fall of the last leaf.

But, Sue considered it a foolish idea. She said that there could be no relationship between the last leaf and somebody’s life. Q30. How did old Behrman die? Ans: Behrman knew about Johnsy’s fancy about the falling leaves. He went out in the cold and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. l le caught pneumonia and died.

Q31. How did Johnsy realize her mistake? Ans: Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia. There was a creeper on the wall facing her window. Johnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell. One night, there was only one leaf left. She thought that she would also die with the falling of the leaf.

But that night, Behanan painted a leaf in its place. So it did not fall. It made her realize that it was a sin to wish to die. Q32. What kind of a friend was Sue to Johnsy? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were close friends. Both were painters. Apart from that their tastes and views were similar. They lived in the same small flat.

When Johnsy suffered from pneumonia, Sue looked after her with love and care. It was largely because of her care that Johnsy’s life was saved. Q33. Describe in your own words the colony where the artists lived. Ans: The artists’ colony grew in the old village named Greenwich.

It was to the west of Washington Square., Its streets were winding. These streets had strange angles and curves. Q34. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live? Ans: Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. But later on, she suffered from a misconception that she would the as soon as the last leaf on the creeper would fall down.

The medicine had no effect on her. Her willingness to live could only cure her. Q35. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? Ans: Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon us how we take it. Nowadays, it is very common that teenagers are getting depressed because of cut-throat competition.

  1. On the other hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively and face difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further. Q36.
  2. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? Ans: Behrman was a 60-year-old artist who had a dream to paint a masterpiece.
  3. His painting of an ivy leaf was his masterpiece which saved the life of Johnsy.

It was such a painting and it was not easy to make out whether the leaf was real or a painted leaf. When Behrman died because of creating this life-saving painting in the cold weather, Sue called it a masterpiece. Q37. Who were Sue and Johnsy and how were they living? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young artists.

  • Their economic condition was not good.
  • They were strugglers.
  • They lived in the artist’s colony.
  • They shared a small flat. Q38.
  • How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy? Ans: When Behrman came to know about Johnsy’s belief regarding the fall of leaves, he saw the creeper and realized that the last leaf was sure to fall.

He said nothing. He decided to do something to save her life. Q39. What saved Johnsy’s life? Ans: Johnsy had lost charm in life due to pneumonia. She thought that when the last leaf fell, she would die. Behrman finally painted the masterpiece. The leaf painted by him saved Johnsy’s life. Q41. What made the doctor come to the flat of Sue and Johnsy? Ans: Johnsy was severely ill. She was attacked by pneumonia. Her weak body was helpless to bear the severity of the attack. She lay miserable in her bed. But her condition was deteriorating day by day.

  • As her condition had alarmed Sue, he requested the doctor to come and examine her friend Johnsy. Q42.
  • How did Sue respond to the doctor’s advice? Ans: The doctor declared that there were fewer chances for her friend’s survival.
  • It was a grim warning for her.
  • She thought that she must do something so that her friend Johnsy could get back her will to live and may recover soon.

She was a pragmatic and tenacious person. Besides, she was determined to take her friend out of despair. Therefore, she began to think about the ways positively. Q43. Why did Behrman die? Ans: Behrman was an old artist of sixty years. He worked whole night in the stormy and rainy weather to paint the leaf on the wall.

He was completely drenched. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was completely shivering. He fell to pneumonia and died. But before his death, he was successful in fulfilling his dream of making a masterpiece. Q44. Why did Johnsy link her death with the last leaf? Ans: Johnsy was emotionally disturbed.

She developed a belief that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the creeper. She started counting the leaves. In fact, she had an attack of depression too. Q45. How did Sue pour out her worries to Behrman? What was his reaction? Ans: Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter living on the ground floor.

  • Sue poured out her worries about Johnsy to the old painter.
  • She told that Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell.
  • Behrman called Johnsy ‘stupid and foolish’ as her mind was obsessed with superstition.
  • He didn’t say a word and went back to his room.
  • He didn’t even tell Sue how he was going to help Johnsy and in what way.

Q46. What revived Johnsy’s will to live? Ans: Johnsy had developed a superstition that she would die with the fall of the last leaf. Actually, a severe attack of pneumonia had left her mind morbid. When she saw the last leaf surviving after the windy wet night, her will to live revived.

It made her realise that it was really a sin to want to die. Q47. What quality of friendship do you find in Sue as a friend? Ans: Sue was a loving and earing friend of Johnsy. She was the best friend of her as Sue always provided her mental support. When her friend was obsessed with the thought dying with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper, she tried to look at the positive side of things.

She always convinced her friend to think positively and never think about death. Obviously, she represents true friendships and sacrifice in the story. Q48. How was Johnsy’s life saved? Ans: Behrman was an Old artist. His last desire was to paint a masterpiece in his life.

Summary: The Last Leaf Character Sketches – The Last Leaf

Long Answer Type Important Questions Long Answer Type Important Questions play a crucial role in encouraging critical thinking, developing writing skills, and enhancing overall comprehension. Answering such questions effectively requires reflection and connection with personal experiences, which prepares students for higher-level exams.

Therefore, here are some Long Answer Type Important Questions that can aid in this process: Q1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her – the medicine or her willingness to live? Or What was the reason for Johnsy’s deteriorating health? Ans: Johnsy suffered an attack of pneumonia in the cold winter month of November.

Her illness made her so weak that she went into depression. She would lie still on her bed and keep gazing out of the window. The autumn added to her gloom when she saw the trees shedding leaves. She began to associate her death with the falling leaves and this negative thought deteriorated her health.

When she gave up all hope in life, she refused to eat anything and medicines lost their effect. According to the doctor, her recovery depended on her willingness to live. In the absence of determination to get well soon even the medicines failed to affect positively. Q2. Sue is a true and faithful friend.

Comment. Or What values of friendship are prominent in Sue’s character? Ans: Sue displays the virtues of a true and faithful friend. She and Johnsy were young artist friends who shared a small flat. When Johnsy fell ill, Sue did not spare any effort to nurse her back to health.

She exhibited the values of sincerity and commitment to her friend by calling the doctor who would visit them daily to review Johnsy’s condition. She tried to lift Johnsy’s spirits by talking cheerfully to her and thus exemplifying the value of unwavering support to a depressed friend. She would sit beside Johnsy’s bed and paint so that she could earn for herself and Johnsy.

She comforted Johnsy and dealt with her cranky behavior very patiently. With her cheerful disposition and her optimism, she tried her best to reassure Johnsy that the old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. Sensing the seriousness of Johnsy’s health and her state of mind, she at once sought Behrman’s help.

  • Thus, Sue proves to be a compassionate human being and a true friend. Q3.
  • Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? Ans: Yes, the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers.
  • It is so because, like Johnsy, they too lack emotional maturity.
  • They fail to understand that sorrows are as much a part of our lives as joys are.

Certain situations in life are unpredictable as well as unavoidable. Teenagers become nervous while encountering such situations. They begin to gather negative thoughts and have a fear of failure. It becomes a vicious cycle and their weak health aggravates emotional instability.

  1. Pessimism begins to destroy their willpower.
  2. Another problem is that like Johnsy, teenagers take a lot of time to get convinced They are difficult to counsel and try their loved one’s patience a lot.
  3. The absence of a healthy lifestyle pushes them further into negativity and depression becomes deep-rooted.

Therefore, teenagers should inculcate positive values like optimism, strong willpower, and faith through meditation and regular exercise in order to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body. Q4. How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life? Ans: Behrman saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing himself at the altar of art.

  • The Last Leaf” is about his extreme sacrifice that infuses life in a young depressed woman.
  • Johnsy’s illness was serious but could be cured if she had the will to live.
  • Her falling health was more due to her state of depression than pneumonia.
  • The sixty-year-old painter Behrman took upon himself the difficult responsibility of saving Johnsy.

He made a single-handed effort to brave the icy winds and rain to reach the window by climbing a ladder and finally painting a fresh and green leaf that looked natural and real. The readiness with which he gave up his life shows art’s unparalleled commitment to talent.

He painted the leaf with such passion that it revived the sinking breath of Johnsy. He thus saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing his own. Q5. Imagine Behrman survives the attack of pneumonia. His family takes him back to his native countryside in order to serve the old man and nurse him back to health. As Johnsy, write a letter to Behrman expressing your gratitude.

Ans:- (Date) 2-111 Floor Ivy Apartments London Dear Mr. Behrman Trust your health is improving with each day. Sue and I think of you all the time and miss you a lot. We have always looked up to you as a friendly neighbor and a kind gentleman artist. Words fail me when I express gratitude for the extraordinary help extended by you during our moments of crisis.

  1. Shivers run down my spine when I recall the time you risked your life to save a silly girl like me.
  2. You are a very brave person and a true artist.
  3. Your masterpiece reflects your passion and dedication and it has made me realize that my whims were utterly senseless.
  4. Your life is an inspiration for young people like me.

I have learned from you that the worthiest thing is being alive. I promise that I shall never let pessimism overshadow me again. Sue and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you soon. We expect to have you back here and wish that you may paint many more masterpieces.

With warm regards Johnsy Q6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life. Or The Last Leaf’ is a story of supreme sacrifice by a wretched drunken artist. Comment Or Who was Behrman? What was his masterpiece and why did he paint it? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girl artists. They lived together in the artists’ colony.

Once Johnsy caught pneumonia. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the I y creeper fell. The doctor said that she should take interest in life and wish to live. Only then she could be saved Behrman was an old painter. He lived on the ground floor beneath them.

  • He was a failure in art.
  • For forty years he had been trying to paint a masterpiece, but he had not yet started h.
  • He came to know of Johnsy’s fancy.
  • The night the last leaf fell, he painted a leaf on the wall; He worked all night in the air and snow and painted the leaf.
  • The next morning, Johnsy saw the leaf on the wall: Her will to live returned.

Her life was saved. But Behrman caught pneumonia and died. Thus he sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life. The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece. Q7. In “The Last Leaf” why did Sue cry bitterly when the doctor had gone? Later she walked into Johnsy’s room whistling a cheerful tune.

Why? Or What was Johnsy’s real ailment? What were the chances of her recovery? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girls. They were painters. They lived like sisters. The studio in an artists’ colony. One day, Johnsy had an attack of pneumonia. Her condition worsened. Shhaedloasitctihnet will live. One day, the doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s disease was psychological also.

She did not want to live. In such a condition, no medicine could work. If she did not get back the will to live, her chances of recovery were only one out of ten. When Sue heard this she felt very sad. She cried bitterly as soon as the doctor had gone. But the next moment she entered Johnsy’s room, whistling.

Sue did so because she wanted to cheer up Johnsy. Q8. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same thing? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls. They had a joint studio. They loved each other like sisters. One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house.

Johnsy could see it through her window. The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy’s fancy.

She tried her best to cheer up Johnsy. She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves and her death. She nursed Johnsy with love and care. She told Behrman about Johnsy’s fancy. Behrman was a painter. He painted a leaf on the wall when the last leaf fell. This saved Johnsy’s life. Thus Sue played an important role in saving Johnsy’s life.

Q9. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman. Or Write a few sentences on the looks and personality of old Behrman.? Ans: Old Behrman was a painter. He was past sixty. But he was a failure in art. He earned very little through his paintings. He always said that he was going to paint a masterpiece.

But for the last forty years, he had not even begun it. Behrman was a drunkard. His beard was long and curling. It gave him the look of an imp. He was a tough fellow. He hated weakness in a man. He lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He considered himself their guardian. He was very kind and helpful at heart.

When he came to know of Johnsy’s fancy, he decided to help her. He went out in the rain and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. It saved Johnsy’s life. But he caught pneumonia and died. Thus Behrman plays a very important role in the story. He sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life.

  • Q 10. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf ‘.
  • Or how why the story is entitled ‘The Last Leaf’? Ans: This is a psychological story.
  • The whole story is based on the last leaf.
  • Johnsy was a young artist girl.
  • She and her friend Sue lived together.
  • One day Johnny caught pneumonia.
  • There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house.

