Henry's narrative, and foreshadows the ironic reversal of expectations that is to come at the story's end. This anecdote establishes the ironic quality of O. In the story's opening paragraph, the narrator describes the winding streets of Greenwich Village and provides an anecdote about how a bill collector might get turned around in the confusing maze. Suppose a collector with a bill for paints, paper and canvas should, in traversing this route, suddenly meet himself coming back, without a cent having been paid on account! Narrator, p. The narrator comments in this passage on the lonesome state Johnsy is in, where she is in a way preparing herself for death by ignoring her bonds to other living beings.Īn artist once discovered a valuable possibility in this street. The pain of living with pneumonia makes Johnsy close herself off from other people she has made up her mind to die, and so finds Sue's requests that she drink broth irritating. Though Sue and Johnsy are close friends, Johnsy reject's Sue's affection during her illness. The fancy seemed to possess her more strongly as one by one the ties that bound her to friendship and to earth were loosed. The lonesomest thing in all the world is a soul when it is making ready to go on its mysterious, far journey. She wishes to give up and sail away, her spirit relieved of suffering like a leaf swept off on the breeze. As the leaf clings to the vine, she believes she has a tenuous and painful hold on life. In this passage, Johnsy reiterates her belief that her fate is connected to the last leaf on the ivy vine outside her window she imagines the satisfying reprieve from her illness that death will bring. I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves." Johnsy, p. This passage is significant because it proves true: because Johnsy decides not to die until she sees the last leaf fall, she ends up surviving, having been tricked by the painted leaf. He suggests that a patient's recovery depends on their attitude toward their illness and belief in their own chances of survival. He laments how often patients line up on the side of the undertaker, by which he means that Johnsy, like many patients, give up hope of survival, thereby reducing the effectiveness of any medical intervention. 2Īt the beginning of the story, the doctor concludes that Johnsy has lost her will to live. Your little lady has made up her mind that she's not going to get well." The doctor, p. "This way people have of lining-up on the side of the undertaker makes the entire pharmacopeia look silly.
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