Questions and Answers of The Last Leaf

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Questions and  Answers of The Last Leaf

1] What are referred to as "places" and why? 2

Ans:  In the story The Last Leaf the author describes a little district in which the streets are broken and irregular making strange shapes which are called places. These places are not only strange due to their odd angles and curves, but they are also strange because the streets are unplanned and mazy making it hard for anyone to follow any particular address.

2] What was the valuable possibility of the "places"?

Ans: In the story The Last Leaf the author describes a little district in which the streets are broken and irregular making strange shapes which are called places. These places are not only strange due to their odd angles and curves, but they are also strange because the streets are unplanned and mazy. As a result it becomes hard for anyone, even for a collector for bills to follow any particular address.

3] Why did art people choose old Greenwich Village? O. Henry in The Last Leaf presents the struggle and sacrifice of the artists. They choose a place discarded by others and also they try to live a meager life to dedicate their soul to art. So in the story the art people rushed to old Greenwich Village to occupy the most dilapidated and old fashioned houses with north windows, Dutch attics and low roofs which are so uncomfortable to live in that they have low rent.

4] What is table d' hote?

Ans: It refers to a menu offering a complete meal with limited choice at a fixed price.

5] How is Pneumonia personified in the story? 4

Ans: In the story The Last Leaf the author has personified pneumonia with a definite purpose. The disease comes in November, in winter. It is described as old because it comes in the time of snowfall and it is unseen as it attacks its victim invisibly. Its finger is icy thus implying its association with cold. It stalks the houses, which means that it walks silently like a hunter to capture and kill its victims. It is red fisted and short breathed which indicate the symptoms of pneumonia. Moreover it is not a chivalric gentleman because it attacks even a weak girl like Johnsy who is hardly a fair game for any hunter.

6] What is jewsharp twang? 2

Ans:Jews harp is a small lyre-shaped musical instrument that is placed between the teeth and played by twanging a wire tongue while changing the shape of the mouth cavity. Here it refers to the tone of Sue.

7) Comment on the line "Young artist must pave their way to Art by drawing pictures.."

Ans: In the story The Last Leaf the author actually presents the predicament of artists in a highly commercial and utilitarian society. The artists are strugglers. They choose cheap uncomfortable low rented places only to devote their body and mind to art. They never care for ordinary aspirations and pleasures of the world. Like hermit they shun all comforts even at their youth. In the story the two girl artists chose such a place to sustain their life. They try their best to beat the poverty and ultimately win fame by their art. As Sue draws a picture of a magazine story to pave her way to painting, similarly a young writer of that story struggles in the same manner to pave his way to literature. The author thus presents the heart rending picture of life of the artists and their determination to remain the worshipper of art.

8] How does the author describe Behrman? 2

Ans: Behrman was a painter with strange appearance. His beard is long just like the painting of Moses by Michael Angelo but his height is short. His head looks like that of Satyr, goat like horns and ears.

9] What was Behrman's masterpiece? Describe the masterpiece. 2

Ans: Behrman's masterpiece was the ivy leaf that he painted and pasted on the decaying leafless ivy vine. The leaf was dark green near its stem, but its serrated edges showed the yellow colour suggesting dissolution and decay.

10] Comment on the line "its Behrman's masterpiece....he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell". 4

Ans: This line suggests the relation between life and art. Johnsy was intensely sick with the idea that with the fall of last ivy leaf she would die. Behrman had been waiting twenty five years to paint his masterpiece. But when he heard the strange mind of Johnsy he immediately felt the inspiration for his painting. He painted a leaf in imitation of the ivy leaf and pasted it on the tree. It was the leaf of art, stronger than the real one. So when Johnsy saw the leaf firmly holding the stem she regained her will to live. But Behrman died in cold night. Yet he taught all, the purpose of art and artist. An artist may be a neglected part of society, but his contribution is immense. The leaf is the symbol of life. Behrman realized that true art is related to life. It is not a mere imitation of reality, but above reality. The leaf of reality will fall in time, but the leaf of art is eternal. Moreover it is inspiring. The doctor may cure the body, but his medicine is powerless to move the mind. Only the artist teaches our heart that "It is a sin to want to die".