From her window, Johnsy watched that creeper. Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Her condition became worse. Barman, an old painter came to know of this fancy of Johnsy.

The next night, the last leaf fell. But the same night Hellman painted a leaf on the wall. It looked a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to live returned. That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life. Thus the leaf plays an important role in the story. So the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.

Q11. Draw a brief character sketch of Sue. Ans: She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Lear. She is an artist girl. She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony. She is kind and noble at heart. She has the qualities of a true friend.

  • Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia.
  • Sue nurses her with love and care.
  • She works day and night to earn enough money.
  • With this money, she buys medicines and a good diet for her friend.
  • She feels shocked when the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery.
  • Johnsy has a fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls.

She tries her best to cheer her up. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless. She tells of John’s fancy of old Behrman. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy. Thus, Sue is a kind and noble girl. She is a true friend. Q12. Behrman’s masterpiece helped Johnsy to survive.

  1. Explain how the last leaf influenced Johnsy? Ans: The story reveals Behrman’s sacrifice.
  2. He was a poor old artist.
  3. He had a dream to paint a masterpiece.
  4. Once Johnsy fell ill and established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves.
  5. One day, Sue found her whispering this.
  6. Sue looked after Johnsy and she informed Behrman about her condition.

It was a stormy night and there was a single leaf on the creeper. Behrman thought that the leaf would fall that stormy night. So he decided to paint the leaf on the wall. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it looked natural. But he got pneumonia that night and died two days after his painting.

Hence, this story becomes the story of supreme sacrifice. Q13. Johnsy felt her survival is related to the falling ivy leaves. Explain how blind beliefs can cause harm to us. Ans: Johnsy was seriously ill with pneumonia. She was highly depressed and lay in bed looking vacantly out of the window. She would keep watching for hours the creeper up the opposite wall shedding its leaves.

She would count the number of leaves left on the creeper. She was obsessed with a foolish superstition. She would die with the fall of the last leaf. The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression.

  • In such a state, no medicine could save her life.
  • So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state. Q14.
  • Sue played a very important role in saving her friend Johnsy.
  • Explain how she played the role of a trusted friend.
  • Ans: Sue and Johnsy were good friends.
  • Both of them were artists.

They loved each other and shared the same room. One day, Johnsy fell ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. She believed that she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy creeper. Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to instill in her a desire to live a happy life.

She kept whistling in order to make her happy and break her calmness. When her condition started deteriorating she became anxious and informed Behrman about her condition. Behrman took it seriously. He painted the leaf on the wall to save her life. So, Sue succeeds in saving her life. Q15. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”.

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Do you think the story “The Last Leaf” supports this statement? Ans: A friend plays a very important role in one’s life. A true friend supports one in every step. A friend is a person who stands with you in happiness or crises. In the story, ‘’ The Last Leaf” when Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia she was not getting well because she was the victim of negative feelings.

  1. She attached her life to the falling of leaves from a creeper outside the window.
  2. She had thought she would die the moment when the last leaf of the creeper falls.
  3. Sue tried her best to cheer her up when she learned Johnsy’s foolish belief.
  4. She shared her concern with Behrman.
  5. Behrman went out on a rainy night and painted a leaf on the ivy, which looked like a real leaf.

Sue helped Johnsy to recover. She gave her a lot of courage. In reality, she was a kind girl and a friend indeed. Q16. “You have to live for your friends.” How far do you agree with this advice given by Sue to her friend Johnsy? Ans: The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live.

It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state. Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life. He kept waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape.

Yes, he could materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper. Q17. What is the need to maintain a positive attitude in life? Comment with reference to Johnsy’s attitude to life. Ans: Johnsy was a young girl and lived with one of her friends.

They were artists. She was suffering from pneumonia. Her friend Sue looked after her. She loved her very much. The doctor kept visiting Johnsy and had regular check-ups. But there was no improvement in her condition. Her condition went from bad to worse. Both the doctor and Sue were worried. Later on, it was found that she was depressed.

In that state of mind, she lost her interest in everything. She kept lying calm gazing through the window. She did not like to live and suffered from the misconception that she would die with the last leaf of the creeper. They tried to convince her, but in vain.

  1. She had lost her will to live.
  2. In this mental condition, only God could save her. Q18.
  3. The story ‘The Last Leaf is a story of supreme sacrifice by an old artist.
  4. Do you agree? Ans: Firm determination and strong willpower are the tools of success in life.
  5. A person who has a firm determination and strong willpower can never feel depressed on small losses in life and God blesses such a person with success.

In the story, The Last Leaf, it is the determination and strong willpower that helps a patient Johnsy to recover fast. Johnsy who felt dejected and depressed had lost the will to live. Medicine was ineffective. She thought that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy.

Are Sue and Johnsy lovers?

As young female artists in early twentieth-century New York, Sue and Johnsy are in an unusual position. Their behavior challenges accepted notions of women’s roles and responsibilities in the period: rather than marrying and devoting their energies to the domestic sphere, they have chosen to move to New York and lead independent but financially precarious lives in pursuit of their art.

After meeting at a restaurant and discovering their many shared interests, Sue and Johnsy decide to move in together. Confronted with the disapproval of the wider society, the two women find solace in their friendship. The story’s few men dismiss and belittle Sue and Johnsy. For example, the doctor who diagnoses Johnsy’s pneumonia asserts that art is not “anythingworth thinking about” for a woman.

When he asks if anything is bothering Johnsy, Sue replies that “she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples one day.” The doctor doesn’t believe that this unfulfilled aspiration could be the cause of Johnsy’s depression—”Paint—bosh!” he replies, and asks if she is upset over a man.

Sue, by contrast, contradicts the doctor’s view that romantic troubles could be the only thing “worth thinking about” for Johnsy. “Is a man worth—” she begins, but cuts herself off, seeming to imply that a man wouldn’t warrant such a depression. Even other artists who know Sue and Johnsy and seem to respect their work can be dismissive of them based on gender.

Their neighbor, Mr. Behrman expresses some of the prevailing views of the time when he shouts “You are just like a woman!” at Sue, accusing her of irrationality and jumping to conclusions. Some critics have advanced the view that Sue and Johnsy are romantically involved.

At the very least, they clearly share a close intimacy that exists outside the more conventional roles for women in the period: they are unmarried, live together, and share a home life that does not involve men or caring for children. Sue seems very sure that Johnsy is not involved in a heterosexual relationship: “There is nothing of that kind,” she tells the doctor.

The two women call each other by various endearments including “dear,” “Sudie,” and “dear Johnsy.” Sue is highly loyal to Johnsy, cooking and caring for her and telling her “I’d rather be here by you” when Johnsy asks her to leave. Sue is in despair at the prospect of Johnsy’s death: “Think of me, if you won’t think of yourself,” she says.

“What would I do?” O. Henry never conclusively confirms or denies the nature of their relationship, but it’s clear that the two women are very close, and that they are able to support each other’s ambitions and passions when others dismiss them. “The Last Leaf” thus depicts two women who lead unconventional lives.

Whether or not Johnsy and Sue are romantically involved, their decision to build a life together challenges prevailing gender norms, particularly the expectation that early twentieth-century women should devote all their time and efforts to their husband and children.

Did the last leaf fall?

Answer: – The last leaf on the ivy creeper did not fall because it was not a real leaf but a painted one. It was a painting made on the window by the old Behrman. It was an attempt by the kind man to revive in Johnsy, the wish to live.

Did Behrman save Johnsy’s life?

Behrman saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing himself at the altar of art. ‘The Last Leaf’ is about his extreme sacrifice that infuses life in a young depressed woman. Johnsy’s illness was serious but could be cured if she had the will to live. Her falling health was more due to her state of depression than pneumonia.

What did Sue do to remove Johnsy’s depression?

Answer: Explanation: How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her? Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s interest in things around her. She also moved her drawing-board to Johnsy’s room and whistled as she painted, to keep Johnsy’s mind off her illness.

What is Johnsy’s real name in the last leaf?

Our story today is called “The Last Leaf.” It was written by O. Henry. Here is Barbara Klein with the story. Many artists lived in the Greenwich Village area of New York. Two young women named Sue and Johnsy shared a studio apartment at the top of a three-story building.

Johnsy’s real name was Joanna. In November, a cold, unseen stranger came to visit the city. This disease, pneumonia, killed many people. Johnsy lay on her bed, hardly moving. She looked through the small window. She could see the side of the brick house next to her building. One morning, a doctor examined Johnsy and took her temperature.

Then he spoke with Sue in another room. “She has one chance in – let us say ten,” he said. “And that chance is for her to want to live. Your friend has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. Has she anything on her mind?” “She – she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples in Italy some day,” said Sue.

Paint?” said the doctor. “Bosh! Has she anything on her mind worth thinking twice – a man for example?” “A man?” said Sue. “Is a man worth – but, no, doctor; there is nothing of the kind.” “I will do all that science can do,” said the doctor. “But whenever my patient begins to count the carriages at her funeral, I take away fifty percent from the curative power of medicines.” After the doctor had gone, Sue went into the workroom and cried.

Then she went to Johnsy’s room with her drawing board, whistling ragtime. Johnsy lay with her face toward the window. Sue stopped whistling, thinking she was asleep. She began making a pen and ink drawing for a story in a magazine. Young artists must work their way to “Art” by making pictures for magazine stories.

Sue heard a low sound, several times repeated. She went quickly to the bedside. Johnsy’s eyes were open wide. She was looking out the window and counting – counting backward. “Twelve,” she said, and a little later “eleven”; and then “ten” and “nine;” and then “eight” and “seven,” almost together. Sue looked out the window.

What was there to count? There was only an empty yard and the blank side of the house seven meters away. An old ivy vine, going bad at the roots, climbed half way up the wall. The cold breath of autumn had stricken leaves from the plant until its branches, almost bare, hung on the bricks.

  1. What is it, dear?” asked Sue.
  2. Six,” said Johnsy, quietly.
  3. They’re falling faster now.
  4. Three days ago there were almost a hundred.
  5. It made my head hurt to count them.
  6. But now it’s easy.
  7. There goes another one.
  8. There are only five left now.” “Five what, dear?” asked Sue. “Leaves.
  9. On the plant.
  10. When the last one falls I must go, too.

I’ve known that for three days. Didn’t the doctor tell you?” “Oh, I never heard of such a thing,” said Sue. “What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? And you used to love that vine. Don’t be silly. Why, the doctor told me this morning that your chances for getting well real soon were – let’s see exactly what he said – he said the chances were ten to one! Try to eat some soup now.

  1. And, let me go back to my drawing, so I can sell it to the magazine and buy food and wine for us.” “You needn’t get any more wine,” said Johnsy, keeping her eyes fixed out the window.
  2. There goes another one.
  3. No, I don’t want any soup.
  4. That leaves just four.
  5. I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark.

Then I’ll go, too.” “Johnsy, dear,” said Sue, “will you promise me to keep your eyes closed, and not look out the window until I am done working? I must hand those drawings in by tomorrow.” “Tell me as soon as you have finished,” said Johnsy, closing her eyes and lying white and still as a fallen statue. William Sydney Porter, or O. Henry sits for a portrait. “Try to sleep,” said Sue. “I must call Mister Behrman up to be my model for my drawing of an old miner. Don’t try to move until I come back.” Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the apartment building.

  • Behrman was a failure in art.
  • For years, he had always been planning to paint a work of art, but had never yet begun it.
  • He earned a little money by serving as a model to artists who could not pay for a professional model.
  • He was a fierce, little, old man who protected the two young women in the studio apartment above him.

Sue found Behrman in his room. In one area was a blank canvas that had been waiting twenty-five years for the first line of paint. Sue told him about Johnsy and how she feared that her friend would float away like a leaf, Old Behrman was angered at such an idea.

