"The Last Leaf" is a short story by William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) published in his 1907 collection The Trimmed Lamp and Other Stories. It first appeared on October 15, 1905, in the New York World. The story is set in Greenwich Village during a pneumonia epidemic. It tells the story of an old artist who saves the life of a young neighbouring artist, dying of pneumonia, by giving her the will to live. Through her window, she can see an old ivy creeper (growing on a nearby wall), gradually shedding its leaves, as autumn turns into winter, and she has taken the thought into her head that she will die when the last leaf falls. The leaves fall day by day, but the last lone leaf lingers on for several days, giving her motivation to recover and live her life.
Adaptations (1)
The Last Leaf was adapted into a 2013 film.
