1-“This way people have of lining up on the side of the undertaker makes………..a man for instance.”
Answer a. The first speaker in the given extract is “doctor”. The doctor was skeptical about his curative powers because he felt it is very difficult to treat sinking patients who have lost all hopes of survival.
Question b. Who is the ‘little lady’ referred to in the extract? What is she suffering from?
Answer b.The little lady is referred to Johnsy. Johnsy was suffering from pneumonia that was an epidemic in the country.
Question c. What chances does this’ little lady; have of recovering? Why?
Answer c.According to the doctor, the chances of survival for Johnsy were very slim. She was not only suffering from deadly pneumonia but was also hovering around the borderline of pessimism.
Question d. What does Sue reply to the first speaker’s last question in the extract? What does this tell us about her attitude towards men?
Answer d.Sue was taken aback when the doctor mentioned that maybe a love angle enjoins life ignites the hopes of survival. Sue and Johnsy being fast friends had never harboured any thoughts regarding a love relationship in their life.
Question e. -What does the ‘little lady’ actually have on her mind?
Answer e.The little lady had lost all hopes of survival and quite inadvertently surrender herself into the wish cycle of them.
Question f. What does the first speaker assure Sue before he leaves?
Answer f.The doctor assures Sue that the survival of Johnsy is only possible if she can come out of the relationship in which she is courting death.
2-“Johnsy’s eyes were open wide…….What was there to count?”
Answer a. Johnsy and Sue are two young artists, Who share an apartment. They first met six months ago at a group table in a restaurant on a street, Delmonico in New York City.
Question b. What made the two girls start a joint studio?
Answer b.The two girl’s common tastes and interest in art, chicory salad and bishop sleeves made them start their own studio.
Question c. What was Johnsy looking at outside the window? What was she counting?
Answer c. Johnsy was looking outside the window to watch the leaves falling from an ivy vine on the wall of the opposite brick house. She was counting the number of leaves falling from the tree.
Question d. What had Sue been doing a little before?
Answer d.Sue was sketching a pair of elegant horseshow riding trousers and a monocole of the figure of the hero, Idaho Cowboy.
Question e. What strange fancy had Johnsy taken?
Answer e.Johnsy had taken a strange fancy of the falling of ivy vine leaves. She believed that with the fall of the last ivy vine leaf her life too would vome to an end.
Question e. What does Sue tell Johnsy about the doctor’s opinion regarding the chances of her recovery?Why does she lie?
Answer e.Sue told Johnsy that her chances of recovery were ten to one. Sue told a lie to Johnsy as she wanted the traces of survival within Johnsy.
3-I’m tired of waiting. I’m tired of thinking…….I come back.”
Question a. Who is the first speaker here?What is she waiting for?
Answer a. The first speaker is ‘Johnsy’. She is waiting for the last leaf to fall from the vine and also her impending death.
Question b. What does the first speaker tell Sue to do a little while before?
Answer b. Johnsy told Sue to tell her when the last leaf will from ivy vine because she was anxious about that leaf. c-Who is Behrman? Describe his physical appearance.
Question c. Who is Behrman? Describe his physical appearance.
Answer c. Behrman is a painter by profession, who lives in the apartment beneath Sue and Johnsy. Behrman was an old man with a beard that looked like the beard of moses.His beard curled down from his head and his body was like a little man.
Question d. Was Behrman considered a success? Why?
Answer d.No, Mr.Behrman could not be considered for professional success because, in the last forty years of his career, he has not painted anything extraordinary.
Question e. How did Behrman earn his living? What do you think helped him in doing it?
Answer e. Behrman used to earn his living by serving as a model to those young artists who could not afford it.
Question f. What was Behrman’s attitude towards Sue and Johnsy?
Answer f.Behrman’s attitude towards Sue and JOhnsy was fraternal affection, for he was a striving artist like the two girls.
4-“No, I will not dose as a model for your fool hermit-dunderhead………old-old flibbertigibbet.”
Question a. What was Mr.Behrman’s first reaction when he heard about Johnsy’s strange fancy?