“Are there people in the world with the foolishness to die because leaves drop off a vine? Why do you let that silly business come in her brain?” “She is very sick and weak,” said Sue, “and the disease has left her mind full of strange ideas.” “This is not any place in which one so good as Miss Johnsy shall lie sick,” yelled Behrman.

“Some day I will paint a masterpiece, and we shall all go away.” Johnsy was sleeping when they went upstairs. Sue pulled the shade down to cover the window. She and Behrman went into the other room. They looked out a window fearfully at the ivy vine. Then they looked at each other without speaking.

A cold rain was falling, mixed with snow. Behrman sat and posed as the miner. The next morning, Sue awoke after an hour’s sleep. She found Johnsy with wide-open eyes staring at the covered window. “Pull up the shade; I want to see,” she ordered, quietly. Sue obeyed. After the beating rain and fierce wind that blew through the night, there yet stood against the wall one ivy leaf.

It was the last one on the vine. It was still dark green at the center. But its edges were colored with the yellow. It hung bravely from the branch about seven meters above the ground. “It is the last one,” said Johnsy. “I thought it would surely fall during the night.

  • I heard the wind.
  • It will fall today and I shall die at the same time.” “Dear, dear!” said Sue, leaning her worn face down toward the bed.
  • Think of me, if you won’t think of yourself.
  • What would I do?” But Johnsy did not answer.
  • The next morning, when it was light, Johnsy demanded that the window shade be raised.

The ivy leaf was still there. Johnsy lay for a long time, looking at it. And then she called to Sue, who was preparing chicken soup. “I’ve been a bad girl,” said Johnsy. “Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how bad I was. It is wrong to want to die.

You may bring me a little soup now.” An hour later she said: “Someday I hope to paint the Bay of Naples.” Later in the day, the doctor came, and Sue talked to him in the hallway. “Even chances,” said the doctor. “With good care, you’ll win. And now I must see another case I have in your building. Behrman, his name is – some kind of an artist, I believe.

Pneumonia, too. He is an old, weak man and his case is severe. There is no hope for him; but he goes to the hospital today to ease his pain.” The next day, the doctor said to Sue: “She’s out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now – that’s all.” Later that day, Sue came to the bed where Johnsy lay, and put one arm around her.

I have something to tell you, white mouse,” she said. “Mister Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was sick only two days. They found him the morning of the first day in his room downstairs helpless with pain. His shoes and clothing were completely wet and icy cold. They could not imagine where he had been on such a terrible night.

And then they found a lantern, still lighted. And they found a ladder that had been moved from its place. And art supplies and a painting board with green and yellow colors mixed on it. And look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn’t you wonder why it never moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it is Behrman’s masterpiece – he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell.” To download a lesson plan to accompany this part of the story, click here,

Why did Sue go to Behrman?

Sue had failed to revive the will to live in Johnsy. She began to prepare herself for death when only one leaf was left on the ivy. Sue thought of a plan to save the life of her friend. Therefore, she went to meet old Behrman.

How did Sue prove that she was a true friend?

“The Last Leaf” is a story from the Class 9 English Moments book about a sick woman named Johnsy who thinks she will die when all the leaves fall off the ivy plant outside her window. But her neighbor, an artist named Behrman, paints a leaf on the wall to give her hope, and miraculously, Johnsy gets better. Q.1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her – the medicine or her willingness to live? OR What was the reason for Johnsy’s deteriorating health? Ans. Johnsy was affected with pneumonia during the chilly month of November, which left her severely weakened and depressed.

She became listless, spending her days staring out the window at the autumn leaves falling from the trees. This scene further fueled her melancholy, causing her to equate the shedding leaves with her own impending death. As a result, her health worsened, her appetite disappeared, and medications lost their efficacy.

The doctor believed that Johnsy’s recovery hinged on her desire to live, Without the determination to get better, even the most potent medicines would be rendered ineffective. Johnsy’s illness Q.2. Sue is a true and faithful friend. Comment. OR What values of friendship are prominent in Sue’s character? Ans. Sue displays the virtues of a true and faithful friend. She and Johnsy were young artist friends who shared a small flat.

When Johnsy fell ill, Sue did not spare any effort to nurse her back to health. She exhibited the values of sincerity and commitment to her friend by calling the doctor who would visit them daily to review Johnsy’s condition. She tried to lift Johnsy’s spirits by talking cheerfully to her and thus exemplifying the value of unwavering support to a depressed friend.

She would sit beside Johnsy’s bed and paint so that she could earn for herself and Johnsy. She comforted Johnsy and dealt with her cranky behaviour very patiently. With her cheerful disposition and optimism, she tried her best to reassure Johnsy that the old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness.

Sensing the seriousness of Johnsy’s health and her state of mind, she at once sought Behrman’s help. Thus, Sue proves to be a compassionate human being and a true friend.Q.3. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? Ans. Yes, the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers.

It is so because, like Johnsy, they too lack emotional maturity. They fail to understand that sorrows are as much a part of our lives as joys are. Certain situations in life are unpredictable as well as unavoidable. Teenagers become nervous while encountering such situations.

  • They begin to gather negative thoughts and have a fear of failures.
  • It becomes a vicious cycle and their weak health aggravates emotional instability.
  • Pessimism begins to destroy their will-power.
  • Another problem is that like Johnsy, teenagers take a lot of time to get convinced They are difficult to counsel and try their loved one’s patience a lot.

The absence of a healthy lifestyle pushes them further into negativity and depression becomes deep-rooted. Therefore, teenagers should inculcate positive values like optimism, strong will-power, and faith through meditation and regular exercise in order to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body.Q.4.

  • How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life? Ans.
  • Behrman learnt about Johnsy’s fancies,
  • He did not waste a single second.
  • He took a lantern because it was dark.
  • He took a Ladder because he had to paint the leaf on the wall.
  • He took brushes and colours.
  • He painted the leaf on the wall though it was raining heavily.

The real leaf had already fallen. The painted leaf stuck to the wall. Johnsy said the last leaf still intact. It revived confidence and will to live in her. It was Behrman’s masterpiece. Behrman died of pneumonia but saved Johnsy’s life.Q.5. Imagine Behrman survives the attack of pneumonia.

His family takes him back to his native countryside in order to serve the old man and nurse him back to health. As Johnsy, write a letter to Behrman expressing your gratitude. Ans. (Date) 12-111 Floor Ivy Apartments London Dear Mr Behrman Trust your health is improving with each day. Sue and I think of you all the time and miss you a lot.

We have always looked up to you as a friendly neighbour and a kind gentleman artist. Words fail me when I express gratitude for the extraordinary help extended by you during our moments of crisis. Shivers run down my spine when I recall the time you risked your life to save a silly girl like me.

You are a very brave person and a true artist. Your masterpiece reflects your passion and dedication and it has made me realise that my whims were utterly senseless. Your life is an inspiration for young people like me. I have learnt from you that the worthiest thing is being alive. I promise that I shall never let pessimism overshadow me again.

Sue and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you soon. We expect to have you back here and wish that you may paint many more masterpieces. With warm regards Johnsy Q.6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life. OR ‘The Last Leaf’ is a story of supreme sacrifice by a wretched drunken artist.

  1. Comment. OR Who was Behrman? What was his masterpiece and why did he paint it? Ans.
  2. Sue and Johnsy were two young girl-artists.
  3. They lived together in the artists’ colony.
  4. Once Johnsy caught pneumonia.
  5. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the Ivy creeper fell.
  6. The doctor said that she should take an interest in life and wish to live.

Only then she could be saved. Behrman was an old painter. He lived on the ground floor beneath them. He was a failure in art. For forty years he had been trying to paint a masterpiece, but he had not yet started. He came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. The night the last leaf fell, he painted a leaf on the wall; He worked all night in the air and snow and painted the leaf.

  1. The next morning, Johnsy saw the leaf on the wall.
  2. Her will to live returned.
  3. Her life was saved.
  4. But Behrman caught pneumonia and died.
  5. Thus he sacrificed his life and saved john’s life.
  6. The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece.Q.7.
  7. In “The Last Leaf” why did Sue cry bitterly when the doctor had gone? Later she walked into Johnsy’s room whistling a cheerful tune.

Why? OR What was Johnsy’s real ailment? What were the chances of her recovery? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were two young girls. They were painters. They lived like sisters. The studio is an artists’ colony. One day, J ohnsy had an attack of pneumonia. Her condition worsened.

  • Shhaedloasitctihnet will live.
  • One day, the doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s disease was psychological also.
  • She did not want to live.
  • In such a condition, no medicine could work.
  • If she did not get back the will to live, her chances of recovery were only one out of ten.
  • When Sue heard this, she felt very sad.

She cried bitterly as soon as the doctor had gone. But the next moment she entered Johnsy’s room, whistling. Sue did so because she wanted to cheer up Johnsy.Q.8. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same thing? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls.

  • They had a joint studio.
  • They loved each other like sisters.
  • One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia.
  • There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house.
  • Johnsy could see it through her window.
  • The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds.
  • Johnsy developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell,

She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. She tried her best to cheer up Johnsy. She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves and her death. She nursed Johnsy with love and care. She told Behrman about Johnsy’s fancy. Q.9. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman. OR Write a few sentences on the looks and personality of old Behrman. Ans.

Old Behrman was a painter. He was past sixty. But he was a failure in art. He earned very little through his paintings. He always said that he was going to paint a masterpiece. But for the last forty years, he had not even begun it. Behrman was a drunkard. His beard was long and curling. It gave him the look of an imp. He was a tough fellow. He hated weakness in a man. He lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He considered himself their guardian. He was very kind and helpful at heart. When he came to know of Johnsy’s fancy, he decided to help her. He went out in rain and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. It saved Johnsy’s life. But he caught pneumonia and died. Thus Behrman plays a very important role in the story. He sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life.

Q.10. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’. OR Show why the story is entitled ‘The Last Leaf’? Ans. This is a psychological story. The whole story is based on the last leaf. Johnsy was a young artist girl. She and her friend Sue lived together. One day Johnny caught pneumonia.

  • There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house.
  • From her window, Johnsy watched that creeper.
  • Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds.
  • Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell.
  • She lost the will to live.
  • Her condition became worse.
  • Barman, an old painter came to know of this fancy of Johnsy.

The next night, the last leaf fell. But the same night Hellman painted a leaf on the wall. It looked like a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to live returned. That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life. Thus the leaf plays an important role in the story.

  • So the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.Q.11.
  • Draw a brief character-sketch of Sue. Ans.
  • She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Leaf’.
  • She is an artist girl.
  • She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony.
  • She is kind and noble at heart.
  • She has the qualities of a true friend.

Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia. Sue nurses her with love and care. She works day and night to earn enough money. With this money, she buys medicines and good diet for her friend. She feels shocked when the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery.

Johnsy has a fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls. She tries her best to cheer her up. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless. She tells of Johnsy’s fancy of old Behrman. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy. Thus, Sue is a kind and noble girl. She is a true friend.Q.12.

Behrman’s masterpiece helped Johnsy to survive. Explain how the last leaf influenced Johnsy? Ans. The story reveals Behrman’s sacrifice. He was a poor old artist. He had a dream to paint a masterpiece. Once Johnsy fell ill and established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves.

One day, Sue found her whispering this. Sue looked after Johnsy and she informed Behrman about her condition. It was a stormy night and there was a single leaf on the creeper. Behrman thought that the leaf would fall that stormy night. So he decided to paint the leaf on the wall. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it looked natural.

But he got pneumonia that night and died two days after his painting. Hence, this story becomes the story of supreme sacrifice.Q.13. Johnsy felt her survival is related to the falling ivy leaves. Explain how blind beliefs can cause harm to us? Ans. Johnsy was seriously ill with pneumonia.

She was highly depressed and lay in bed, looking vacantly out of the window. She would keep watching for hours the creeper up the opposite wall shedding its leaves. She would count the number of leaves left on the creeper. She was obsessed with a foolish superstition. She would die with the fall of the last leaf.

