Keywords
Abstract
This article examines O. Henry’s The Last Leaf as a story about hope, human resilience, and selfless sacrifice. The story follows Johnsy, a young artist who loses her will to live during a serious illness, and Behrman, her elderly neighbor, who risks his life to save her. Through close reading, the article analyzes how the story uses symbolism, characterization, and narrative irony to communicate moral and psychological lessons. The story shows how small acts of courage and kindness can have a huge impact on others and highlights the connection between art, hope, and life. It demonstrates that resilience and selflessness can transform despair into survival, making the story meaningful even today.
References
1. O. Henry. (1907). The Last Leaf. New York: McClure, Phillips & Co.
2. Shaw, H. (2000). O. Henry and the American short story tradition. Boston: Twayne Publishers.
3. Pizer, D. (1979). The concise O. Henry: Studies in American realism. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
4. Thompson, L. (2015). Narrative and morality in short fiction: Lessons from O. Henry. Journal of Literary Studies, 31(2), 45–60.