The Last Leaf 作者简介：
O.Henry（1862～1910），是美国20世纪初颇受读者欢迎的短篇小说家。他原名William Sydney Porter，出生于美国北卡罗来纳州。30多岁开始写短篇小说。一生共创作了约300篇短篇小说，显示出他非同凡响的艺术才华。
O.Henry擅长编造故事情节。他的故事结构紧凑，语言精练，结局往往出人意表，对现代短篇小说影响较大。在他的小说中，写得最好的是关于纽约的那些，他把纽约曼哈顿区一带的街道、小饭馆、破旧的公寓的气氛描写得既生动又逼真，故有“曼哈顿的桂冠诗人”之称。
内容简介：
《The Last Leaf》（最后一片叶子）是O.Henry较有代表性的作品，突出反映了他的写作风格和特点。
年轻贫穷的画家Johnsy不幸染上肺炎，女友Sue竭尽全力照料她，但她的病情仍不见好转。万念俱灰的Johnsy放弃了生存的欲望，准备在窗外对面墙上常春藤的最后一片叶子凋落坠地时，撒手人寰。另一位一生未画出重大作品的老画家Behrman为了救她，连夜冒雨爬上墙头画了一片藤叶，他自己因而染上肺炎，两天后去世。老画家所画的最后一片叶子，成了他的毕生杰作。
原文最后段落赏析：
"I have something to tell you," she said, "Mr. Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. He was ill only two days. The janitor found him on the morning of the first day in his room downstairs helpness with pain. His shoes and clothes were soaking wet and ice cold. They couldn't imagine where he had been on such a dreadful night. And then they found a lantern, still lighted, and a ladder that had been dragged from its place, and some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors mixed on it, and——look out the window, dear, at the last ivy leaf on the wall. Didn't you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it's Behrman's masterpiece——he painted it there the night that the last leaf fell."
评论：
The last leaf is symbol of the leaf of life. It is the most treasured gift from an old artist!
The story described a young couple of good friends. It's Johnsy and Sue. After a period of happy time, Johnsy encounted the Mr. Pneumonia in a cold night in November. One day afternoon, she was desperatly looking out of the window and was counting the leaves on the ivy tree. She firmly convinced that she would leave the world after the last leaf fell. She hadn't any passion for the furture life! Hadn't none other better ways, Sue had to ask the help of the Mr. Behrman. And old poor artist who lived on the ground floor beneath them!
He was a failure in art. he has been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never begun it. Af firstly, he was very scornful about this frustrated girl who was giving up her life after hearing of the last leaf story from Sue. Actually, in this old man's feeling inside, he earnestly wanted to save this poor and young girl. He panited the last vivid and lovely leaf throughout a dreadful night. Finally, this materpiece has been completed, and Johnsy kindled the life fire again. However, Mr. Behame died of the Pneumonia.
The story ended here, but, the sincere friendship would never stop forever! It is penetrating in every sentence of this essay, and it is also hovering in the reader's heart! Let us respect this best art-man! Meanwhile, I also associate him with my parents. They breed us and cultivate us! They have given us their best presents! We shall do all of our efferots to return the contributions to them!
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