The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in the state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised due to try her best to take her friend out of that state.Q.14.

Sue played a very important role in saving her friend Johnsy. Explain how she played the role of a trusted friend? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were good friends. Both of them were artists. They loved each other and shared the same room. One day, Johnsy fell ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. She believed that she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy creeper.

Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to instil in her a desire to live a happy life. She kept whistling in order to make her happy and break her calmness. When her condition started deteriorating, she became anxious and informed Behrman about her condition.

  1. Behrman took it seriously.
  2. He painted the leaf on the wall to save her life.
  3. So, Sue succeeds in saving her life.Q.15.
  4. A friend in need is a friend indeed”.
  5. Do you think the story “The Last Leaf” supports this statement? Ans.
  6. A friend plays a very important role in one’s life.
  7. A true friend supports one in every step.

A friend is a person who stands with you in happiness or crises. In the story, ‘’ The Last Leaf” when Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia she was not getting well because she was the victim of negative feeling. She attached her life to the falling of leaves from a creeper outside the window.

She had thought she would die the moment when the last leaf of the creeper falls. Sue tried her best to cheer her up when she learnt Johnsy’s foolish belief. She shared her concern with Behrman. Behrman went out on a rainy night and painted a leaf on the ivy, which looked like a real leaf. Sue helped Johnsy to recover.

She gave her a lot of courage. In reality, she was a kind girl and a friend indeed.Q.16. “You have to live for your friends.” How far do you agree with this advice given by Sue to her friend Johnsy? Ans. The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live.

It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in the state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Due to try her best to take her friend out of that state. Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life. He kept waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape.

Yes, he could materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper.Q.17. What is the need to maintain a positive attitude in life? Comment with reference to Johnsy’s attitude to life? Ans. Johnsy was a young girl and lived with one of her friends.

They were artists. She was suffering from pneumonia. Her friend Sue looked after her. She loved her very much. The doctor kept visiting Johnsy and had a regular check-up. But there was no improvement in her condition. Her condition went from bad to worse. Both the doctor and Sue were worried. Later on, it was found that she was depressed.

In that state of mind, she lost her interest in everything. She kept lying calm gazing through the window. She did not like to live and suffered from the misconception that she would die with the last leaf of the creeper. They tried to convince her, but in vain.

  1. She had lost her will to live.
  2. In this mental condition, only God could save her.Q.18.
  3. The story ‘The Last Leaf is a story of supreme sacrifice by an old artist.
  4. Do you agree? Ans.
  5. Firm determination and strong will power are the tools of success in life.
  6. A person who has a firm determination and strong will power can never feel depressed on small losses in life and God blesses a person with success.

In the story, The Last Leaf, it is the determination and strong will power that helps a patient Johnsy to recover fast. Johnsy who felt dejected and depressed, had lost the will to live. Medicine was ineffective. She thought that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy.

What moral do we get from the story the last leaf?

Moral Of The Story – It is an inspiring story for people of all age groups. This story teaches us that we should never lose hope in life quickly. It also teaches us the meaning of true friendship. Behrman sacrificed his own life so his friend wouldn’t lose hope and recover from her illness.

What is the conclusion of the story the last leaf?

The Last Leaf Analysis by O Henry The story uses the symbolism of leaf as the last surviving hope so as to encourage people to not despair. Earlier falling leaves signified decay for Johnsy but the painted leaf became her cure. The streets symbolize the unpredictable nature of human emotions and relationships as they are rough and damaged.

  • The weather and the rains symbolize the challenges that one faces in life in order to achieve true potential and greatness.
  • The story is set in a time and place that was full of aspiring artists.
  • Based in early 20 th century Washington, the place was had diverse strands of cultures, languages and arts.

This is highlighted by the Sue, Johnsy and Behrman who were all different in their passions and artistic taste. However, the place brought them together to learn from each other’s abilities and traits. There are several points of conflicts in the story.

Behrman is surprised by Johnsy lack of will to live while he is angry with Sue for convincing her otherwise. Johnsy is fighting against pneumonia as well as her depression. Sue and Johnsy are at opposite ends when it comes to giving up in the face of difficulty. There is extraneous conflict as well in the shape of inclement weather and disease which ends up killing Behrman.

The story gives a clear message of perseverance and hope. It encourages people to be compassionate and self-reflecting. The central lesson of the story is that no matter how hard life gets, there is always hope. One should always attempt to fight against difficulties and survive when it seems all has been lost.

  1. Another lesson is to help each other and show empathy for people who are going through rough times.
  2. This is how human beings and society and heal each other’s wounds.
  3. The story ends with Johnsy’s realization that she still had hope and all was not lost.
  4. She recognizes that her will to live was stronger than her psychological stress.

Also, Behrman’s sacrifice inspires her to be stronger in the face of adversity. Behrman also achieves his dreams by painting his true masterpiece even though it comes at the cost of his life. Sue acknowledges Behrman’s greatness both as an artist and a compassionate human being.

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Is the last leaf Based on a true story?

Answer: Yes The Last Leaf is a story by O. Henry. Explanation: The last leaf is O. Henry’s short story from the 1907 collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories. This story first appeared in the New York World on October 15, 1905. The story takes place in Greenwich Village during an epidemic of pneumonia.

  • It’s the story of an old man who died of her pneumonia and saved her life for a young artist in her neighborhood who gave her the will to live.
  • Through the window, you can see old ivy (growing on the nearby wall) that gradually shed its leaf from autumn to winter.
  • I think that will die if the last leaf falls.

The leaves fall every day, but the last leaves remain for a few days. The health of sick women will soon recover. At the end of the story, it turns out that the old artist, who always wanted to make a masterpiece but failed, spent a lot of time painting leaves on the walls all night and had great realism.

What is the summary of the story of the last leaf?

‘The Last Leaf’ is a story of Johnsy, a poor young woman who is critically ill due to pneumonia. She believes that when the ivy vine on the wall outside her window would lose all its leaves, she would die too. However, her neighbor, Behrman, an artist, tricks her by painting a leaf on the wall. Johnsy recovers.

What is the cause of her illness in the last leaf?

Johnsy’s illness is caused by the epidemic of pneumonia in Greenwich village in New York.

What had happened to Johnsy when she was suffering from pneumonia?

“The Last Leaf” is a story from the Class 9 English Moments book about a sick woman named Johnsy who thinks she will die when all the leaves fall off the ivy plant outside her window. But her neighbor, an artist named Behrman, paints a leaf on the wall to give her hope, and miraculously, Johnsy gets better. Very Short Answer Type Important Questions Very short question answers of “The Last Leaf” chapter in Class 9 English are crucial for quick revision, effective exam preparation, and improving overall comprehension of the chapter. Here are some very short questions and answers of the chapter: Q1.

  1. Who were Sue and Johnsy? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two artists. Q2.
  2. What happened to Johnsy? Ans: Johnsy became severely ill in November. Q3.
  3. What fear did Johnsy have in her mind? Ans: Johnsy had a fear in her mind that she would pass away on the day when the last leaf on the creeper fell. Q4.
  4. Why was the doctor confused about Johnsy’s illness? Ans: The doctor was perplexed because none of the medicines were proving effective on Johnsy’s illness.

Q5. What was happening to the leaves on the creeper outside Johnsy’s window? Ans: The leaves were falling due to the combination of extreme cold and strong wind outside Johnsy’s window. Q6. Who was Behrman? Ans. Behrman was an old painter. Q7. What did Behrman do? Ans: Behrman painted a picture of a creeper with a single leaf on the wall.

  1. Q8. What happened to Behrman? Ans: Behrman passed away due to pneumonia. Q9.
  2. What was Behrman’s dream? Ans: Behrman aspired to paint a masterpiece. Q10.
  3. What was Behrman’s masterpiece? Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the painting of a creeper with a single leaf on it. Q11.
  4. Was Johnsy’s life saved? Ans: Indeed, Johnsy’s life was saved.

Q12. Who saved Johnsy’s life? Ans: Behrman, the old painter, saved Johnsy’s life. Short Answer Type Important Questions “The Last Leaf” is a significant chapter that highlights the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit. Short question answers related to this chapter are indispensable for students to gain a better understanding of the plot, characters, and themes of the story in a more focused and concise manner. Q1. Who were Sue and Johnsy? Where did they live? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were young artist friends who were struggling to establish themselves in the world of art. Both lived in a small flat which was on the third floor of an old house. They shared this place.

  • Q2. Why was Sue worried when Johnsy got sick? Ans: Sue was worried because Johnsy was lying in bed without moving and only staring out the window.
  • Although Johnsy had pneumonia, which could be cured, her condition was not improving.
  • This made Sue concerned about Johnsy’s health. Q3,
  • Why was Johnsy’s condition worrisome according to the doctor? Ans: According to the doctor, Johnsy’s condition was worrisome because she did not show any signs of improvement despite good treatment.

He thought that perhaps she had lost her will to live and no medicine could help her in this negative state of mind. Q4. How did Johnsy associate herself with the falling leaves? Ans: It was autumn and the ivy creeper leaves were falling gradually. This depressed an already ill Johnsy and strangely enough, she associated her falling health with the leaves.

She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell. Q5. How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her? Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s interest in things around her. She also moved her drawing-board to Johnsy’s room and whistled as she painted, to keep Johnsy’s mind off her illness.

Q6. How did Sue help Johnsy during her illness? Ans: Sue helped Johnsy by looking after all her needs. She would give her hot soup from time to time and sit by her side and talk to her. She called the doctor and even sought help from their neighbor Behrman.

Q7. Why was Johnsy counting backward while looking out of the window? Ans: Johnsy kept looking out of the window and counted backward to note the number of leaves left on the ivy creeper. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell whereas the leaves were falling in a normal process of nature during the autumn season.

Q8. What did Sue see when she heard Johnsy counting backward? A ns: When Sue heard Johnsy counting backward, she looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing halfway up the brick wall opposite their window. The creeper was shedding leaves due to the strong autumn wind.

  • Q9. How did Sue try to convince Johnsy that her belief about dying with the last leaf was nonsense? Ans: Sue immediately rubbished Johnsy’s belief as nonsense.
  • She tried to convince her by telling that old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness.
  • The doctor too was confident that she would get better.

Q10. Why did Sue seek the promise from Johnsy not to look out of the window while she completed her painting? Ans: Sue sought this promise because she did not want Johnsy to go deeper into the depression on seeing the ivy leaves fall. Moreover, she could not even pull the curtains to stop Johnsy from looking out as she needed the incoming light to complete her painting and get money for the two of them by selling it.

Q11. Who was Behrman? Why did Sue share her worry with him? Ans: Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter who lived on the ground floor of the same building as Sue and Johnsy. Sue shared her worry with him because Behrman was an elderly person and his vast experience of life could be of great help. Q12. Behrman has a dream.

What is it? Does it come true? (Textual) Or What was Behrman’s dream? How did it come true? Ans: Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece someday. His dream did come true when he painted a leaf that was a near replica of a real leaf. This masterpiece saved a young life and fulfilled Behrman’s ambition too.

  1. Unfortunately, it cost him his life. Q13.
  2. I’m tired of waiting.’ Why did Johnsy say so to Sue? Ans: J ohnsy wanted Sue to finish her painting quickly so that she could see the last leaf fall.
  3. She believed that she would die with it but this was taking too long.
  4. She became tired of waiting for the last leaf to fall.

Q14. What did Sue and Behrman see from the window of the room next to Johnsy’s? Ans: Sue and Behrman saw that only one leaf was left on the ivy creeper that was fluttering in the icy-cold wind accompanied by heavy rain. Under such conditions, it was bound to fall anytime soon.

  1. Q15. Why was Sue nervous and reluctant while drawing the curtains on the morning after the storm? Ans: Sue was nervous because she was certain that the last leaf had fallen at night.
  2. This could make Johnsy quit all hope of survival as she had associated her death with the falling leaves of the ivy creeper.

