My Mother at Sixty Six

My Mother at Sixty Six

                           By Kamla Das

 

Analysis of the poem:

§  The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty Six’ is composed by Kamla Das, a well known new age Indian poet from Kerala. Her works are known for their originality, versatility and the indigenous flavour of the soil.

§  The poem is subjective as it describes the emotions of the poet associated with her childhood and mother. It brings her childhood memories back and the fears associated with her mother and separation from her mother.

§  The poem is rich in language and profound in emotional content with the wonderful handling of words and expressions. It is free verse without any rhyming scheme.

§  The tone of the poem is melancholic as the poet feels sad and scared thinking of the day when her mother will not be there with her after death.

§  One is clearly able to make out the theme of the poem that aging and death though are natural and unavoidable become scary and painful to accept.

§  The impactful description for emotions in the poem successfully sensitises the readers to accept death and aging through his powerful imagery, metaphor, simile and skilful handling of other poetic devices.

§  The poem is a free verse without any stanza division, rhyme scheme and full stop. This form is used to highlight the continuity of life and uninterrupted thoughts of the poet.

§  This beautiful poem depicts a daughter-mother relation and fear of losing one’s relations.

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Line by Line Explanation

Driving from my parent’s home to

Cochin last Friday morning,

I saw my mother, beside me,

doze, open mouthed, 

her face ashen like that of a corpse

·       The poetess, Kamla Das was driving from her home to Kochi along with her mother who is 66 years old. It was Friday morning and she was going to airport. Her mother was going to see her off. As the poet was driving, her mother was sitting beside her and taking a nap (light sleep) with her mouth open due to sleep.  Her face was dull and colourless just like a dead body. This made the poet scared and sad. When she saw her mother’s dull and dead face, she realised that her mother had grown old and might die soon. She compares her mother's face to a dead body.

 

And realized with pain

 that she was as old as she looked

 but soon put that thought away,

·     The poet realized that her mother was very old as she appeared to be and she might die soon. But, this realisation was quite painful to her. She felt sad and uncomfortable to think of her mother’s death and separation from her. She could not bear this thought that her mother would be dying, soon. The poetess, Kamla Das wanted to put this thought away. Hence, she started looking out of the window of her car.

 

And looked out at

 Young trees sprinting,

 The merry children

Spilling out of their homes,

·       The poet looked out of the window of her car to divert her attention. Outside, she saw that the young trees were running back as she was driving ahead. (It is a very common sight while travelling) She also saw that the young children were coming out of their homes and they were very happy to come out, play and make merry. The scenes that the poetess witnessed outside are a big contrast to what she saw inside her car. Inside, her mother’s face is dull and dead like ash and dead body and outside the world is full of youth, energy and life.

 

but after the airport’s security check,

 standing a few yards away,

 I looked again at her, wan, pale

 as a late winter’s moon

·       When the poetess reached the airport’s security check, her mother stood little away because she had come to see the poet off. The poet looked at her mother’s face which is pale and colourless. It has lost the brightness just like the moon of late winter which shines faintly and is not clearly visible because of foggy atmosphere. As the poet was looking again and again at her old mother, the fear of separation from her mother started vexing her again.

 

And felt that

 Old familiar ache,

my childhood’s fear,

·       While looking at her mother’s dull and dead face, the old and familiar fear of separation from her mother grappled her heart again. In childhood she was under constant fear that she might lose her mother just as young children get scared easily that they might be separated from their mother and that’s why they catch hold of their mother’s finger or clothes tightly. The childhood fear which is familiar to the poet, was haunting her again while she was going away from her mother.

 

but all I said was,

 see you soon, Amma,

 all I did was smile

 and smile and smile......

Though the poet was fearful and going through the pain, she didn’t say anything. She only bade her mother goodbye and said, ‘see you soon mother’.  With these words she also gave a hopeful smile. The word ‘smile’ is repeated three times to emphasize the emotions of the poet who is trying to hide her fear that she might not be able to see her mother next time. She smiles to assure her mother and herself that she will see her next time.  She wants to hide her fear and show her hope through her broad smiles.

