The Last Leaf NCERT Solutions, Summary & Word Meanings Class 9 PDF
Subject: English (Moments) | Chapter: 7 | Author: O. Henry
📥 Download Notes PDF 📢 Join Telegram📖 Chapter Summary: The Last Leaf
"The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is a touching story about hope, friendship, and supreme sacrifice. Sue and Johnsy are two young artists who share a small flat on the third floor of an old building. In November, Johnsy falls seriously ill with pneumonia. She loses all hope of living and develops a strong psychological belief that she will die the moment the last leaf falls from an old ivy creeper climbing on the brick wall opposite their window.
Sue, her loving friend, tries her best to cheer her up. She brings her drawing board into Johnsy's room, whistles while painting, and talks about clothes and fashion, but nothing works. The doctor informs Sue that medicines will not work unless Johnsy develops the will to live.
Sue shares her worry with an old, sixty-year-old painter named Behrman, who lives on the ground floor. Behrman is a grumpy, failed artist who has been dreaming of painting a "masterpiece" for forty years but has never quite started it. When he hears about Johnsy's foolish belief, he is deeply concerned. That night, a fierce storm hits the city with heavy rain and freezing wind. The next morning, Johnsy asks Sue to open the curtains, expecting the last leaf to have fallen. To their surprise, the last ivy leaf is still clinging to the wall, looking remarkably green and healthy.
Seeing the brave little leaf survive the storm, Johnsy realizes how foolish and wicked she has been to want to die. Her will to live returns, and she begins to recover. However, Sue soon brings heartbreaking news. Old Behrman has died of pneumonia in the hospital. He had been out all night in the freezing storm, painting a fake ivy leaf on the wall to save Johnsy's life. He finally painted his masterpiece, sacrificing his own life to give Johnsy the hope to live.
📚 Part 1: NCERT Solutions (Textbook Questions)
Q1: What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?
Ans: Johnsy is suffering from a severe attack of pneumonia. According to the doctor, medicines alone cannot cure her because she has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. What can truly cure her is her own willingness and strong desire to live.
Q2: Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?
Ans: Yes, the feeling of depression and losing hope is quite common among teenagers today. Because of immense academic pressure, peer expectations, and the fast-paced modern lifestyle, teenagers often face anxiety and depressive thoughts. Like Johnsy, they sometimes link their happiness or life to irrational things and lose the will to fight back against challenges.
Q3: Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?
Ans: Behrman, a sixty-year-old failed artist, had a lifelong dream to paint a "masterpiece".
Yes, his dream eventually comes true, but at the cost of his own life. On a dark, stormy night, he painted an artificial ivy leaf on the wall to give Johnsy the hope to live. That painted leaf was so realistic that it saved a girl's life, making it his true masterpiece.
Q4: What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?
Ans: Behrman's masterpiece is the painted ivy leaf on the brick wall.
Sue calls it a masterpiece because it was incredibly realistic—it fluttered in the wind and looked perfectly green and healthy, completely fooling Johnsy. More importantly, it was a masterpiece because it restored Johnsy's will to live and saved her life, even though Behrman had to sacrifice his own life in the freezing storm to paint it.
⚡ Part 2: Extra Practice Questions
Q5: How did Sue try to revive Johnsy’s interest in life?
Ans: Sue tried everything to revive Johnsy's interest in life. She talked about clothes and fashions, brought her drawing board into Johnsy’s room to work near her, and whistled cheerfully while painting. She also kept assuring Johnsy that she would recover soon.
Q6: Describe the character of Sue in your own words.
Ans: Sue is a deeply caring, optimistic, and devoted friend. When Johnsy falls ill with pneumonia and gives up hope, Sue does not abandon her. She takes on the role of a caretaker, cooking for her and trying to distract her with art and cheerful talk. She consults the doctor, seeks help from Behrman, and tries to protect Johnsy from her negative thoughts. Sue's continuous emotional support and selfless dedication highlight the true essence of friendship.
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Q: What disease was Johnsy suffering from?
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🔤 Important Word Meanings
- 1. Pneumonia (n): A serious infection of the lungs that makes breathing difficult.
- 2. Ivy Creeper (n): A climbing plant with green leaves that often grows on walls (Lata/Bail).
- 3. Masterpiece (n): A work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship (Sarvashreshth Rachna).
- 4. Janitor (n): A person employed to look after a building; a caretaker or guard.
- 5. Feeble (adj): Lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness (Kamzor).
- 6. Flutter (v): To move or flap lightly and quickly (Fad-fadana).
- 7. Morbid (adj): Characterized by an abnormal and unhealthy interest in disturbing subjects, especially death (Nirashajanak).