Q16. What made Sue exclaim about looking out of the window on the morning after the storm? Or What did Sue point out to Johnsy when she looked out of the window in the morning after the storm? A ns: Sue exclaimed in amazement and delight because the last leaf was still there on the ivy creeper.

She pointed out to Johnsy that the leaf looked quite green and healthy. It had not fallen in spite of the fierce winds and rain. This meant that Johnsy too could recover. Q17. How did Sue try to encourage Johnsy? Ans: Sue tried to encourage Johnsy by telling her that she won’t die and that she had to live for the sake of her friends.

She further pleaded with Johnsy to spare a thought for her as she could not live without Johnsy. Q18. What did Johnsy admit to Sue when the last leaf did not fall? or When did Johnsy realize her mistake? Ans: When Johnsy saw the last leaf intact, she admitted that Sue had looked after her so lovingly and she, in turn, had been a bad, wicked, gloomy, and non-cooperative girl.

  1. She had now realized that it was a sin to want to die. Q19.
  2. When and why was the doctor’s report encouraging about Johnsy’s condition? Ans: The doctor gave an encouraging report about Johnsy’s condition after examining her in the afternoon a day after the storm.
  3. He believed that the report was encouraging because now Johnsy had regained her will to live.

Q20. What news about Behrman did the doctor convey to Sue when he came to examine Johnsy? Ans: When the doctor came to examine Johnsy, he told Sue that Behrman too was suffering from pneumonia. He said that he was confident of Johnsy’s recovery but feared that there was no hope for Behrman.

  • Q21. What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death? Or Why did Behrman spend a night out in the storm and rain? Ans: Behrman died because he had spent the entire stormy night painting a replica of the last leaf on the ivy creeper and had caught pneumonia as a result.
  • He did this to save Johnsy’s life.
  • He did not want her to see the creeper without its last leaf and lose the will to live Q22.

Which items were found near Behrman when he died? What did this signify? Ans: A ladder and a lighted lantern were found near Behrman’s bed when he died. There were also some brushes and green and yellow AT paints on the floor near the ladder. This signified that the last green and fresh leaf had been painted by Behrman all through the stormy night,

Q23. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? (Textual) Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the leaf that he painted on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window. He had braved icy winds and rains at night while painting the leaf. Sue called it a masterpiece as it was green and healthy like a real leaf.

Besides, it saved Johnsy’; life by reviving her will to live. Thus, Behrman’s painting was a masterpiece in the sense that it had saved a precious life and was able to fox an artist. Q24. What saved Johnsy’s life? Ans: The last half painted by Behrman on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window saved her life.

  1. The leaf was a true replica of the last leaf hanging on the ivy creeper.
  2. Johnsy mistook it to be a real leaf and felt that she had been wicked and it was a sin to want to die. Q25.
  3. It looks quite green and healthy”.
  4. What was the cause of the leaf’s color and freshness? Ans: The last leaf on the ivy creeper looked quite green and healthy because it was not a real leaf, but a painted one.

Behrman had painted it overnight to help save Johnsy’s life. Q26. Why did Johnsy keep looking out of the window? Ans: There was a creeper on the wall facing Johnsy’s window. She had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. The leaves were falling because it was an autumn season.

  • So Johnsy kept looking out of the window. Q27.
  • How did Sue try to keep Johnsy cheerful? Ans: The doctor had said that Johnsy’s chances of recovery were only one out of ten.
  • Sue became sad and cried bitterly.
  • But she wanted to cheer up Johnsy.
  • So she entered her room, whistling a cheerful tune. Q28.
  • How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy? Ans: J ohnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell.

Brennan did not like this fancy of Johnsy. He called her fancy mere nonsense. He said that she should not have such absurd ideas. Q29. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same? Ans: Johnsy got a fancy that she would die with the fall of the last leaf.

  • But, Sue considered it a foolish idea.
  • She said that there could be no relationship between the last leaf and somebody’s life. Q30.
  • How did old Behrman die? Ans: Behrman knew about Johnsy’s fancy about the falling leaves.
  • He went out in the cold and snow and painted a leaf on the wall.
  • L le caught pneumonia and died.

Q31. How did Johnsy realize her mistake? Ans: Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia. There was a creeper on the wall facing her window. Johnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell. One night, there was only one leaf left. She thought that she would also die with the falling of the leaf.

  • But that night, Behanan painted a leaf in its place.
  • So it did not fall.
  • It made her realize that it was a sin to wish to die. Q32.
  • What kind of a friend was Sue to Johnsy? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were close friends.
  • Both were painters.
  • Apart from that their tastes and views were similar.
  • They lived in the same small flat.

When Johnsy suffered from pneumonia, Sue looked after her with love and care. It was largely because of her care that Johnsy’s life was saved. Q33. Describe in your own words the colony where the artists lived. Ans: The artists’ colony grew in the old village named Greenwich.

It was to the west of Washington Square., Its streets were winding. These streets had strange angles and curves. Q34. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live? Ans: Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. But later on, she suffered from a misconception that she would the as soon as the last leaf on the creeper would fall down.

The medicine had no effect on her. Her willingness to live could only cure her. Q35. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? Ans: Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon us how we take it. Nowadays, it is very common that teenagers are getting depressed because of cut-throat competition.

On the other hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively and face difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further. Q36. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? Ans: Behrman was a 60-year-old artist who had a dream to paint a masterpiece. His painting of an ivy leaf was his masterpiece which saved the life of Johnsy.

It was such a painting and it was not easy to make out whether the leaf was real or a painted leaf. When Behrman died because of creating this life-saving painting in the cold weather, Sue called it a masterpiece. Q37. Who were Sue and Johnsy and how were they living? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young artists.

  • Their economic condition was not good.
  • They were strugglers.
  • They lived in the artist’s colony.
  • They shared a small flat. Q38.
  • How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy? Ans: When Behrman came to know about Johnsy’s belief regarding the fall of leaves, he saw the creeper and realized that the last leaf was sure to fall.

He said nothing. He decided to do something to save her life. Q39. What saved Johnsy’s life? Ans: Johnsy had lost charm in life due to pneumonia. She thought that when the last leaf fell, she would die. Behrman finally painted the masterpiece. The leaf painted by him saved Johnsy’s life. Q41. What made the doctor come to the flat of Sue and Johnsy? Ans: Johnsy was severely ill. She was attacked by pneumonia. Her weak body was helpless to bear the severity of the attack. She lay miserable in her bed. But her condition was deteriorating day by day.

As her condition had alarmed Sue, he requested the doctor to come and examine her friend Johnsy. Q42. How did Sue respond to the doctor’s advice? Ans: The doctor declared that there were fewer chances for her friend’s survival. It was a grim warning for her. She thought that she must do something so that her friend Johnsy could get back her will to live and may recover soon.

She was a pragmatic and tenacious person. Besides, she was determined to take her friend out of despair. Therefore, she began to think about the ways positively. Q43. Why did Behrman die? Ans: Behrman was an old artist of sixty years. He worked whole night in the stormy and rainy weather to paint the leaf on the wall.

  1. He was completely drenched.
  2. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was completely shivering.
  3. He fell to pneumonia and died.
  4. But before his death, he was successful in fulfilling his dream of making a masterpiece. Q44.
  5. Why did Johnsy link her death with the last leaf? Ans: Johnsy was emotionally disturbed.

She developed a belief that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the creeper. She started counting the leaves. In fact, she had an attack of depression too. Q45. How did Sue pour out her worries to Behrman? What was his reaction? Ans: Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter living on the ground floor.

Sue poured out her worries about Johnsy to the old painter. She told that Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell. Behrman called Johnsy ‘stupid and foolish’ as her mind was obsessed with superstition. He didn’t say a word and went back to his room. He didn’t even tell Sue how he was going to help Johnsy and in what way.

Q46. What revived Johnsy’s will to live? Ans: Johnsy had developed a superstition that she would die with the fall of the last leaf. Actually, a severe attack of pneumonia had left her mind morbid. When she saw the last leaf surviving after the windy wet night, her will to live revived.

It made her realise that it was really a sin to want to die. Q47. What quality of friendship do you find in Sue as a friend? Ans: Sue was a loving and earing friend of Johnsy. She was the best friend of her as Sue always provided her mental support. When her friend was obsessed with the thought dying with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper, she tried to look at the positive side of things.

She always convinced her friend to think positively and never think about death. Obviously, she represents true friendships and sacrifice in the story. Q48. How was Johnsy’s life saved? Ans: Behrman was an Old artist. His last desire was to paint a masterpiece in his life.

Summary: The Last Leaf Character Sketches – The Last Leaf

Long Answer Type Important Questions Long Answer Type Important Questions play a crucial role in encouraging critical thinking, developing writing skills, and enhancing overall comprehension. Answering such questions effectively requires reflection and connection with personal experiences, which prepares students for higher-level exams.

  • Therefore, here are some Long Answer Type Important Questions that can aid in this process: Q1.
  • What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her – the medicine or her willingness to live? Or What was the reason for Johnsy’s deteriorating health? Ans: Johnsy suffered an attack of pneumonia in the cold winter month of November.

Her illness made her so weak that she went into depression. She would lie still on her bed and keep gazing out of the window. The autumn added to her gloom when she saw the trees shedding leaves. She began to associate her death with the falling leaves and this negative thought deteriorated her health.

  • When she gave up all hope in life, she refused to eat anything and medicines lost their effect.
  • According to the doctor, her recovery depended on her willingness to live.
  • In the absence of determination to get well soon even the medicines failed to affect positively. Q2.
  • Sue is a true and faithful friend.

Comment. Or What values of friendship are prominent in Sue’s character? Ans: Sue displays the virtues of a true and faithful friend. She and Johnsy were young artist friends who shared a small flat. When Johnsy fell ill, Sue did not spare any effort to nurse her back to health.

  • She exhibited the values of sincerity and commitment to her friend by calling the doctor who would visit them daily to review Johnsy’s condition.
  • She tried to lift Johnsy’s spirits by talking cheerfully to her and thus exemplifying the value of unwavering support to a depressed friend.
  • She would sit beside Johnsy’s bed and paint so that she could earn for herself and Johnsy.

She comforted Johnsy and dealt with her cranky behavior very patiently. With her cheerful disposition and her optimism, she tried her best to reassure Johnsy that the old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. Sensing the seriousness of Johnsy’s health and her state of mind, she at once sought Behrman’s help.

  1. Thus, Sue proves to be a compassionate human being and a true friend. Q3.
  2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? Ans: Yes, the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers.
  3. It is so because, like Johnsy, they too lack emotional maturity.
  4. They fail to understand that sorrows are as much a part of our lives as joys are.

Certain situations in life are unpredictable as well as unavoidable. Teenagers become nervous while encountering such situations. They begin to gather negative thoughts and have a fear of failure. It becomes a vicious cycle and their weak health aggravates emotional instability.

  1. Pessimism begins to destroy their willpower.
  2. Another problem is that like Johnsy, teenagers take a lot of time to get convinced They are difficult to counsel and try their loved one’s patience a lot.
  3. The absence of a healthy lifestyle pushes them further into negativity and depression becomes deep-rooted.

Therefore, teenagers should inculcate positive values like optimism, strong willpower, and faith through meditation and regular exercise in order to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body. Q4. How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life? Ans: Behrman saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing himself at the altar of art.

  • The Last Leaf” is about his extreme sacrifice that infuses life in a young depressed woman.
  • Johnsy’s illness was serious but could be cured if she had the will to live.
  • Her falling health was more due to her state of depression than pneumonia.
  • The sixty-year-old painter Behrman took upon himself the difficult responsibility of saving Johnsy.

He made a single-handed effort to brave the icy winds and rain to reach the window by climbing a ladder and finally painting a fresh and green leaf that looked natural and real. The readiness with which he gave up his life shows art’s unparalleled commitment to talent.