Video on My Mother at Sixty Six

Difficult Expressions

Doze - light sleep/short nap

Ashen -      colourless

Corpse -     dead body

Sprinting - Running fast (here running back)

spilling -    moving out / flowing down

wan - Colourless / dull

Familiar ache -    Pain already felt / experienced in childhood

Poetic Devices

•      My Mother at Sixty-Six – Alliteration

•      My Mother at Sixty-Six - Assonance

•      Face ashen like that of a corpse – Simile, Symbolism

•      Young trees sprinting– Personification & Imagery, Symbolism

•      merry children spilling out – Imagery, metaphor, Imagery, Symbolism

•      her, wan, pale as a late winter’s moon – Simile, Imagery

•      Trees (life), children (vigour & energy), moon (fading beauty) - Symbolism

•      all I said was, see you soon– Alliteration, Pathos

•      All I did was smile and smile and smile..... - Repetition, Pathos, Polysyndeton

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Important Questions Answers

Q1. What is the significance of the line ‘Young trees sprinting and the merry children spilling out of their homes’?

Through these two beautiful images the poet wants to make stark contrast between the aging and withering mother and the world outside which is full of youth, energy, vigour and life. Through these images the poet tries to highlight the philosophy of life that life goes on despite that her mother is old and might die soon.

Q2. Why has the mother been compared to ‘late winter’s moon’?

Ans. Through this beautiful simile the poet’s mother is compared to the moon of late winter, which is shining faintly as it is winter time. The moon’s brightness is diminished due to fog. Her mother’s face has lost its beauty and brightness due to old age. Hence, she is compared to the moon of late winter.

Q3. What do the poet’s parting words and her smiles convey?

Ans. While the poet is going to take her flight and bids her mother good bye, she says, ‘see you soon, Amma’. With these parting words she also smiles broadly. The word ‘smile’ is repeated thrice, which is quite meaningful. Through this repetition the poet wants to emphasize her emotions that she is going through. The poet is trying to hide her fear that she might not be able to see her mother next time. She smiles to assure her mother and herself that she will see her next time.  She also wants to strengthen her hope through her broad smiles.

Q4. What kind of pain and ache troubles the poet?

Ans. As a child, Kamala Das had a fear of losing her mother. She always felt sad to think that she would be separated from her mother. Her childhood fear of being separated from her mother always lingers and comes to the fore quite often. She was always scared that her mother might not be alive the next time she came back.

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RTC 1

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows.
.... I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile …

a.   What was poet's childhood fear?

b. Describe how imagery is used in second line.

c. What do the poet’s parting words suggest?

d. Why did the poet smile at the end?

e. What effect does the repetition in the last line create?

RTC 2

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows.

Her face ashen like that of a corpse

and realised with pain

that she was as old as she looked

but soon put that thought away,

and looked out at Young Trees sprinting,

the merry children spilling out of their homes,

a. How did the poet describe her mother?

b. Why is the poet in pain?

c. What was the poet’s thought that she put away? Why?

d. What do the young trees and children signify?

e. What contrast does the poet highlight in these lines?

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Answers:

RTC 1
a. The poet is always troubled with the thought of being separated from her mother since her childhood. Now she fears that her mother might die soon due to her frail health and old age.
b. Using imagery the poet describes fading beauty of her mother which is compared to dim light of moon due to foggy winter night.

c. The poet’s parting words reveal her fear and also hope to see her mother soon.

d. The poet smiles repeatedly forcibly to hide her fear of losing her mother to death. She also smiles to covey her assurance to her mother that they would meet soon. She smiles as she hopes to see her mother next time.
e. The poet smiled repeatedly and this repetition creates a sad and pathetic picture where smile appears to be forced, and which requires a lot of effort. This repetition portrays that death is inevitable and humans are helpless and lack courage to accept death.

