анализ Last_leaf

Last leaf.

At the beginning of the story the author described a little district west of Washington. Streets “make strange angles and curves. One street crosses itself a time or two.” This sentences the author show us what life of characters is very difficult. Life of this people is not calm, as may be like, if streets were straight and параллельные.

This story is about three painters. The young women Sue and Johnsy lived and worked together. Johnsy falled ill of pneumonia. she counted leaves of the old ivy, which felled. She waited her death, which will go, when last leaf will fell. Sue very worry about Johnsy and Sue tolled about it their neighbour old painter Behrman, which all his life want to paint his masterpiece. The story ends with Sue opened the green shade and last leaf handed on the branch. Johnsy understood that want to death is very foolish. So, Sue exposed the secret: old Behrman painted this leaf on the wall. Behrman’s “shoes and clothing were wet through and icy cold. He was ill only two day and died of pneumonia”. The concluding words are: “Ah, darling it’s Behrman’s masterpiece…”

The author of this story is outstanding American novelist and shot-story writer O. Henry. The real name is William Sydney Porter. O. Henry occupied exceptional place in American literature, as master of short-story.

William Sydney Porter was born in 1862 in city Greensboro state North Carolina. Porter получил medical education. He worked to book-keeper in the bank in city Ostin. Later he was imprison to Columbus, State Огайо. There he провел 3 years and worked the doctor. Writer died in 1910 in New York.

O. Henry was organic painter of short-story. He was interested in social problems and discovered his negative attitude to bourgeois society. The characters in his story haven’t deeply psychological motive, and it also intensify surprise of final. Original of O. Henry is his brilliant use of jargon, joke.

The main idea of this text is conclude in irresponsible of life. I think that in any situation we didn’t must capitulate. Old Behrman sacrifice of his life save life of young Johnsy. On the change old life come young life, but I don’t think that it deserved this sacrifice. I think, Johnsy must fight for her life, but don’t capitulate so quickly.

The language in this text is very rich. Story begins with the description of district west of Washington square. The author used metaphora: “In a little district west of Washington square the street have run crazy and broken themselves into small strips called “places”. These “places” make strange angles and curves.” Impersonation: “ In November a cold, unseen stranger, whom the doctors called Pneumonia, stalked about the colony, touching one here and there with his icy fingers. Over on the east side this ravager strode boldly, smiting his victims by scores, but his feet trod slowly through the maze of the narrow and moss-grown "places." Mr. Pneumonia was not what you would call a chivalric old gentleman. “

Antonomasia – Mr. Pneumonia.

Metaforic epitet: red-fisted, short-breathed old duffer.

Author shows hopeless of situation across this phrases: blank side of the next brick house; There was only a bare, dreary yard to be seen, and the blank side of the brick house twenty feet away; asked Johnsy, coldly; lying white and still as a fallen statue; A persistent, cold rain was falling, mingled with snow; with dull, wide-open eyes; Wearily Sue obeyed; while the rain still beat against the windows.

Also, author used color. “Behrman in his old blue skirt”. Author used “old blue” that show us old age, in low spirits, hopeless, Behrman was a failure in art; but in end the story author used phase: “a very blue and very useless woolen shoulder scarf”, as a symbol of revival.

O. Henry was a master of satira. In this story, he also used the satira. For example “He was past sixty and had a Michael Angelo's Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp. Behrman was a failure in art. Forty years he had wielded the brush without getting near enough to touch the hem of his Mistress's robe. He had been always about to paint a masterpiece, but had never yet begun it. He drank gin to excess, and still talked of his coming masterpiece. For the rest he

was a fierce little old man, who scoffed terribly at softness in any one, and who regarded himself as especial mastiff-in-waiting to protect the two young artists in the studio above.

At the end of the story the author draws the conclusion that Behrman in spite of his primitiveness, limitation, alcoholism, painted his great masterpiece, whom save of life young Johnsy.