  • He painted the leaf with such passion that it revived the sinking breath of Johnsy.
  • He thus saved Johnsy’s life by sacrificing his own. Q5.
  • Imagine Behrman survives the attack of pneumonia.
  • His family takes him back to his native countryside in order to serve the old man and nurse him back to health.
  • As Johnsy, write a letter to Behrman expressing your gratitude.

Ans:- (Date) 2-111 Floor Ivy Apartments London Dear Mr. Behrman Trust your health is improving with each day. Sue and I think of you all the time and miss you a lot. We have always looked up to you as a friendly neighbor and a kind gentleman artist. Words fail me when I express gratitude for the extraordinary help extended by you during our moments of crisis.

  1. Shivers run down my spine when I recall the time you risked your life to save a silly girl like me.
  2. You are a very brave person and a true artist.
  3. Your masterpiece reflects your passion and dedication and it has made me realize that my whims were utterly senseless.
  4. Your life is an inspiration for young people like me.

I have learned from you that the worthiest thing is being alive. I promise that I shall never let pessimism overshadow me again. Sue and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you soon. We expect to have you back here and wish that you may paint many more masterpieces.

With warm regards Johnsy Q6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life. Or The Last Leaf’ is a story of supreme sacrifice by a wretched drunken artist. Comment Or Who was Behrman? What was his masterpiece and why did he paint it? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girl artists. They lived together in the artists’ colony.

Once Johnsy caught pneumonia. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the I y creeper fell. The doctor said that she should take interest in life and wish to live. Only then she could be saved Behrman was an old painter. He lived on the ground floor beneath them.

He was a failure in art. For forty years he had been trying to paint a masterpiece, but he had not yet started h. He came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. The night the last leaf fell, he painted a leaf on the wall; He worked all night in the air and snow and painted the leaf. The next morning, Johnsy saw the leaf on the wall: Her will to live returned.

Her life was saved. But Behrman caught pneumonia and died. Thus he sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life. The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece. Q7. In “The Last Leaf” why did Sue cry bitterly when the doctor had gone? Later she walked into Johnsy’s room whistling a cheerful tune.

Why? Or What was Johnsy’s real ailment? What were the chances of her recovery? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young girls. They were painters. They lived like sisters. The studio in an artists’ colony. One day, Johnsy had an attack of pneumonia. Her condition worsened. Shhaedloasitctihnet will live. One day, the doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s disease was psychological also.

She did not want to live. In such a condition, no medicine could work. If she did not get back the will to live, her chances of recovery were only one out of ten. When Sue heard this she felt very sad. She cried bitterly as soon as the doctor had gone. But the next moment she entered Johnsy’s room, whistling.

Sue did so because she wanted to cheer up Johnsy. Q8. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same thing? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls. They had a joint studio. They loved each other like sisters. One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house.

Johnsy could see it through her window. The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy’s fancy.

  • She tried her best to cheer up Johnsy.
  • She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves and her death.
  • She nursed Johnsy with love and care.
  • She told Behrman about Johnsy’s fancy.
  • Behrman was a painter.
  • He painted a leaf on the wall when the last leaf fell.
  • This saved Johnsy’s life.
  • Thus Sue played an important role in saving Johnsy’s life.

Q9. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman. Or Write a few sentences on the looks and personality of old Behrman.? Ans: Old Behrman was a painter. He was past sixty. But he was a failure in art. He earned very little through his paintings. He always said that he was going to paint a masterpiece.

But for the last forty years, he had not even begun it. Behrman was a drunkard. His beard was long and curling. It gave him the look of an imp. He was a tough fellow. He hated weakness in a man. He lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He considered himself their guardian. He was very kind and helpful at heart.

When he came to know of Johnsy’s fancy, he decided to help her. He went out in the rain and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. It saved Johnsy’s life. But he caught pneumonia and died. Thus Behrman plays a very important role in the story. He sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life.

Q 10. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf ‘. Or how why the story is entitled ‘The Last Leaf’? Ans: This is a psychological story. The whole story is based on the last leaf. Johnsy was a young artist girl. She and her friend Sue lived together. One day Johnny caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house.

From her window, Johnsy watched that creeper. Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Her condition became worse. Barman, an old painter came to know of this fancy of Johnsy.

  • The next night, the last leaf fell.
  • But the same night Hellman painted a leaf on the wall.
  • It looked a real leaf.
  • When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to live returned.
  • That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life.
  • Thus the leaf plays an important role in the story.
  • So the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.

Q11. Draw a brief character sketch of Sue. Ans: She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Lear. She is an artist girl. She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony. She is kind and noble at heart. She has the qualities of a true friend.

  • Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia.
  • Sue nurses her with love and care.
  • She works day and night to earn enough money.
  • With this money, she buys medicines and a good diet for her friend.
  • She feels shocked when the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery.
  • Johnsy has a fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls.

She tries her best to cheer her up. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless. She tells of John’s fancy of old Behrman. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy. Thus, Sue is a kind and noble girl. She is a true friend. Q12. Behrman’s masterpiece helped Johnsy to survive.

  • Explain how the last leaf influenced Johnsy? Ans: The story reveals Behrman’s sacrifice.
  • He was a poor old artist.
  • He had a dream to paint a masterpiece.
  • Once Johnsy fell ill and established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves.
  • One day, Sue found her whispering this.
  • Sue looked after Johnsy and she informed Behrman about her condition.

It was a stormy night and there was a single leaf on the creeper. Behrman thought that the leaf would fall that stormy night. So he decided to paint the leaf on the wall. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it looked natural. But he got pneumonia that night and died two days after his painting.

Hence, this story becomes the story of supreme sacrifice. Q13. Johnsy felt her survival is related to the falling ivy leaves. Explain how blind beliefs can cause harm to us. Ans: Johnsy was seriously ill with pneumonia. She was highly depressed and lay in bed looking vacantly out of the window. She would keep watching for hours the creeper up the opposite wall shedding its leaves.

She would count the number of leaves left on the creeper. She was obsessed with a foolish superstition. She would die with the fall of the last leaf. The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression.

In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state. Q14. Sue played a very important role in saving her friend Johnsy. Explain how she played the role of a trusted friend. Ans: Sue and Johnsy were good friends. Both of them were artists.

They loved each other and shared the same room. One day, Johnsy fell ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. She believed that she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy creeper. Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to instill in her a desire to live a happy life.

  • She kept whistling in order to make her happy and break her calmness.
  • When her condition started deteriorating she became anxious and informed Behrman about her condition.
  • Behrman took it seriously.
  • He painted the leaf on the wall to save her life.
  • So, Sue succeeds in saving her life. Q15.
  • A friend in need is a friend indeed”.

Do you think the story “The Last Leaf” supports this statement? Ans: A friend plays a very important role in one’s life. A true friend supports one in every step. A friend is a person who stands with you in happiness or crises. In the story, ‘’ The Last Leaf” when Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia she was not getting well because she was the victim of negative feelings.

  1. She attached her life to the falling of leaves from a creeper outside the window.
  2. She had thought she would die the moment when the last leaf of the creeper falls.
  3. Sue tried her best to cheer her up when she learned Johnsy’s foolish belief.
  4. She shared her concern with Behrman.
  5. Behrman went out on a rainy night and painted a leaf on the ivy, which looked like a real leaf.

Sue helped Johnsy to recover. She gave her a lot of courage. In reality, she was a kind girl and a friend indeed. Q16. “You have to live for your friends.” How far do you agree with this advice given by Sue to her friend Johnsy? Ans: The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live.

  • It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in a state of depression.
  • In such a state, no medicine could save her life.
  • So, the doctor advised Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state.
  • Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life.
  • He kept waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape.
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Yes, he could materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper. Q17. What is the need to maintain a positive attitude in life? Comment with reference to Johnsy’s attitude to life. Ans: Johnsy was a young girl and lived with one of her friends.

  1. They were artists.
  2. She was suffering from pneumonia.
  3. Her friend Sue looked after her.
  4. She loved her very much.
  5. The doctor kept visiting Johnsy and had regular check-ups.
  6. But there was no improvement in her condition.
  7. Her condition went from bad to worse.
  8. Both the doctor and Sue were worried.
  9. Later on, it was found that she was depressed.

In that state of mind, she lost her interest in everything. She kept lying calm gazing through the window. She did not like to live and suffered from the misconception that she would die with the last leaf of the creeper. They tried to convince her, but in vain.

She had lost her will to live. In this mental condition, only God could save her. Q18. The story ‘The Last Leaf is a story of supreme sacrifice by an old artist. Do you agree? Ans: Firm determination and strong willpower are the tools of success in life. A person who has a firm determination and strong willpower can never feel depressed on small losses in life and God blesses such a person with success.

In the story, The Last Leaf, it is the determination and strong willpower that helps a patient Johnsy to recover fast. Johnsy who felt dejected and depressed had lost the will to live. Medicine was ineffective. She thought that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy.

What was the reason for Johnsy’s deteriorating health?

“The Last Leaf” is a story from the Class 9 English Moments book about a sick woman named Johnsy who thinks she will die when all the leaves fall off the ivy plant outside her window. But her neighbor, an artist named Behrman, paints a leaf on the wall to give her hope, and miraculously, Johnsy gets better. Q.1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her – the medicine or her willingness to live? OR What was the reason for Johnsy’s deteriorating health? Ans. Johnsy was affected with pneumonia during the chilly month of November, which left her severely weakened and depressed.

  1. She became listless, spending her days staring out the window at the autumn leaves falling from the trees.
  2. This scene further fueled her melancholy, causing her to equate the shedding leaves with her own impending death.
  3. As a result, her health worsened, her appetite disappeared, and medications lost their efficacy.

The doctor believed that Johnsy’s recovery hinged on her desire to live, Without the determination to get better, even the most potent medicines would be rendered ineffective. Johnsy’s illness Q.2. Sue is a true and faithful friend. Comment. OR What values of friendship are prominent in Sue’s character? Ans. Sue displays the virtues of a true and faithful friend. She and Johnsy were young artist friends who shared a small flat.

When Johnsy fell ill, Sue did not spare any effort to nurse her back to health. She exhibited the values of sincerity and commitment to her friend by calling the doctor who would visit them daily to review Johnsy’s condition. She tried to lift Johnsy’s spirits by talking cheerfully to her and thus exemplifying the value of unwavering support to a depressed friend.

She would sit beside Johnsy’s bed and paint so that she could earn for herself and Johnsy. She comforted Johnsy and dealt with her cranky behaviour very patiently. With her cheerful disposition and optimism, she tried her best to reassure Johnsy that the old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness.

Sensing the seriousness of Johnsy’s health and her state of mind, she at once sought Behrman’s help. Thus, Sue proves to be a compassionate human being and a true friend.Q.3. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? Ans. Yes, the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers.

It is so because, like Johnsy, they too lack emotional maturity. They fail to understand that sorrows are as much a part of our lives as joys are. Certain situations in life are unpredictable as well as unavoidable. Teenagers become nervous while encountering such situations.

They begin to gather negative thoughts and have a fear of failures. It becomes a vicious cycle and their weak health aggravates emotional instability. Pessimism begins to destroy their will-power. Another problem is that like Johnsy, teenagers take a lot of time to get convinced They are difficult to counsel and try their loved one’s patience a lot.

The absence of a healthy lifestyle pushes them further into negativity and depression becomes deep-rooted. Therefore, teenagers should inculcate positive values like optimism, strong will-power, and faith through meditation and regular exercise in order to enjoy the blessings of a sound mind in a robust body.Q.4.

  1. How did Behrman save Johnsy’s life? Ans.
  2. Behrman learnt about Johnsy’s fancies,
  3. He did not waste a single second.
  4. He took a lantern because it was dark.
  5. He took a Ladder because he had to paint the leaf on the wall.
  6. He took brushes and colours.
  7. He painted the leaf on the wall though it was raining heavily.

The real leaf had already fallen. The painted leaf stuck to the wall. Johnsy said the last leaf still intact. It revived confidence and will to live in her. It was Behrman’s masterpiece. Behrman died of pneumonia but saved Johnsy’s life.Q.5. Imagine Behrman survives the attack of pneumonia.