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RTC 2

a. The poet describes her mother as frail, old and pale. Her face looks like ash and while sleeping she looks like a corpse.

b. The poet is in great pain as she realises that her mother is so old that she might die soon.

c. The poet is constantly suffering from the fear that her mother might die soon and she would be separated from her. But, she doesn’t have enough courage to accept the fact. Hence, she avoided the thought of her mother’s death.

d. The young trees and children signify youth, vigour and strength which is in sharp contrast to the old and aging mother.
e. The poet presents a contrast between youth, action, strength and energy to lifelessness, ageing and death through the description of young trees and happy children in sharp contrast to poet’s pale and dull and old mother. This contrast portrays that youth and old age are a cycle of life and that death is inevitable, which is very painful to accept. 

For Anne Gregory

                                         For Anne Gregory
                                                              By William Butler Yeats

 

Analysis:

·        ‘For Anne Gregory’ is a short poem of three stanzas composed by William Butler Yeats, an English poet who is better known for his realistic poems and nationalistic themes.

·        It is a simple and short poem with a deeper meaning and wider perspective. It discusses how physical beauty is taken for real beauty and how physical beauty is insignificant and unreal in our life. He also stresses that physical beauty should not be the basis for love life as physical beauty is not permanent, and has to perish.

·        The poem is composed as a dialogue between the poet and a girl, Anne Gregory who was the granddaughter of Lady Augusta Gregory, a dear friend of the poet. Through this dialogue the poet highlights the stereotypes, wrong beliefs and worldly affairs that beauty is mainly associated with physical beauty.

·        Symbolically, hair is presented as beauty of a woman whereas spiritual beauty is described to be the perfect basis for real love.

·        Tone of the poem is philosophical and didactic as the poet conveys that ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’ and spiritual beauty is real beauty stressing upon that only God can love us for what we are truly.

 Video on Sermon at Benaras

Stanza wise explanation:

“Never shall a young man, 

Thrown into despair 

By those great honey-coloured 

Ramparts at your ear, 

Love you for yourself alone 

And not your yellow hair.”

The poet is talking to Anne Gregory who yearns for real love. The poet is doubtful that her wish could be fulfilled as he feels that young men are always attracted towards her beautiful hair which are symbolically used for her physical beauty. Anne's hair is of golden colour just like that of honey. He tells her that the way her hair falls over her ear, entirely enveloping it within its strands reminds him of the wide walls around the fort erected for its protection. The poet says that he is well aware that the sight of her beautiful hair makes many a young man fall in love with her and he is also sympathetic towards them for the despair that they might feel on being rejected by her. However, he says that young men would love her only for her beautiful hair, i.e. her external beauty and, not because of what she is, as a person. 

“But I can get a hair-dye 

And set such colour there, 

Brown, or black, or carrot, 

That young men in despair 

May love me for myself alone 

And not my yellow hair.”

Replying to the poet, Anne Gregory says that if her yellow hair attracts young men, she can easily dye her hair in some other colours such as brown, black or carrot. These colours, she feels, are less appealing and less attractive than blonde. Then, it might be possible for the young men to look beyond her physical appearance and, pay attention to her as an individual. This how they may love her for the person that she is, and she would be able to find real love which is her intense desire.

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“I heard an old religious man 

But yesternight declare 

That he had found a text to prove 

That only God, my dear, 

Could love you for yourself alone 

And not your yellow hair.”

The poet is still not convinced and replies that the previous night he had been hearing a religious man who found a text in a scripture/holy book. He was sure that the text could prove that only God can  love a person for what he/she truly is. God is our father, loves His children same way, the way a mother doesn't differentiate between her intelligent child and the one who is less sensible.  In fact, it is proved that it's not possible for ordinary humans to ignore physical attractions and look beyond the boundaries of carnal beauty. Humans aren't able to find spiritual beauty and love a person what he/she really is. 

Message

The poet wants to convey the message that God is our father and it is only He who accepts and loves us in spite of all our follies and appearances. The poet wants to teach us all the bitter fact of life that ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’ and spiritual beauty is real beauty. We should not be misguided by beautiful appearance as it is not eternal and real.

