The Last Leaf
1. Summary: Fill in the blanks with proper words.
Johnsy and Sue are artists who move into G in _____________ City. As Winter approaches and the weather gets colder, _____________ becomes ill with p __ . She gets so sick that she believes that when the _________________ falls from the vine outside her window, she will die. An old artist, named ___________, who lives in the same building as the girls, braves a storm one night to p__________ a leaf on the wall — a leaf that will never fall. Cold and wet from painting in the icy rain, he catches pneumonia and d . This gives Johnsy the hope to s________ her illness, and it also creates the m Behrman had always dreamed of painting.
2. A masterpiece is the greatest piece of art an artist creates. The Mona Lisa, for example, is Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece. It is simple and beautiful and the painting shows great technique and use of color.
a) There are 3 painters in this story. What are their names?
S___________
J___________
Mr __________N
b) Another main character is Mr. Pneumonia, though he doesn't sound much like a painter. How would you describe Mr. Pneumonia?
3. Ten Lines from The Last Leaf
Here are ten lines from the end of the story. Put them into the correct order to find out how Mr. Behrman created his masterpiece. Try to do this without looking at the story.
a) There was a light he had taken outside. ___
b) Mr. Behrman died of pneumonia today in the hospital. ___
c) There was green and yellow paint. ___
d) He was helpless with pain. ___
e) He painted his great masterpiece before the last leaf fell. ___
f) And they found some things. ___
g) The night had been so cold and wild. ___
h) Someone found him in his room. ___
i) There were materials for painting. ___
j) His clothes were as wet and cold as ice. ___
4. The O Henry Twist
O Henry is famous for surprise endings or "twists" in his stories. In The Last Leaf, Johnsy seems to be dying of pneumonia when the story begins, but it is Mr. Behrman who dies in the end, while Johnsy survives. Now we know how Mr. Behrman died. Please answer the following questions.
a) What did Mr. Behrman paint before he died?
b) Try to describe his masterpiece.
c) What did Mr. Behrman's painting do for Johnsy to help her survive?
d) What feeling did it give her?
e) Why does Sue call "The Last Leaf" Behrman's masterpiece?
5. Art and Artists: suffixes
What do you call the people who perform or create these arts?
There are five suffixes that we commonly use for artists.
Be careful of spellings with some endings.
-ist -er -or -ian -ess
• sculpture ___________________________________
• dance ___________________________________
• poetry ___________________________________
• drama (acting) ___________________________________
• painting ___________________________________
• music ___________________________________
• fashion design ___________________________________
• movie making ___________________________________
• short stories ___________________________________
• novels ___________________________________
• photography ___________________________________
• cartoons (animation) ___________________________________
6. Writing exercise
A sacrifice is the act of giving up something, or not having something or doing something yourself, to help somebody else. We saw how Mr. Behrman gave his life to help Johnsy in The Last Leaf. He made the greatest sacrifice anybody could make. But sacrifices are not always as great as Mr. Behrman's. We make small sacrifices almost every day.
How about you? What is the greatest sacrifice you have ever made for your family or friends? An example of this may be when you have stayed at home to help your family instead of going out with friends. Write a short story about something you decided not to do, so that you could help somebody else.
7. New Words Meanings
Look up your dictionary and define the following words and make a sentence.
1. traverse
2. congenial
3. contempt
4. derision
5. morbid
6. imp
The Gift of the Magi
1. Answer the following questions after reading The Gift of the Magi.
1) What did Della want to buy for her husband for Christmas? How much
money did she have to start with?
2) What did Della sell to get the $20.00 she needed to buy her husband’s
present?
3) What did Jim buy for his wife for Christmas?
4) How much money did Jim make a week at his job?
5) Where does Della work? Give the reference that’s made in the story.
6) What do we learn about the relationship between Della and Jim? Do they
love each other still after the events of the story?
7) What are magi?
8) How does the magi and their significance relate to the meaning of the
story?
2. Major and Minor Themes
A story usually has one main theme and several minor themes. Below is a list of some common general themes in literature around the world. Eight of these themes can be found in The Gift of the Magi. Explain how O Henry uses each theme you identify.
• Art • Justice
• Beauty • Knowledge
• Bravery • Law
• Death • Loss
• Fear • Love
• Family • Money
• Faith • Nature
• Freedom • Peace
• The Future • Poverty
• Giving • Pride
• Greed • Sacrifice
• Growing Up • Religion
• Heroism • Sacrifice
• Honesty • Truth
• Hope • War
• Identity • Wisdom
• Independence
For example:
Beauty Della is worried that Jim won't think she is beautiful with short hair, but Jim loves her for more than just her beautiful hair and how she looks. If you really love somebody, they are beautiful no matter how they look.
Now please identify the other seven and explain how O Henry uses them.
3. Exploring specific themes: Sacrifice & Wisdom
a) Sacrifice
Many teachers in the USA feel that sacrifice, or giving up something for someone else, is the main theme in The Gift of the Magi. Both Della and Jim make sacrifices so they can buy Christmas gifts for each other. Who made the greatest sacrifice, Della, by selling her hair or Jim, by selling his watch? Why? Write a short paragraph of your own thoughts on this matter.
b) Wisdom
At the end of the story, O Henry seems to be saying two different things. Read below from page 12 in The Gift of the Magi. “And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.”
Now answer the following questions.
• Who are the two children?
• Why does O' Henry refer to them as "children"?
• How were they unwise?
• How were they wise?
4. Themes & proverbs
Usually, a theme can be stated in terms that resemble familiar sayings or proverbs. Look at these English sayings. Are there similar sayings in your language. If not, can you translate them easily into your language?
• Love is the greatest gift of all.
• Money can't buy you love.
• A gift must come from the heart.
• Beauty comes from within.
Which of the four sayings best describes the main theme of The Gift of the Magi?
5. Important dates
Christmas is a very special occasion for millions of people around the world. However, many people think that Christmas has become too commercial and it is easy to forget the true spiritual meaning of a special occasion.
Think about all the special events in your country or region. Write a short description of what you do on one of those special occasions. Don't forget to include the names of the people who join in the celebration and places you visit. Especially, write about the things you do on those days that are connected to the real meaning of the celebration and why you do them.
6. New Words Meanings
Look up your dictionary and define the following words and make a sentence.
1) mendicancy:
2) meretricious:
3) quail:
4) laboriously:
5) Magi
6) necessitating:
7) ravages:
8) cascades:
9) faltered:
10) unassuming:
11) possessions:
12) ornamentation:
The Ransom of Red Chief
1. New Words Meanings
Look up your dictionary and define the following words and make a sentence.
1) apparition:
2) philoprogenitive:
3) lackadaisical:
4) christen:
5) reconnoiter:
6) contiguous:
7) somnolent:
8) sylvan:
9) decry:
10) proclivities:
11) calliope:
12) dastardly:
13) stockade:
14) scheme:
2. How do you think telling the story from Sam’s perspective adds to the humor of the piece?
3. How did the boy view his kidnapers? Why wouldn’t he try to escape?
4. What made the men first realize that they were afraid of their victim?
5. How did the father’s letter create an ironic and humorous plot twist?
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