  • His family takes him back to his native countryside in order to serve the old man and nurse him back to health.
  • As Johnsy, write a letter to Behrman expressing your gratitude. Ans.
  • Date) 12-111 Floor Ivy Apartments London Dear Mr Behrman Trust your health is improving with each day.
  • Sue and I think of you all the time and miss you a lot.

We have always looked up to you as a friendly neighbour and a kind gentleman artist. Words fail me when I express gratitude for the extraordinary help extended by you during our moments of crisis. Shivers run down my spine when I recall the time you risked your life to save a silly girl like me.

  • You are a very brave person and a true artist.
  • Your masterpiece reflects your passion and dedication and it has made me realise that my whims were utterly senseless.
  • Your life is an inspiration for young people like me.
  • I have learnt from you that the worthiest thing is being alive.
  • I promise that I shall never let pessimism overshadow me again.

Sue and I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see you soon. We expect to have you back here and wish that you may paint many more masterpieces. With warm regards Johnsy Q.6. Describe briefly how Behrman saved Johnsy’s life. OR ‘The Last Leaf’ is a story of supreme sacrifice by a wretched drunken artist.

Comment. OR Who was Behrman? What was his masterpiece and why did he paint it? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were two young girl-artists. They lived together in the artists’ colony. Once Johnsy caught pneumonia. She developed a fancy that she would die when the last leaf on the Ivy creeper fell. The doctor said that she should take an interest in life and wish to live.

Only then she could be saved. Behrman was an old painter. He lived on the ground floor beneath them. He was a failure in art. For forty years he had been trying to paint a masterpiece, but he had not yet started. He came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. The night the last leaf fell, he painted a leaf on the wall; He worked all night in the air and snow and painted the leaf.

  • The next morning, Johnsy saw the leaf on the wall.
  • Her will to live returned.
  • Her life was saved.
  • But Behrman caught pneumonia and died.
  • Thus he sacrificed his life and saved john’s life.
  • The last leaf painted on the wall was his masterpiece.Q.7.
  • In “The Last Leaf” why did Sue cry bitterly when the doctor had gone? Later she walked into Johnsy’s room whistling a cheerful tune.

Why? OR What was Johnsy’s real ailment? What were the chances of her recovery? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were two young girls. They were painters. They lived like sisters. The studio is an artists’ colony. One day, J ohnsy had an attack of pneumonia. Her condition worsened.

  • Shhaedloasitctihnet will live.
  • One day, the doctor told Sue that Johnsy’s disease was psychological also.
  • She did not want to live.
  • In such a condition, no medicine could work.
  • If she did not get back the will to live, her chances of recovery were only one out of ten.
  • When Sue heard this, she felt very sad.

She cried bitterly as soon as the doctor had gone. But the next moment she entered Johnsy’s room, whistling. Sue did so because she wanted to cheer up Johnsy.Q.8. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same thing? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were two young artist girls.

They had a joint studio. They loved each other like sisters. One day, Johnsy caught pneumonia. There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. Johnsy could see it through her window. The leaves of this creeper were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy developed a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell,

She lost the will to live. Sue came to know of Johnsy’s fancy. She tried her best to cheer up Johnsy. She told her that there was no link between the falling of leaves and her death. She nursed Johnsy with love and care. She told Behrman about Johnsy’s fancy. Q.9. Write a brief character sketch of old Behrman. OR Write a few sentences on the looks and personality of old Behrman. Ans.

Old Behrman was a painter. He was past sixty. But he was a failure in art. He earned very little through his paintings. He always said that he was going to paint a masterpiece. But for the last forty years, he had not even begun it. Behrman was a drunkard. His beard was long and curling. It gave him the look of an imp. He was a tough fellow. He hated weakness in a man. He lived on the ground floor beneath Sue and Johnsy. He considered himself their guardian. He was very kind and helpful at heart. When he came to know of Johnsy’s fancy, he decided to help her. He went out in rain and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. It saved Johnsy’s life. But he caught pneumonia and died. Thus Behrman plays a very important role in the story. He sacrificed his life and saved Johnsy’s life.

Q.10. Justify the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’. OR Show why the story is entitled ‘The Last Leaf’? Ans. This is a psychological story. The whole story is based on the last leaf. Johnsy was a young artist girl. She and her friend Sue lived together. One day Johnny caught pneumonia.

There was an ivy creeper on the back wall of the next house. From her window, Johnsy watched that creeper. Its leaves were falling fast in the cold winds. Johnsy got a fancy that she would also die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. She lost the will to live. Her condition became worse. Barman, an old painter came to know of this fancy of Johnsy.

The next night, the last leaf fell. But the same night Hellman painted a leaf on the wall. It looked like a real leaf. When Johnsy saw that leaf, her will to live returned. That painted leaf saved Johnsy’s life. Thus the leaf plays an important role in the story.

So the title of the story ‘The Last Leaf’ is justified.Q.11. Draw a brief character-sketch of Sue. Ans. She is an important character in the story ‘The Last Leaf’. She is an artist girl. She and Johnsy have a joint studio in the artists’ colony. She is kind and noble at heart. She has the qualities of a true friend.

Johnsy gets an attack of pneumonia. Sue nurses her with love and care. She works day and night to earn enough money. With this money, she buys medicines and good diet for her friend. She feels shocked when the doctor says that Johnsy doesn’t have many chances of recovery.

  1. Johnsy has a fancy that she will die when the last leaf of the creeper falls.
  2. She tries her best to cheer her up.
  3. She says that her fancy is foolish and baseless.
  4. She tells of Johnsy’s fancy of old Behrman.
  5. He paints the last leaf on the wall and saves Johnsy.
  6. Thus, Sue is a kind and noble girl.
  7. She is a true friend.Q.12.

Behrman’s masterpiece helped Johnsy to survive. Explain how the last leaf influenced Johnsy? Ans. The story reveals Behrman’s sacrifice. He was a poor old artist. He had a dream to paint a masterpiece. Once Johnsy fell ill and established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves.

  1. One day, Sue found her whispering this.
  2. Sue looked after Johnsy and she informed Behrman about her condition.
  3. It was a stormy night and there was a single leaf on the creeper.
  4. Behrman thought that the leaf would fall that stormy night.
  5. So he decided to paint the leaf on the wall.
  6. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it looked natural.

But he got pneumonia that night and died two days after his painting. Hence, this story becomes the story of supreme sacrifice.Q.13. Johnsy felt her survival is related to the falling ivy leaves. Explain how blind beliefs can cause harm to us? Ans. Johnsy was seriously ill with pneumonia.

She was highly depressed and lay in bed, looking vacantly out of the window. She would keep watching for hours the creeper up the opposite wall shedding its leaves. She would count the number of leaves left on the creeper. She was obsessed with a foolish superstition. She would die with the fall of the last leaf.

The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in the state of depression. In such a state, no medicine could save her life. So, the doctor advised due to try her best to take her friend out of that state.Q.14.

  1. Sue played a very important role in saving her friend Johnsy.
  2. Explain how she played the role of a trusted friend? Ans.
  3. Sue and Johnsy were good friends.
  4. Both of them were artists.
  5. They loved each other and shared the same room.
  6. One day, Johnsy fell ill.
  7. She was suffering from pneumonia.
  8. She believed that she would die with the falling of the last leaf on the ivy creeper.

Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to instil in her a desire to live a happy life. She kept whistling in order to make her happy and break her calmness. When her condition started deteriorating, she became anxious and informed Behrman about her condition.

Behrman took it seriously. He painted the leaf on the wall to save her life. So, Sue succeeds in saving her life.Q.15. “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Do you think the story “The Last Leaf” supports this statement? Ans. A friend plays a very important role in one’s life. A true friend supports one in every step.

A friend is a person who stands with you in happiness or crises. In the story, ‘’ The Last Leaf” when Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia she was not getting well because she was the victim of negative feeling. She attached her life to the falling of leaves from a creeper outside the window.

She had thought she would die the moment when the last leaf of the creeper falls. Sue tried her best to cheer her up when she learnt Johnsy’s foolish belief. She shared her concern with Behrman. Behrman went out on a rainy night and painted a leaf on the ivy, which looked like a real leaf. Sue helped Johnsy to recover.

She gave her a lot of courage. In reality, she was a kind girl and a friend indeed.Q.16. “You have to live for your friends.” How far do you agree with this advice given by Sue to her friend Johnsy? Ans. The doctor said that she would not recover unless she had a wish to live.

  1. It seemed to the doctor that Johnsy had no willingness to live in the state of depression.
  2. In such a state, no medicine could save her life.
  3. So, the doctor advised Due to try her best to take her friend out of that state.
  4. Behrman had a dream to paint a masterpiece in his life.
  5. He kept waiting for the opportunity to give it a practical shape.

Yes, he could materialize his dream when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper.Q.17. What is the need to maintain a positive attitude in life? Comment with reference to Johnsy’s attitude to life? Ans. Johnsy was a young girl and lived with one of her friends.

  1. They were artists.
  2. She was suffering from pneumonia.
  3. Her friend Sue looked after her.
  4. She loved her very much.
  5. The doctor kept visiting Johnsy and had a regular check-up.
  6. But there was no improvement in her condition.
  7. Her condition went from bad to worse.
  8. Both the doctor and Sue were worried.
  9. Later on, it was found that she was depressed.

In that state of mind, she lost her interest in everything. She kept lying calm gazing through the window. She did not like to live and suffered from the misconception that she would die with the last leaf of the creeper. They tried to convince her, but in vain.

  • She had lost her will to live.
  • In this mental condition, only God could save her.Q.18.
  • The story ‘The Last Leaf is a story of supreme sacrifice by an old artist.
  • Do you agree? Ans.
  • Firm determination and strong will power are the tools of success in life.
  • A person who has a firm determination and strong will power can never feel depressed on small losses in life and God blesses a person with success.

In the story, The Last Leaf, it is the determination and strong will power that helps a patient Johnsy to recover fast. Johnsy who felt dejected and depressed, had lost the will to live. Medicine was ineffective. She thought that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy.

Why was Sue worried when Johnsy fell ill?

The Last Leaf Short Question Answer – Q1.Who were Sue and Johnsy? Where did they live? Ans: Sue and Johnsy were young artists who wanted to establish themselves in the world of art. Both lived in a small, old style apartment that was on the third floor of a house.

  • They shared this place. Q2.
  • Why did Sue become worried when Johnsy fell ill? Ans: Sue became worried because Johnsy would lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window.
  • Johnsy had pneumonia and it seemed curable but her condition indicated otherwise. Q3,
  • Why was Johnsy’s condition worrisome according to the doctor? Ans: According to the doctor, Johnsy’s condition was worrisome because she did not show any signs of improvement despite good treatment.

He thought that perhaps she had lost her will to live and no medicine could help her in this negative state of mind. Q4. How did Johnsy associate herself with the falling leaves? Ans: It was autumn and the ivy creeper leaves were falling gradually. This depressed an already ill Johnsy and strangely enough she associated her falling health with the leaves.

She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell. Q5. How could Johnsy’s life be saved? Johnsy’s life could be saved by reviving her interest in things around her. She was in a state of depression and had to be convinced that she could recover fully if she had the will to live. Q5. How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in things around her? Ans: Sue talked about clothes and fashions to draw Johnsy’s attention.

She also moved her drawing board into Johnsy’s bedroom while whistling, so she could keep Johnsy’s mind off her illness. Q6.How did Sue help Johnsy during her illness? Ans: Sue helped Johnsy by looking after all her needs. She would give her hot soup from time to time and sit by her side and talk to her.

She called the doctor and even sought help from their neighbour Behrman. Q7. Why was Johnsy counting backwards while looking out of the window? Ans: Johnsy kept looking out of the window and counted backwards to note the number of leaves left on the ivy-creeper. She believed that she would die when the last leaf fell whereas the leaves were falling in a normal process of nature during the autumn season.