Rhyme Scheme

The poet is composed in three stanzas consisting of six lines each.  The lines of each stanza rhyme as abcbdb.

Video on Anne Gregory

Poetic Devices:

Never shall a young man – Assonance

By those great honey-coloured – Imagery, Metaphor

Ramparts at your ear, - Metaphor, Imagery

Love you for yourself alone – Alliteration, Assonance, Refrain

And not your yellow hair. – Refrain, Alliteration, Assonance, consonance, Symbolism

But I can get a hair-dye – Imagery, Enjambment

And set such colour there – Alliteration, Enjambment

Brown, or black, or carrot – Alliteration, Imagery, Polysyndeton, Repetition

May love me for myself alone – Alliteration, Assonance

I heard an old religious man – Assonance, Consonance

But yesternight declare – Consonance

That he had found a text to prove – Anaphora, Alliteration, Assonance, Consonance

That only God, my dear – Anaphora, Apostrophe

Video on the poem Fog

Important Question Answers

Q. ‘Beauty is only skin deep’. How does the poem ‘For Anne Gregory’ bring out the message?

Ans. W B Yeast tries to affirm that physical beauty is transient and will deteriorate with the passage of time. He says that bodily beauty would disappoint the lovers whereas spiritual beauty should be the real influencing agent for love. He teaches that the lovers should seek beauty of soul and must love the person for what he / she truly is, so that the people don't have to fake for looking beautiful physically. Hence lovers should seek love and admire the person for what he / she is.

RTC

“I heard an old religious man

But yesternight declare

That he had found a text to prove

That only God, my dear,

Could love you for yourself alone

And not your yellow hair.”

(a) What does the word ‘text’ refer to?

(b) What does the text prove?

(c) What does ‘yesternight’ mean?

(d) What is conveyed through these lines?

(e) Which poetic device is used in last line?

Video on poem 'The Trees'

Answers:

(a) Text refers to lines covering philosophical message in a religious book or scripture.

(b) The text proves that only God is capable of looking beyond external beauty, into the soul of a person and love a person for what he/she is truly.

(c) Yesternight means last night/previous night or a night in past.

(d) The poet conveys through these lines that spiritual beauty is real beauty and love should not be based on physical attractions or physical beauty.

(e) Refrain

Weathering the Storm in Ersama

Weathering the Storm in Ersama

              By Harsh Mander

Analysis:

·       The story ‘Weathering the Storm in Ersama’ written by Harsh Mander is a beautiful message of kindness, compassion and helpfulness to the humanity.

·       It is an account of a young man, Prashant who experienced a super cyclone in his village in Orissa, which was badly hit by the cyclone. The story narrates small acts of kindness and sensibility by Prashant in order to help the villagers rehabilitate after the storm.

·       The story is great lesson to all the youngsters who can reach out to the needy and grief stricken people in the time of crisis and bring smiles on their grim faces.

·       Prashant stood out as a true example of strong leadership and selfless help. He displayed amazing sensibility, great sense of belongingness and noble spirit of humanity.

Summary /  Synopsis

Prashant was a nineteen years old young man who lived in Kalikuda, a village in the coastal state of Odisha. He lost his mother seven years ago.

On 27 October 1999, when he was staying with his friend in Ersama, it was badly hit by a super cyclone. He along with his friend’s family remained on the rooftop of the house and survived on the tender coconuts from the coconut trees that had fallen on the roof.

As the rain stopped, Prashant left for his home as he feared the worst for his family. He took a stick to help him find the road. At times, he had to swim through the flood waters. On the way he came across dead bodies of human beings and animals which floated with the current. As they crossed villages, not even a single house could be seen. Prashant’s house was shattered, too and he saw the belongings hanging on the branches of the trees. He wept as he felt that he had lost his beloved family.

Then, he went to the Red Cross shelter in search of his family. There Prashant first of all, saw his maternal grandmother. She was elated to see him alive and then, he met his whole family. Prashant saw a crowd of 2500 people at the shelter. Many had lost their families in the disaster and they were grief stricken. Prashant took control of the situation. He formed a group with some elders and young people and forced the merchant to give them the stock of rice and were successful.

