NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 7 THE LAST LEAF | English Moments
THE LAST LEAF
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 7 THE LAST LEAF | English Moments
Summary: The last Leaf is a famous story which is written by renowned writer O. Henry. This story describes the friendship of two female artists Sue and Johnsy and a great sacrifice by an old person named Behrman. Sue and Johnsy both lived in a small flat which was on the third storey of an old house. Johnsy fell seriously ill in November. She had Pneumonia. Sue tried her best to nurse her friend but the doctor said that Johnsy had lost her faith and interest in life. Sue tried her level best to make Johnsy take an interest in things around her. She talked about clothes and fashions, but Johnsy did not respond positively. One day Sue found that Johnsy was looking outside and counting something backwards. Sue also anxiously looked out of the window and found an ivy creeper there which was trying to climb half way up the brick wall. Johnsy had connected her life with this ivy creeper and told Sue that she would also die when the last leaf of this ivy creeper would fall.
Sue went to Behrman and told him the whole matter how Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell. It rained heavily with icy cold winds on the same night and both Sue and Johnsy had a thought that the ivy creeper would lose its last leaf in this awful night. But to their surprise they found that the last leaf was still hanging there with more beauty and freshness after facing such a night. Now Johnsy realized that she had done a sin to want to die but she got a hops of life from that single leaf.
The next morning Sue informed Johnsy that Mr. Behrman had died of pneumonia. He remained ill for only two days. The first day the janitor found him on his bed shivering in wet clothes and shoes. Then, they found a ladder, a lantern still lighted, some brushes and green-yellow-paints lying near his bed. Then Johnsy asked Sue to look outside carefully and think why the leaf was not fluttering while the wind was blowing. In fact it was the masterpiece of Behrman which he painted in same night when the last leaf fell. Thus the old man sacrificed his life for the sake of a girl who had lost her faith and hope in life.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 7 THE LAST LEAF | English Moments
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS
Q. 1. 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 die as soon as the last leaf on the creeper fell. The medicine had no effect on her. It was her willingness to live that could cure her.
Q. 2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?
Ans. Life has two aspects—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 faces difficulties boldly never'lose hope and proceed further.
Q. 3. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?
Ans. 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. 4. 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 that it was not easy to make out whether the leaf was real or it was just a painting. When Behrman died painting this life saving painting, Sue called it a masterpiece.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 7 THE LAST LEAF | English Moments
I. SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. What kind of friend was Sue to Johnsy?
Ans. Sue and Johnsy were fast friend. They loved each other. In the state of illness, Sue helped her like a mother. She tried her best to take her friend out of depression. She seemed the happiest person on her friend's recovery illness.
Q. 2. Why did Johnsy keep looking out of the window ?
Ans. During her illness, Johnsy linked her life with the falling leaves of the ivy. She was in a state of depression. She kept looking out of the window in order to count the leaves. She had a misconception that she would die with the fall of the last leaf.
Q. 3. What efforts did Sue do to keep Johnsy cheerful ?
Ans. Sue was a true friend and tried her best to divert her attention and make her happy. She tried to create her interest in various things so as to take her friend out of depression. She talked about clothes, fashions and painting and kept whistling while working on the drawing board.
Q. 4. What did the doctor tell Sue?
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 Sue to try her best to take her friend out of that state.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 7 THE LAST LEAF | English Moments
Q. 5. How did Behrman react to Johnsy's fancy? What sacrifice did he make for her?
Ans. Behrman knew about Johnsy's fancy that she had established a link of her life with the last leaf on the creeper. He had a feeling that the last leaf would surely fall during a stromy and rainy night. He left the place and said nothing. In order to save her life he decided to paint a leaf on the wall. He did it well keeping his life in danger. He fell to pneumonia and died soon.
Q. 6. How did Sue inform Johnsy about Behrman's death?
Ans. Sue came to Johnsy's bed the next morning after Behrman had died. She said that she has to say Johnsy something. Then she broke the news of Behrman 's death. Behrman had died of Pneumonia. He was ill only for two days. He had been out in the stormy night.
Q. 7. Why did the last leaf not fall?
Ans. The life of Johnsy was very precious. The old artist realised it and painted the last leaf on the wall in stormy and rainy night. He painted the leaf so beautifully that it appeared natural. The leaf did not fall as it was not a natural leaf. It was just a painting.
Q. 8. Describe the appropriateness of the title.
Ans. The title is quite appropriate. The whole story centres round the last leaf. It is the last leaf that saved Johnsy's life. The sole aim of the old artist was to paint a masterpiece and the masterpiece was the leaf painted on the wall
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Chapter 7 THE LAST LEAF | English Moments
II. LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (Word Limit : 80 words)
Q. I. What had happened to Johnsy?
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-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.
Q. 2. Why had the leaf not fallen the next morning?
Ans. The whole story revolves around the last leaf. It was because Behrman, the artist, was to paint a picture to be his masterpiece. The artist painted the leaf on the wall in order to save the life of Johnsy. As the story begins we find Johnsy, the artist, lying in the bed. She was suffering from pneumonia. Her condition was critical. There was no further improvement. She had established a bond of her life with the ivy leaves. She had a misconception that her life will end with the last leaf. Behrman knew this thing. The night was very stormy. He knew that the leaf would fall that night. So, he painted the leaf on the wall putting his life in danger. Thus, the last leaf had not fallen the next morning.
Q. 3. 'The Last Leaf' is a story of supreme sacrifice. Discuss.
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. 4. Describe the role of Sue in saving her friend's life.
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. By chance she was suffering from pneumonia. She believed that she would die with the last leaf on the ivy creeper. Sue looked after her like a mother. She tried to create her interest. 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. 5. Write a character-sketch of Behrman.
Ans. Behrman was a sixty-year old painter. He had a life-long dream to paint a masterpiece. But he could not succeed in this regard. He lived on the ground floor in the same building. When Sue informed him about Johnsy's condition and misconception about the Last Leaf, he became worried. He called Johnsy stupid. He visited Johnsy to see her condition. Johnsy was sleeping. He noticed the only leaf on the creeper. He did not say anything and went to his room. He was a kind person. He painted the leaf in the icy-cold night. It was raining heavily. His clothes and shoes got wet. He was shivering with cold that night. He sacrificed his life to save Johnsy's life.