Q8.What did Sue see when she heard Johnsy counting backwards? Ans: When Sue heard Johnsy counting down, she looked out the window and saw an old ivy creeper slithering halfway up along the brick wall opposite their window. The creeper was shedding leaves because of the strong autumn wind.

Q9. How did Sue try to convince Johnsy that her belief about dying with the last leaf was nonsense? Ans: Sue immediately rubbished Johnsy’s belief as nonsense. She tried to convince her by telling that old ivy leaves had nothing to do with her illness. The doctor too was confident that she would get better.

Q10. Why did Sue seek the promise from Johnsy not to look out of the window while she completed her painting? Ans: Sue sought this promise because she did not want Johnsy to go deeper into the depression on seeing the ivy leaves fall. Moreover, she could not even pull the curtains to stop Johnsy from looking out as she needed the incoming light to complete her painting and get money for the two of them by selling it.

  1. Q11.Who was Behrman? Why did Sue share her worry with him? Ans: Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor of the same building as Sue and Johnsy.
  2. Upon seeing that Behrman was elderly, Sue expressed her worry and concern because his vast experience with life might help them out. Q12.
  3. Behrman has a dream.

What is it? Does it come true? (Textual) Or What was Behrman’s dream? How did it come true? Ans: Behrman dreamt of painting a masterpiece some day. His dream did come true when he painted a leaf that was a near replica of a real leaf. This masterpiece saved a young life and fulfilled Behrman’s ambition too.

Unfortunately, it cost him his life. Q13. ‘I’m tired of waiting.’ Why did Johnsy say so to Sue? Ans: J ohnsy wanted Sue to finish her painting quickly so that she could see the last leaf fall. She believed that she would die with it but this was taking too long. She became tired of waiting for the last leaf to fall.

Q14. What did Sue and Behrman see from the window of the room next to Johnsy’s? Ans: Sue and Behrman knew that one leaf was left on the ivy creeper, which was floating on top of the water-filled puddles in the icy-cold wind, as well as being quickly and heavily raining.

The ivy creeper was sure to soon fall under these conditions. Q15.Why was Sue nervous and reluctant while drawing the curtains on the morning after the storm? Ans: Sue was nervous because she was certain that the last leaf had fallen at night. This could make Johnsy quit all hope of survival as she had associated her death with the falling leaves of the ivy creeper.

Q16. What made Sue exclaim on looking out of the window on the morning after the storm? Or What did Sue point out to Johnsy when she looked out of the window in the morning after the storm? Ans: Sue exclaimed in amazement and delight because the last leaf was still there on the ivy creeper.

She pointed out to Johnsy that the leaf looked quite green and healthy. It had not fallen in spite of the fierce winds and rain. This meant that Johnsy too could recover. Q17. How did Sue try to encourage Johnsy? Ans: Sue tried to encourage Johnsy by telling her that she wasn’t dying, and added the sentiment that if Johnsy didn’t want to live anymore and spare a thought for Sue then Sue couldn’t live without Johnsy.

Q18.What did Johnsy admit to Sue when the last leaf did not fall? Or When did Johnsy realise her mistake? Ans: When Johnsy saw the last leaf intact, she admitted that Sue had looked after her so lovingly and she, in turn, had been a bad, wicked, gloomy, and non-cooperative girl.

  • She had now realised that it was a sin to want to die. Q19.
  • When and why was the doctor’s report encouraging about Johnsy’s condition? Ans: The doctor gave an encouraging report about Johnsy’s condition after examining her in the afternoon a day after the storm.
  • He believed that the report was encouraging because now Johnsy had regained her will to live.

Q20. What news about Behrman did the doctor convey to Sue when he came to examine Johnsy? Ans: When the doctor visited Sue, he told her that Johnsy was also sick with pneumonia. He said that it was likely Johnsy would get better, but he feared there wasn’t much hope for Behrman.

Q21. What led to Behrman’s unfortunate death? Or Why did Behrman spend a night out in the storm and rain? Ans: Behrman died because he had spent the entire stormy night painting a replica of the last leaf on the ivy creeper and had caught pneumonia as a result. He did this to save Johnsy’s life. He did not want her to see the creeper without its last leaf and lose the will to live Q22.

Which items were found near Behrman when he died? What did this signify? Ans: A ladder and a lighted lantern were found near Behrman’s bed when he died. There were also some brushes and green and yellow AT paints on the floor near the ladder. This signified that the last green and fresh leaf had been painted by Behrman all through the stormy night,

Q23. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? (Textual) Ans: Behrman’s masterpiece was the leaf that he painted on the wall opposite Johnsy’s window. He had braved icy winds and rains at night while painting the leaf. Sue called it a masterpiece as it was gmen and healthy like a real leaf.

Besides, it had saved Johnsy’:; life by reviving her will to live. Thus, Behrman’s painting was a masterpiece in the sense that it had saved a precious life and was able to fox an artist. Q24.What saved Johnsy’s life? The last half painted by Behrman on the wall opposite Johnsy’s Ans: window saved her life.

  • The leaf was a true replica of the last leaf hanging on the ivy creeper.
  • Johnsy mistook it to be a real leaf and felt that she had been wicked and it was a sin to want to die.
  • Q25.’It looks quite green and healthy’.
  • What were the cause of the leaf’s colour and freshness? Ans: The last leaf on the ivy creeper looked quite green and healthy because it was not a real leaf, but a painted one.

Behrman had painted it overnight to help save Johnsy’s life.Q.26. Why did Johnsy keep looking out of the window? Ans. Johnsy thought she would die if the last leaf fell off of the creeper. The leaves were falling because fall season was starting. Johnsy kept looking at her window.

Q27. How did Sue try to keep Johnsy cheerful? Ans, The doctor had said that Johnsy’s chances of recovery were only one out of ten. Sue became sad and cried bitterly. But she wanted to cheer up Johnsy. So she entered her room, whistling a cheerful tune.Q.28. How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy? Ans, J ohnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell.

Brennan did not like this fancy of Johnsy. He called her fancy mere nonsense. He said that she should not have such absurd ideas.Q.29. What did Johnsy believe about the falling leaves? Did Sue believe the same? Ans, Johnsy felt that she would die as soon as the last leaf fell from the tree.

However, Sue responded by saying that there is no connection between a leaf falling to somebody’s life.30. How did old Behrman die? Ans, Behrman knew about Johnsy’s fancy about the falling leaves. He went out in the cold and snow and painted a leaf on the wall. l le caught pneumonia and died.31 How did Johnsy realise her mistake? Ans.

Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia. There was a creeper on the wall facing her window. Johnsy had a fancy that she would die when the last leaf fell. One night, there was only one leaf left. She thought that she would also die with the falling of the leaf.

  • But that night, Behanan painted a leaf in its place.
  • So it did not fall.
  • It made her realise that it was a sin to wish to die.Q.32.
  • What kind of a friend was Sue to Johnsy? Ans.
  • Sue and Johnsy were close friends.
  • Both were painters.
  • Apart from that their tastes and views were similar.
  • They lived in the same small flat.

When Johnsy suffered from pneumonia, Sue looked after her with love and care. It was largely because of her care that Johnsy’s life was saved.Q.33. Describe in your own words the colony where the artists lived. Ans. On the west side of Washington Square was a village called Greenwich that incorporated many artists.

Its streets were winding and it had some odd angles and curves. Q34. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live? Ans. Johnsy, a young artist, was ill. She was suffering from pneumonia. But later on, she suffered from a misconception that she would the as soon as the last leaf on the creeper would fall down.

The medicine had no effect on her. Her willingness to live could only cure her. Q35. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers? (NCERT) Ans. Life has two aspects i.e. positive and negative. It depends upon us how we take it.

Nowadays, it is very common that teenagers are getting depressed because of cut-throat competition. On the other hand, a majority of teenagers who take life positively and face difficulties boldly never lose hope and proceed further. Q36. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so? (NCERT) Ans.

Behrman was a 60-year old artist who had a dream to paint a masterpiece. His painting of an ivy leaf was his masterpiece which saved the life of Johnsy. It was such a painting and it was not easy to make out whether the leaf was real or a painted leaf.

When Behrman died because of creating this life-saving painting in the cold weather, Sue called it a masterpiece. Q37. Who were Sue and Johnsy and how were they living? Ans. Sue and Johnsy were two young artists. Their economic condition was not good. They were strugglers. They lived in the artist’s colony.

They shared a small flat. Q38. How did Behrman react to Johnsy’s fancy? Ans. When Behrman came to know about Johnsy’s belief regarding the fall of leaves, he saw the creeper and realised that the last leaf was sure to fall. He said nothing. He decided to do something to save her life.

Q39. What saved Johnsy’s life? Ans. Johnsy was at death’s door with pneumonia, but Behrman rescued her by painting his masterpiece of her. Johnsy regained her life back when the last leaf did not fall, and she stopped being dead. Q40. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true? Ans. Behrman was a sixty years old painter.

He lived on the ground floor of the building. His only dream in life was to paint a masterpiece. His dream was fulfilled when he painted the last leaf of the ivy creeper. Q41. What made the doctor come to the flat of Sue and Johnsy? Ans. Johnsy was severely ill.

She was attacked by pneumonia. Her weak body was helpless to bear the severity of the attack. She lay miserable in her bed. But her condition was deteriorating day by day. As her condition had alarmed Sue, he requested the doctor to come and examine her friend Johnsy. Q42. How did Sue respond to the doctor’s advice? Ans.

The doctor declared that there were fewer chances for her friend’s survival. It was a grim warning for her. She thought that she must do something so that her friend Johnsy could get back her will to live and may recover soon. She was a pragmatic and tenacious person.

Besides, she was determined to take her friend out of despair. Therefore, she began to think about the ways positively. Q43. Why did Behrman die? Ans. Behrman was an old artist of sixty years. He worked whole night in the stormy and rainy weather to paint the leaf on the wall. He was completely drenched. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was completely shivering.

He fell to pneumonia and died. But before his death, he was successful in fulfilling his dream of making a masterpiece. Q44. Why did Johnsy link her death with the last leaf? Ans. Johnsy was emotionally disturbed. She developed a belief that she would die with the fall of the last leaf on the creeper.

  • She started counting the leaves.
  • In fact, she had an attack of depression too. Q45.
  • How did Sue pour out her worries to Behrman? What was his reaction? Ans.
  • Behrman was a sixty-year-old painter living on the ground floor.
  • Sue poured out her worries about Johnsy to the old painter.
  • She told that Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell.

Behrman called Johnsy ‘stupid and foolish’ as her mind was obsessed with superstition. He didn’t say a word and went back to his room. He didn’t even tell Sue how he was going to help Johnsy and in what way. Q46. What revived Johnsy’s will to live? Ans. Johnsy had developed a superstition that she would die with the fall of the last leaf.

  1. Actually, a severe attack of pneumonia had left her mind morbid.
  2. When she saw the last leaf surviving after the windy wet night, her will to live revived.
  3. It made her realise that it was really a sin to want to die. Q47.
  4. What quality of friendship do you find in Sue as a friend? Ans.
  5. Sue was a loving and earing friend of Johnsy.

She was the best friend of her as Sue always provided her mental support. When her friend was obsessed with the thought dying with the fall of the last leaf on the ivy creeper, she tried to look at the positive side of things. She always convinced her friend to think positively and never think about death.

  • Obviously, she represents true friendships and sacrifice in the story. Q48.
  • How was Johnsy life saved? Ans.
  • Behrman was an Old artist.
  • His last desire was to paint a masterpiece in his life.
  • The masterpiece painted by him saved Johnsy’s life.
  • The leaf painted by him survived through the storm of night.
  • But he was attacked by pneumonia and fell seriously ill.

Johnsy got the willpower to live because the last leaf did not fall off the ivy creeper. Thus, Behrman’s masterpiece saved Johnsy’s life. : Class 9th The Last Leaf Short Question Answer