After 4 days the crowd had a meal. Then, the group of volunteers cleaned the shelter and tended the injured people. Prashant engaged the widows to work in an NGO run programme named ‘Food for work’. He engaged the children by arranging sports matches for them. He proposed the villagers to set up foster families comprising of the widows, orphaned children and lone men to support each other emotionally, in family environment. Thus, Prashant overcame his grief and learnt to spread smiles on the sad faces even in the time of adversity.

Message

Through a strong and sensible character like Prashant the readers learn the message to spread smiles on the sad faces ignoring personal issues and pains and even in the time of adversity how to keep calm and guide and manage the shattered lives in the wake of natural disaster.

The story is great lesson to all the youngsters who can reach out to the needy and grief stricken people in the time of crisis and bring smiles on their grim faces. Youngsters may draw inspiration to become strong leaders and selfless volunteers during natural disasters. Prashant’s amazing sensibility, great sense of belongingness and noble spirit of humanity is a strong message to this troubles world full of selfishness and hatred.

The Beggar

The Beggar

                                By Anton Chekhov

Analysis :

·       The story ‘The Beggar’ written by Anton Chekhov is a story of a beggar, Lushkoff who was a drunkard and due to his drunkenness he lost his work and had to beg.

·       Anton Chekhov, a Russian playwright and short story writer, is regarded to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history.

·       ‘The Beggar’ is a tale of the transformation in the life of a beggar who was brought onto right path and changed into a good person. The behaviour of Olga, the cook made him leave his drinking habit, work and lead a good life.

·       The story highlights that all the pains and efforts of a person are worth, if a spoilt drunkard is put on the right path.

·       Lushkoff, the beggar stopped Sergei, a lawyer and begged to give him some money. Sergei asked the beggar to chop wood for him and asked him to work instead of begging. There, Olga, Sergei’s cook rebuked him, abused him, but used to weep for him and also chop wood for him and he used to get money for work he never did. Her sensitivity, concern and tears and selfless work brought a change in his heart.

Summary /  Synopsis

Lushkoff, the beggar stopped Sergei, a lawyer and cried to have pity on him and give him some money as he had nothing to eat. He had been a school teacher for eight years but he had lost his place due to treachery on the part of his colleagues.

The beggar was wearing old and ragged clothes. He had dull and drunken eyes and red spot on his cheeks. Sergei recognised the beggar who was wearing overshoes of different sizes. He felt that he had met him in Sadovya street day before yesterday, and at that time he had called himself a student who had been expelled from his college. Sergei warned him that he would call the police.

The beggar admitted his mistake and told the truth that he was a drunkard. He also told that he was working in a Russian choir but he was removed from work due to his drunkenness. He had to tell lies and beg for his life’s sake as nobody gave him work.

Sergei gave him the work of chopping wood if he is ready. The beggar agreed, but unwillingly as he was trapped in his own words. He was taken by Sergei’s cook, Olga to the shed to chop woods there. Olga gave the beggar an axe. He beggar put a billet of wood between his feet and struck it feebly with his axe. The billet fell down. The beggar had become weak due to his drunkenness. He could barely stand on his feet. Sergei was looking at him from the window of his room and felt bad as he had set a drunken and spoiled man at work in the cold. After an hour Olga reported that the wood had been chopped and the beggar was given half a rouble.

Sergei asked him to come on first day of every month and every time found work for him. Sometime, he would shovel snow, beat dust out of rugs and mattresses and sometime put the wood shed in order. When, Sergei moved into another house. The beggar was called to help in moving the furniture but he didn’t touch a single item.

Lushkoff, the beggar, was now offered a cleaner employment of copying. Sergei asked him to go to his friend with a letter. Sergei was happy as he had put a beggar on the right path.

After two years when Sergei was standing at a ticket window of a theatre, there, he saw Lushkoff who had become a notary by then. He was paod thirty five roubles a month. Sergei was very happy for him. Lushkoff thanked Sergei for all his help and for bringing him out of scrap. He also told that if Sergei had not helped him, he would have still been telling lies and wasting his life.

