Class 9 English - MP
Supplementary: The Last Leaf
Supplementary: The Last Leaf by O. Henry is a touching story about friendship, hope, and the will to live, prescribed for Class 9 students under the MPBSE curriculum. Set in a Greenwich Village art colony, it follows young artist Johnsy who falls severely ill with pneumonia and ties her will to live to the falling ivy leaves outside her window. Her flatmate Sue and an old, unsuccessful painter named Behrman save her life. Behrman paints a hyper-realistic leaf on the wall during a stormy night, sacrificing his own life to pneumonia. The chapter matters greatly for board exams to test comprehension and emotional analysis.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Setting the Scene
The story takes place in a quaint art district in New York called Greenwich Village, where poor artists strive to make ends meet.
Johnsy's Illness
Johnsy falls victim to pneumonia during a cold November and becomes deeply depressed, counting backward the falling ivy leaves on a brick wall.
Sue's Concern
Sue is Johnsy's devoted friend and flatmate who desperately tries to cheer her up and seeks help from their neighbor, Mr. Behrman.
Behrman's Masterpiece
Old Behrman is an aging artist who always dreamed of painting a masterpiece; he finally achieves it by painting a single, lifelike ivy leaf on the wall in freezing rain.
Theme of Self-Sacrifice
The chapter highlights how love, selflessness, and art can restore hope and save a human life, costing Behrman his own life in the process.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Madhya Pradesh (MPBSE) Class 9 English board examinations, supplementary chapters like 'The Last Leaf' typically carry around 4 to 6 marks. Common question types include short answer questions testing character traits (like Behrman and Sue), long answer questions focusing on the central theme of hope and sacrifice, and extract-based comprehension questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Johnsy associate her life with the ivy leaves?
Johnsy was deeply depressed by her pneumonia and irrationally believed that when the last ivy leaf fell from the wall, she would die too.
What was Behrman's masterpiece?
Behrman's masterpiece was the last ivy leaf he painted on the brick wall during a stormy, freezing night, which looked so real that it tricked Johnsy into living.
How did Behrman die?
Behrman died of pneumonia after spending a freezing, wet night outside painting the leaf on the wall to save Johnsy's life.
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