CHARACTERS

The characters in this story are Sue, Johnsy and Mr. Behrman. Living in early 20th century in Greenwich Village are two young women artists, Sue and Johnsy. They met in May, six months previously, and decided to share a studio apartment. The story begins as Johnsy, near death from pneumonia, lies in bed waiting for the last leaf of an ivy vine on the brick wall she spies through her window to fall. Mr. Behrman, an old man who lives in the apartment below Sue and Johnsy, who enjoys drinking, works sometimes as an artist’s model, and as yet has made no progress over the past 40 years on painting his own masterpiece, becomes in typical authors fashion the hero. The evidence of his heroics is found the day before he dies from pneumonia.

 JOHNSY

- She suffers from pneumonia in this story. Her wish for death and her dialogues reflect her disparity for life. - Her word has no direct relation with Sue’s question, which shows her state of mind, the blank mind. It’s a vivid description of a dying Johnsy. - With her actions and condition we were able to realize that we have hope and we must believe and have a faith.

MR. BEHRMAN
- Though the hero appears only once and speaks twice in the whole story but he, successfully reveals his affection to two young artists and his noble spirit. - Though he was hard in the outside, he was full of gentle feelings in heart. - His love towards Johnsy and Sue was fraternal or fatherly affections.

SUE
- Sue who is caring nursing, tolerating, through perseverance and gentleness.
- Shows her fondness for her weak friend.
- She does her duty as a concerned friend.

 I think that’s the theme because Mr. Buhrman risks his life for Johnsy. I consider Mr. Buhrman chivalric because he was brave enough to go out there and paint the leaf on the wall for Johnsy and then gets pneumonia and dies just to lifts Johnsy’s spirits. Sue the care taker of Johnsy doesn’t like when she speaks negatively and doesn’t like it when all she does and wait for that last leaf to fall. She always is solicitously about Johnsy. She does whatever she can to take care of Johnsy. 
 This theme is important because when Mr. Buhrman paints the leaf on the wall he’s doing it just to give Johnsy hope. He also does it to stop her from thinking negatively about herself and to think positive. Each might Johnsy would look at those leaves and watch them fall one by one. Each time zephyrs came they knocked down leaves. When Mr. Buhrman painted that lea on the wall he did it so she wouldn’t die of negatively and disbelief. What Mr. Buhrman did helped her. 

 People today would take self sacrifices for someone. Like parent for instance. They would do anything for their children or their loved ones. They would make sure no matter what the kids and loved ones are always secure and well. Kids also care for their brothers or sisters if they have any because if someone was to on your little brother/sister you would take a self sacrifice for them. These are how people make self sacrifices in our time period. Back then they might not have that many people take self sacrifices for other people. When Mr. Buhrman dies Johnsy realizes that this is meant to stop being negative and to give hope because the last leaf will never fall. 
  Mr. Buhrman knows how Johnsy is everyday. She is morbid and always looks at that vine. He knew how important that vine was to her. He did whatever he could to keep him alive and give her hope, even if it takes his life. Each time she looked out that window the last leaf would still be there and she would get more hope and would speak more positively about herself. That mean he gave a self sacrifice for Johnsy. 
 I thought what Mr. Buhrman did was very respectful. I thought when he was first introduced in this passage that he was mean but in the end I found out he was a very nice man. This theme was true about everything. He was doing a self sacrifice so that Johnsy wouldn’t die and wouldn’t give up hope. If I was Mr. Buhrman I would have don’t the same thing I always say you come before me. That’s exactly what Mr. Buhrman did. I always do stuff to be respectful to my loved ones and I always do what I need to do to help them. If I ever have to take a self sacrifice I would and I know my love ones would do it for me too. I’m happy that he would do something just to help to keep someone’s hope and beliefs up and not down. I’m also very proud of Sue also takes a self sacrifice for Johnsy. Sue always stays home and does whatever she can to keep very good care of Johnsy she cooks, she stays home, and she doesn’t leave to do something else. She doesn’t ever leave Johnsy. I’m pound of these characters and I hope that someday I could make a self sacrifice and be the one to help someone too.