Answer a. When Behrman came to know about Johnsy’s strange fancy concerning the last leaf, he became quite angry and expressed his contempt and derision for such an idiotic imagination.
Question b. Why does Behrman refuse to pose as a model for Sue in the beginning?
Answer b.Behrman refused to pose as a model for Sue in the beginning because he was angry with Sue for allowing Johnsy to harbor on such a strange fancy concerning the last leaf and her own death.
Question c. What strange fancies has the fever filled Johnsy’s mind with?
Answer c.The strange fancy which has filled Johnsy’s mind was that she would die the very moment the last ivy vine leaf would fall.
Question d. Does Mr. Behrman pose for Sue? What does this tell us about him?
Answer d.Yes, Mr. Behrman after refusing initially agreed to pose as a model for Sue. Behrman did it because he had a fatherly affection for Sue and Johnsy and was concerned for their well being.
Question e. Give the meaning of: 1-morbid.2-flibbertigibbet
Answer e.1:Gruesome 2:A frivolous and silly person.
5-“It is the last one,”said Johnsy .I thought it would surely fall……….What would I do?”
Question a. What does ‘It’ refer to in the extract? What role does It play in the story?
Answer a. ‘It’ refers to the last leaf on the ivy vine in the given extract. The leaf plays an important role in the story regarding the strange fancy of Johnsy. The fancy was that with the falling of the last ivy vine leaf She would also embrace her death.
Question b. Why was Johnsy so sure that ‘it would fall during the night’ ?
Answer b.Johnsy was sure that the last leaf would fall during the night because she had been continuously sitting near her window and watching the leaves falling from the vine.
Question c. What does Johnsy’s thinking tell us about her attitude towards life?
Answer c.Johnsy’s strange thought regarding the falling of the leaves of the ivy vine and her own life suggests that Johnsy had a pessimistic view of life and harboured negative thoughts.
Question d. What do you think of Sue’s relationship with Johnsy from her dialogue?
Answer d.Sue’s dialogue in the extract tells us that she has developed a strong bond of friendship with Johnsy. She is concerned about her welfare. Sue indirectly hints at not being able to bear the loss of losing Johnsy.
Question e. What did Sue do to keep up Johnsy’s thinking and change her attitude towards life?
Answer e. Sue tried to change Johnsy’s pessimistic attitude towards life by diverting her mind into the stuff around her. She conversed with her about stuff like clothing, fashions and art.
6-“I have something to tell you, white mouse,……..on such a dreadful night.”
Answer a. In the given extract ‘Sue’ is the speaker. Sue is in conversation with Johnsy who is suffering from pneumonia and psychological fancy.
Question b. Why do you think the speaker addresses the listener as ‘white mouse’?
Answer b.The speaker addressed the listener as ‘white mouse’ because Johnsy had recovered from her illness and regained her health.
Question c. Who is Mr.Behrman? How does the speaker get to know about his death?
Answer c.Mr.Behrman was an old artist who used to live in the apartment beneath Sue and Johnsy. Sue got the news of the death of Behrman from the doctor who had come to examine Johnsy.
Question d. Where had Mr.Behrman been on such a ‘dreadful night’?
Answer d.Mr.Behrman was out in the heavy rainfall at night with a ladder across the brick wall where the ivy vine used to stand. He went there in order to paint the leaf on the wall.
Question e. What were the other things found on the morning of the first day of Mr.Behrman’s illness?
Answer e.The things found on the morning of the first day of Mr.behrman’s illness included lighted lantern. a ladder, some scattered brushes, and a palette with green and yellow colors.
Question f. How does Mr.Behrman’s sacrifice help in saving Johnsy’s life?
Answer f.Mr.Behrman risked his own life by going out in the pouring rain and painting the ivy vine on the wall after the original leaf has fallen. When Johnsy saw the last leaf still on the vine she regained the will to live again. But Mr.Behrman got wet in the rain and came under the captivity of Pneumonia that ultimately led to his sad death.
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