He told him that it was Olga who had actually saved him. Olga scolded him, abused him, but she would also sit opposite to him and weep for him. Then, she would also chop wood for him and he hadn’t chopped a single stick of wood. Olga's sensitivity, concern and tears and selfless work brought a change in his heart. He got reformed due to Olga's selfless help and concern and said that he would never forget her. Then it was time for the show and they departed towards the gallery.

Message

The story highlights an important message that all the pains and efforts of a person are worth, if a spoilt drunkard is put on the right path. The life of a beggar became a tale of the transformation as he was brought onto right path and changed into a good person due to Olga’s sensitivity, concern, pure tears and selfless work. A pure and sublime heart can change any beast into a noble character.

A House is not a Home

A House is not a Home

                          By Zan Gaudioso

Analysis:

·       The story ‘A House is not a Home’ written by Zan Gaudiodo is a beautiful message of kindness, compassion and helpfulness to the humanity.

·       Zan Gaudioso, an American author, has contributed stories to the famous 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' book series. Her most notable contributions have been for the book, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III.

·        This story is an account of a teenager who experienced a fearful accident when his house caught a fire. The story also narrates powerfully small acts of kindness which revived narrator's faith in life.

·       The story indirectly discusses the difference between a house and a home. A house is a physical structure whereas a home is a place where people live together sharing their ups and downs, supporting one another and spreading love and cheer. Therefore, a home is much more significant than a house made of brick and mortar.

·       The story is about the challenges in the life of a teenager. It is a great lesson to all the youngsters who get depressed due to mishaps. It highlights the importance of being positive and not being depressed by the problems and challenges that are an important part of life. It reiterates that ‘every dark cloud has a silver lining’.

Summary /  Synopsis

The narrator is a teenager who joined Junior High School and gets separated from his friends and teachers. He felt like a freshman in his new school. His friends had gone to a different high school. So, he felt lonely. He missed his old teachers also. He visited them. They advised him to have patience and spend a little time in his school and participate in activities and that after some time he would not miss them.

One Sunday afternoon the narrator was doing homework in his home. Wind was blowing fiercely. His mother stoked the fire. Suddenly, he noticed smoke coming from the ceiling. Fire was spreading very fast and the house was full of fire and smoke. His neighbours called the fire department.

His mother ran back into the house and came back with important documents. She again, ran back into the house again to get the pictures and letters of her late husband. He ran after his mother but the fireman stopped him. The fireman made him sit in the car and wrapped him in a blanket. Soon, another fireman brought the author’s mother out and put her in the truck with an oxygen mask over her mouth. She had only inhaled a lot of smoke while she went inside the house.

The fire was finally controlled after five hours. Suddenly, it struck to the narrator that he had not seen his cat and started weeping. He spent the night at his grandparents’ place.

The next day the narrator went to school. He was wearing his old clothes and tennis shoes. He had no books nor his backpack. He felt like a zombie. He felt if he would remain outcast all his life. He did not want to grow up. He wanted to die.

He walked back through his house after school. Everything had been destroyed. His heart ached for his cat. His mother took him to find a place to live and buy clothes for school also.

Soon all came to know about the narrator’s plight. The school students pushed him to the gymnasium. The table inside had a collection of all the necessary things such as notebooks, clothes, jeans, sweat suits, etc. The narrator grew emotional. He made many friends that day. Some invited him to their home.

After a month the narrator was at his house. It was being rebuilt. He realised that his life was also getting rebuilt. Now he had so many wonderful people around him. 

After a while, a woman approached him. She was holding a cat. She asked him if the cat belonged to him. The author recognised the cat and grabbed it from her at once. The cat purred happily. The cat had run miles away being scared of the fire.

The author sat with his friends with his cat in his lap. The feelings of loss and sorrow had vanished. He felt indebted to his friends for his newly found life. He also expressed gratitude for the kindness of a stranger. Now he felt all the precious things are back to him and so he was because now he wanted to live.

