This story by William Porter (aka O. Henry) is one that most who read it never forget. Two young women trying to make a living as artists share an apartment in New York City. One of them becomes very sick, and believes that she will die when the last leaf falls from an ivy plant on the wall opposite her window. An unlikely figure (an old, alcoholic, failed artist who rarely has a nice word for anyone) helps to save her. However, his act of kindness comes at a very high cost. Themes: friendship, defeatism vs. hope, compassion, sacrifice, art.
Original Text / PDF / Audio (2,289 words)
Video Versions
This video is a segment from the 1952 anthology film O. Henry’s Full House, which includes five of his stories. The introduction and narration is by Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck. Surprisingly, several changes have been made to the original story. If you are an English learner, you might try to spot the differences. Watch and enjoy!
There are a number of other video versions of The Last Leaf on the Internet. This 2010 short film directed by Matt Gatlin is one the best.