The Last Leaf Summary Class 9 | Chapter 7 | Moments | English |

The Last Leaf Summary Class 9 | Chapter 7 | Moments | English |

The Last Leaf Summary

The Last Leaf Summary is about two young artists. Their names were Johnsy and Sue. Johnsy caught pneumonia.  She came to a conclusion that she is not going to get well. Her bed was near the window which overlooked the brick wall of opposite home. There was an old ivy creeper climbed the brick wall. It was autumn and the leaves of the ivy creeper were falling rapidly. A strange thought took hold of Johnsy’s mind.  She began to think that when the last leaf will fall, she will die. Her condition was getting worse day by day. The doctor used to come on regular basis. Still there was no improvement in Johnsy’s condition. Sue tried her level best to persuade Johnsy to kick this stupid thought out of her mind. Sue was very much worried about her. She was doing all the possible efforts to help Johnsy come out from this condition. But all her good efforts were in vain. When only last leaf was left on the creeper, Johnsy started to prepare herself for death. There was another artist who lived on the first floor in the same building. His name was Behrman. Sue poured out all her worries to him. Behrman was an old aged painter. It rained hard and the last leaf fell in the night. Behrman painted a leaf on the wall which resembled a natural leaf.

Next morning Johnsy woke up and thought that last leaf would have fallen till now. But when Sue drew the curtains the last leaf was still there. Johnsy kept waiting for the last leaf to fall.  But it didn’t fall. It filled Johnsy with a new hope to live. Her condition started to get better day by day. Now she had a desire to live again. When she was completely out of the danger, Sue told her the truth that the last was not real but it was a painting drawn by Behrman. Sue also told that Behrman uncle worked in rain during the night and caught pneumonia. Eventually he passed away the next day.

Behrman had a desire to paint a masterpiece but his desire was not fulfilled. The last leaf he painted proved to be a masterpiece because it saved Johnsy’s life.

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Textual Questions of The Last Leaf

Q1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?

Ans: She was suffering from a type of lung disease called Pneumonia. But her illness is more of psychological than of physical. She had lost all her interest in life. She was convinced that she is going to die very soon. Medicine can’t help her, only her desire to live could cure her.

Q.2 Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?

Ans: The people at teen age are very much imaginative. If an idea stuck in their mind, it becomes very difficult to take it away. Everything has two sides i.e. Positive and negative. It depends on us on which side we look and focus. Now a days teenagers get depressed easily because of tough competition.

Q.3 Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?

Ans:  He had dreamt of painting a masterpiece in his life. Yes, this dream came true but only with his death. He painted an ivy leaf on the wall to save Johnsy’s life. It proved to be a masterpiece because Johnsy who herself was an artist was not able to recognize that it was not an original leaf but a painting.

Q.4 What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?

Ans: Behrman painted an ivy leaf on the wall. This painting proved to be a masterpiece because Johnsy who herself was an artist was not able to recognize that it was not an original leaf but a painting. It had helped Johnsy to gain interest in her life. That is why Sue called it a masterpiece.

Short Answer Type Questions of The Last Leaf

Q1. Who were Johnsy and sue? What had happened to Johnsy?

Ans: Johnsy and sue were two young artists. They were good friends and shared a flat. Johnsy suffered from a type of lung disease called Pneumonia.

Q.2  What did Johnsy feel about her illness?

Ans:  She had prepared her mind that she is not going to get well now. She thought she would die with the falling of the last leaf.

Q.3 What did Sue do to make Johnsy feel happy?

Ans:  She tried to divert her mind from illness by talking about fashions and clothes. She whistled while working to entertain her.

Q.4 Why did Johnsy look at the ivy leaf carefully?

Ans: Johnsy thought she was  getting close to her death with falling of each leaf. She kept looking at the leaves carefully to see how many of them were left and when would the last leaf fall.

Q5.  Who was Behrman?

Ans:  He was an old aged painter. He was sixty years old. He had a desire to paint a masterpiece in his life.

Long Answer Type Questions of The Last Leaf

Q.1 Do you think Behrman was right in sacrificing his life? Why?

Ans: He was an old aged painter. He was already 60 years old. He always wanted to paint a masterpiece. But he could never begin it. Now he saw that he had to save the life of a young artist. He agreed at once to work out in the cold night to save Johnsy’s life. He painted an ivy leaf on the wall, which exactly looked like a real leaf. It looked so real that even Johnsy could not recognize it. She regained interest in her life. Thus she was saved. But Behrman got Pneumonia and died of it. His sacrifice was not in vain for two reasons. First his sacrifice saved a life and second his dream came true to draw a masterpiece.

Q.2 What role was played by Sue in saving Johnsy’s life?

Ans:  Johnsy had given up all the hopes to live. She had prepared her mind that she is not going to live long. She would die when the last leaf of the creeper fell. Initially Sue tried her level best to take Johnsy’s mind from her illness by talking about fashion and clothes. But her plans were not working out. So she thought of discussing her problem with Mr. Behrman. They both made a plan to paint a leaf on the opposite wall. The next morning when Johnsy woke up she still found a leaf on the wall. That leaf was not real but a painting. Johnsy could not recognize it. She wondered how in spite of heavy rains and wind the last leaf didn’t fall. Johnsy realized her mistake and she regained interest in her life.

Q.3 Imagine Behrman had not died because of Pneumonia. His family took him back to the native place.  As Johnsy, write a letter to him to express your gratitude.

Ans: 

121/20015

Colone Valley, Regional Park

London

Dear Mr. Behrman,

I hope your health is improving day by day. I and Sue both miss you a lot and keep on thinking about you. We have always considered you as a good neighbour and a gentleman. Words are not enough to express my gratitude for the help you did during my hard times. I really feel bad when I think of those difficult times when you risked your life for a fool girl like me. You are really a brave fellow and a great artist too. Your masterpiece shows your passion and dedication towards the art. I shall promise not to get stuck in that type of situation again. I and Sue wish you a fast recovery and wish to see you soon.

Thanks and Regards

Johnsy

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