Important Question answers

Q 1. Why did the narrator feel awkward during his first year of high school?

Ans. The narrator felt awkward because it was a new school, much bigger than his previous junior high school. It was a strange feeling to start again as a freshman after enjoying the benefits of being the senior most class in junior high. All his close friends had gone to different high schools and it was completely a new place for him. He missed his teachers so much that he continued to visit them at old school as it was a familiar place where he had spent many happy years. He felt isolated and depressed, and wished not to go to school.

The Last Leaf

The Last Leaf

                              By O. Henry

Analysis:

·       The short story ‘The Last Leaf’ is written by O. Henry, an American story writer. He is one of the most renowned story writers in English language. He wrote with his pen name O. Henry. His real name is William Sydney Porter.

·       This short story is an account of a young artist, Johnsy who linked the question of her life and death to an ivy whose leaves were falling rapidly due to autumn. Such beliefs can be disastrous. But, she with the help of her friend discovered a new light after the dark storm in her life.

·       The story is great lesson to all the youngsters who get easily stressed and disappointed at hurdles and in the phase of difficulties. It conveys the message of optimism and positivity despite all the adversities in life.

·       The story is remarkable to have employed all the elements of a wonderful story such as action, conflict, twist, climax, anti climax and surprise ending.

Summary /  Synopsis

Sue and Johnsy were two girls who were artists and used to paint for their livelihood. They lived together in a small flat on the third storey of an old house. Johnsy was suffering from Pneumonia for a month but was not recovering. The doctor asked Sue if anything troubled Johnsy and told her that the medicine wasn't working as she had lost the will to live. Sue became worried. 

Sue tried to observe. Johnsy was looking continuously outside towards an ivy creeper on the opposite wall. The leaves were falling rapidly because it was autumn season. Johnsy was counting backwards from twelve, eleven, ten and so on. Johnsy told her that she would die as and when the last leaf fell. Sue called it nonsense and told her that she would be all right soon. Sue tried her best to divert Johnsy’s attention, to bring her interest towards clothes and fashion, painting and life. Sue started painting and whistled while painting. Sue drew the curtain and asked Johnsy not to look outside as she wanted to finish her painting to earn money and needed light. Johnsy closed her eyes and tried to sleep and relax.

Sue went to Behrman who was a sixty years old painter. He lived on the ground floor in the same building. He had a dream to paint a masterpiece but could not succeed so far in fulfilling his dream. Sue told Behrman about Johnsy’s baseless belief about her death. Behrman and Sue went into Johnsy’s room and saw that the ivy creeper had only one leaf left on the creeper. It was raining heavily and wind was fierce. They felt the leaf would fall any time.

Johnsy woke up from her sleep and looked out of the window. She looked at the last leaf. It was green and healthy. It didn’t fall even in the stormy night and despite the fierce winds. After realising the struggle of the last leaf Johnsy was full of a rejuvenated will to live again.

Johnsy accused herself for her own sickness. She felt ashamed of being a bad girl. She realised that the last leaf had taught her that it is a sin to nurture a wish to die and disrespect life. She also asked for forgiveness as she didn't consider and respect her friend's care and efforts to look after her. She took a mirror, made her hair and drank hot soup also to get well soon.

Next morning Sue told Johnsy that Behrman who had been ill for only two days, died. His clothes and shoes were wet. A ladder, lantern, his painting brushes and colours were found near his bed. He had painted and tied the last leaf in that stormy night to save Johnsy. He caught pneumonia and died. Sue asked her to look closely and think why the leaf wasn’t not fluttering. Then, Sue told her that the last leaf was Behrman’s masterpiece. He painted it the night when the last leaf fell and after that he died. 

Message

The story teaches us all to be optimistic and positive in all the phases of our life. We must sustain the belief that after every night there is a new dawn, no matter how dark is the night. This story is a great lesson, especially to all the youngsters who get easily stressed and disappointed at various hurdles, difficulties, loss or failures and in the phase of adversities.