A free retelling, analysis and a brief summary: O. Henry's "The Last Leaf"

It is impossible not to admire the creativity of O. Henry. This American writer, like no other, was able to open one's human vices with one stroke of a pen and extol the virtues. In his works there is no allegory, life appears as it really is. But even the tragic events the master of the word describes with his inherent subtle irony and good humor. We bring to your attention one of the most moving author's novels, or rather, its brief content. "The Last Sheet" O. Henry - life-affirming story, written in 1907, just three years before the death of the writer.

A young nymph, stricken with a serious illness

Two novice artists, who are called Sue and Johnsy, rent an inexpensive apartment in a poor area of Manhattan. On their third floor, the sun rarely looks, as the windows face north. Behind the glass you can see only a dead brick wall, entwined with old ivy. This is how the first lines of O. Henry's "The Last Leaf" sound about this, the summary of which we are trying to produce as close as possible to the text.

Girls settled in this apartment in May, having organized here a small studio of painting. By the time of the events described in the yard is November and one of the artists is seriously ill - she was diagnosed with pneumonia. The incoming doctor fears for the life of Johnsy, as she fell in spirit and prepared to die. In her pretty head, the thought clung tight: as soon as the last leaf falls from the ivy outside the window, the last minute of life will come for herself.

Sue tries to distract her friend, instill at least a small spark of hope, but she does it badly. The situation is complicated by the fact that the autumn wind ruthlessly tears off the leaves from the old ivy, which means that the girl does not live long.

Despite the laconicism of this work, the author describes in detail the manifestations of Sue's moving concern about her ill girlfriend, the appearance and characters of the characters. But we are forced to omit many important nuances, since we were only trying to convey a brief summary. "The Last Leaf" ... O. Henry gave his story, at first glance, an inexpressive title. Its deep meaning is revealed as the plot develops.

The spiteful old man Berman

In the same house on the floor below the artist lives Berman. Twenty-five last years, an aging man dreams of creating his own pictorial masterpiece, but everything does not have enough time to start working. He draws cheap posters and drinks without a hitch.

Sue, the girlfriend of a sick girl, thinks Berman is an old-fashioned old man with a bad temper. But still tells him about the fantasy of Johnsy, her obsession with her own death and the falling leaves of ivy outside the window. But what can help the failed artist?

Probably, in this place the writer could put a long ellipsis and complete the narrative. And we would have to sympathetically sigh, reflecting on the fate of the young girl, whose life was fleeting, speaking in bookish language, "had a brief content." "The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is a story with an unexpected ending, as, indeed, most other works of the author. Therefore, it's too early to put an end to it.

A small feat in the name of life

On the street all night a strong wind rained with rain and snow. But when, in the morning, Johnsy asked her friend to open the curtains, the girls saw that the yellow-green leaf was still on the stale ivy stalk. And on the second and third day the picture did not change - stubborn leaf did not want to fly away.

Priesting and Jonesy, believing that it was too early to die. The doctor, who visited his patient, said that the disease had receded and the girl's health was on the mend. There should be fanfares - a miracle happened! Nature sided with the man, not wishing to take away from the weak girl the hope of salvation.

A little later the reader will understand that miracles happen at the will of those who are able to do them. It is not hard to see this by reading the story in full or at least its summary. "The Last Leaf" by O. Henry is a story with a happy ending, but with a slight touch of sadness and light sadness.

A few days later the girls find out that their neighbor Berman has died in the hospital from pneumonia. He caught a bad cold that very night when the last leaf was to fall from the ivy. Yellow-green speck with a stem and as if living veins artist drew paints on a brick wall.

Hopefully in the heart of a dying Johnsy, Berman sacrificed his life. So ends the story of O. Henry "The Last Leaf". The analysis of the work could take more than one page, but we will try to express its main idea in one line: "And in everyday life there is always a place for deeds".