MODULE 6: LESSON 1 THE LAST LEAF BY O’ HENRY
Task 5: DIGGING THE CIRCUMSTANCES
Answer the following questions:
Comprehension Questions
1. What is Johnsy’s illness?
2. What is the cause of her illness?
3. What do you think made Johnsy consider that her
possible death would be simultaneous with the
last leaf to fall? What is its connection with her
illness?
4. What help Johnsy recover from her illness? Do
you think it is psychological in nature? Why?
5. To whom does Johnsy’s analogy of the death of
the vine happen? Is it really connected to how
people endure life and face the most difficult
challenge of one’s surpassing death? Explain.
6. How does Mr. Behrman emphasize the connection
of Johnsy’s faith to be healed with the vine’s
ability to hold the leaf (based on Johnsy’s point of
view)?
GROUP NAME:
LEADER:
SECRETARY:
MEMBERS:
Answer
Pneumonia
The cause of Johnsy’s illness is caused by the epidemic of
pneumonia in Greenwhich Village in New York City. It is
a lung diseased caused by infection of both lungs. It is
characterized by coughing, chills, chest pain, fever,
nausea, and in extreme cases coughing of blood.
Johnsy was very pessimistic person. She was dying from
pneumonia and she saw a vine outside her window. The
vine kept losing its leaves everyday and Johnsy compares
her life to the life of the vine. She kept on thinking that as
she grows weaker day by day, the, she will probably die
when the last leaf of the vine falls.
Johnsy consider her possible death would be simultaneous
with the last leaf to fall because just like our life, tree
grows and need a support. When the leaves started to fall,
it means the body of the vine is weak. Just like her illness,
it made her weak.
Johnsy was very sick and living was difficult despite the
sickness however she is a fighter. Her willingness to live
made her recover from her illness. Therefore, the way she
recovered from her illness is psychological in nature
because it comes from within, from her will to live and not
from medecines created by science.
Behrman’s painting rekindled the willingness to survive in
Johnsy’s heart and she was able to recover from her
illness.
Johnsy’s analogy of the death of the vine happened to Mr.
Behrman. Johnsy had rested her faith on the last leaf of the
vine. She wants to die when the last leaf of that vine falls
down however, it was Mr. Behrman who died due to
pneumonia. Mr. Behrman painted a leaf outside Johnsy’s
room to keep her hoping and wanting to live sacrificing
his own life. Yes, it is connected because someone’s
personal will is stronger than any other medication.
Mr. Behrman believes that Johnsy’s faith to be healed
relying on the vine’s ability to hold to the leaf is very
weak. In order to strengthen Johnsy’s faith, on the night of
the storm, he painted the same leaf and attached it to the
vine so it won’t fall.
 Johnsy has a choice of living or
succumbing to her sickness.
She was just very pessimistic and
she equates her life on the life of
the vine.
Johnsy has a choice of fighting
back against her sickness and
living life or wallow in depression
and give up on life.
They are both on
the verge of dying The vine has no choice on the
and that they are length of its life whether it will
fighting the continue to live or die. It is
hardest battle that subject/dependent on the
they could ever elemental factors it encounters
have in their lives. outside.
She is fighting for
pneumonia and The vine has to face the harsh
the vine for the weather conditions that are
rage of the storm. beyond its control.
 EULOGY SPEECH RUBRIC
Name: __________________________________________________
Speech Grade:
Grade & Section: _________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________
Time: ______________

Speech Requirements:
EULOGY: (50 pts.)
Relate to the audience the significant meaning in that person’s life
 Choose between biographical or a topical approach:
 Topical- you focus on personal qualities or achievements from which the audience can gain
inspiration or understanding
 Bio- whole life recap
 Focus on great sensitivity and care
Non-Verbal Delivery (25 pts.) Verbal Delivery (25 pts.)
___________ Eye Contact (7 pts.) ___________ Articulation (5 pts.)
___________ Gestures (7 pts.) ___________ Paralingusitic (volume, rate, pitch, pause, framing,
intensity, and emphasis. Communicating, not just
___________ Facial Expressions (5 pts.) giving data orally.)
___________ Posture/Stance (3 pts.) ___________ Verbal Pauses (10 pts.)
___________ Movement (3 pts.) Total: 50 pts.

EULOGY SPEECH RUBRIC

Name: __________________________________________________
Speech Grade:
Grade & Section: _________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________
Time: ______________

Speech Requirements:
EULOGY: (50 pts.)
Relate to the audience the significant meaning in that person’s life
 Choose between biographical or a topical approach:
 Topical- you focus on personal qualities or achievements from which the audience can gain
inspiration or understanding
 Bio- whole life recap
  Focus on great sensitivity and care
Non-Verbal Delivery (25 pts.)
___________ Eye Contact (7 pts.)
___________ Gestures (7 pts.)
___________ Facial Expressions (5 pts.)
___________ Posture/Stance (3 pts.)
___________ Movement (3 pts.)
Verbal Delivery (25 pts.)
___________ Articulation (5 pts.)
___________ Paralingusitic (volume, rate, pitch, pause, framing,
intensity, and emphasis. Communicating, not just
giving data orally.)
___________ Verbal Pauses (10 pts.)
Total: 50 pts.