A holistic analysis of O’Henry’s story “The Last Leaf.” Critical analysis of O'Henry's short story "The Last Leaf" Philosophical idea of the short story the last leaf

A comprehensive analysis of O. Henry’s short story “The Last Leaf.” Elective course. 10th grade.
Kulichikhina I. M., teacher

Russian language and literature

Municipal educational institution "Gymnasium No. 58", Saratov
Lesson topic: “What is a real masterpiece?».

Lesson type: lesson on repeating previously covered material, systematizing and generalizing knowledge, consolidating skills.

Technology: business game.

Equipment: multimedia, interactive whiteboard.

Objective of the lesson:

carry out comprehensive analysis short stories by O. Henry “The Last Leaf”;
continue to work on the development of students’ cross-curricular competencies;
continue to form their positive and professional attitude towards art, including verbal art.

Tasks:

review theoretical concepts such as epic kind literature, short story genre, composition, artistic image, means of expression: epithets, metaphors, comparisons, personification and others;

create conditions for creative group research (including comparative) work with the text of the novel;
show students the commonality of cross-cutting themes in foreign and Russian literature;
continue to develop students' research and communication skills;
continue to cultivate the reading taste of students and their aesthetic development.

Preliminary homework for the lesson:

A message on the life and work of O. Henry, designed as a presentation (individually).
Prepare an expressive reading of the poem “The Last Leaf” and select a musical setting for it (individually).
Read the article by B.M. Eikhenbaum “O. Henry and the theory of the short story”, write out theses that confirm that “The Last Leaf” is a short story (individually).
Re-read O. Henry's short story “The Last Leaf”, think with which ones famous works Russian literature can be compared.

Progress of the lesson.

Organizational moment. Before the bell rings, students are divided into four groups using multi-colored tokens and sit at tables with flags of these colors.
Creating an emotional background. Against the background of music (for example, a Schubert serenade), the photograph “The Last Leaf” appears on the screen, and the student reads a poem.

LAST LEAF.

Yellowed clothes from the trees

The autumn wind howled mercilessly.
The last leaf... The last leaf of hope
A sudden squall tore down a nearby ivy tree.

But the hapless old artist

That night I created the only masterpiece,
IN last time palette on tripod
He delivered, signing his death warrant.

Then his palette became a widow.

But his young life was saved...
He wrote a short story for us about this incident.
O. Henry is the greatest short story writer.
3. Setting lesson goals and objectives for students.

Teacher: Today we will return to the wonderful short story “The Last Leaf” American writer O. Henry, which we studied in the 7th grade, and let’s try to read it in a new way, as literary scholars, as researchers of the writer’s work. But first, a few words about the author himself. During the presentation, try to write down a short biographical table and features artistic skill O. Henry.

4. Student message. O. Henry. Biographical information. (Fashioned as a presentation and projected onto the board.)

Biography

William Sidney Porter is bornSeptember 11 1862. in the city Greensboro , stateNorth Carolina . At the age of three, he lost his mother, who died of tuberculosis. Later he came under the care of his paternal aunt. After school, I studied to become a pharmacist and worked in a pharmacy. Then he worked as a cashier-accountant in a bank in Texas city Austin. He was accused of embezzlement and hid from law enforcement officers for six months Honduras, then in South America. Upon returning to the United States, he was convicted and sent to Columbus State Prison. Ohio, where he spent three years ( 1898 -1901 ).

In prison, Porter worked in the infirmary and wrote stories, looking for a pseudonym. In the end, I decided on the version of O. Henry (often incorrectly spelled like the Irish surname O'Henry - O'Henry). His first story under this pseudonym was “Dick the Whistler’s Christmas Gift,” published in 1899 in McClure's Magazine, he wrote in prison.

O. Henry's first book of stories, Cabbages and Kings, was published in 1904 . She was followed by: “The four million” (The four million, 1906 ), “The trimmed lamp”, 1907 ), “Heart of the West” (Heart of the West, 1907 ), “The Voice of the City”, 1908 ), "The Gentle Grafter" 1908 ), "Roads of Destiny" 1909 ), “Favorites” (Options, 1909 ), “Strictly Business”, 1910 ) and "Whirlliggs" 1910 ).

At the end of his life he suffered from liver cirrhosis And diabetes. The writer died June 5 1910 in New York.

The collection “Postscripts”, published after the death of O. Henry, included feuilletons, sketches and humorous notes he wrote for the Post newspaper (Houston, Texas, 1895 -1896 ). In total, O. Henry wrote 273 stories, full meeting his works comprise 18 volumes.

O. Henry occupiesAmerican literature exceptional place as a master of the genre " short story» (short story). Before his death, O. Henry expressed his intention to move on to a more complex genre - to novel(“everything I’ve written so far is just pampering, a test of the pen, compared to what I’ll write in a year”).

In his work, however, these sentiments were not manifested in any way, and O. Henry remained an organic artist of the “small” genre, story. It is no coincidence, of course, that during this period the writer first began to be interested in social problems and revealed his negative attitude towards bourgeois society (Jennings “Through the Darkness with O. Henry”).

O. Henry's heroes are diverse: millionaires, cowboys, speculators, clerks, laundresses, bandits, financiers, politicians, writers, artists, artists, workers, engineers, firefighters- replace each other. A skillful plot designer, O. Henry does not show the psychological side of what is happening; the actions of his characters do not receive deep psychological motivation, which further enhances the surprise of the ending.

Eight years after his death, in memory of the writer, a O. Henry Award, which is issued every year.

5. Tasks are given to groups(all tasks are given to students on cards to save time). Work in groups (No more than 10 minutes). During the discussion, the teacher moves from group to group and bounces ideas off students as needed.

The assignment that students receive	Approximate discussion circle
Group 1 task (working with an interactive whiteboard): determine the type and genre of the work, indicate its characteristic features genre features, as well as composition. (method of working with an interactive whiteboard: from the “basement”, where theoretical concepts are collected in disarray, move to the top those that relate to this work).	The genus is epic, based on an event: the creation of a masterpiece by the artist Berman that saved the life of a young girl. Genre - short story: short form, several pages of text, laconicism, one plot point - the illness of a girl (Jonesy), her fatalism and miraculous recovery. It is based on the heroine’s double “mistake”: she first connects her life and death with the last ivy leaf, then does not notice that last sheet– the creation of an artist’s brush, not nature. Plot punch at the end: Jonesy learns that Berman saved her and the price he paid for creating the masterpiece. The figure of the “loser” artist who created his masterpiece is illuminated in a new way. The composition is laconic: the exposition is a description of the artists’ colony, the meeting of two girls, their decision to live together. The plot begins when Jonesy falls ill. The climax comes at the moment when Jonesy's strength is running out, and the last leaf remains on the branches, and Bremen secretly creates his saving masterpiece on a cold night. The denouement is the heroine’s recovery and the resolution of the mistake: the handicraft of the last sheet, the greatness of the artist’s masterpiece.
Group 2 task: analyze how the artist describes the setting of the short story, what can be said about the general coloring of the work. Remember in which works of Russian literature you can find a similar description of the city. Which artistic technique the author uses when talking about pneumonia.	Describing the “colony” of settlers and free artists, O. Henry conveys the sad flavor of the poor quarters of Washington Square; the interior can be considered philosophical: “the streets are confused and broken,” as are the fates of the heroes. “One street even crosses itself twice,” like the old failed artist Berman, dreaming of a masterpiece, paints signs for his daily bread. Jonesy and Sue's studio window faces the "blank wall of a neighboring brick house", which may symbolize a dead end life path Jonesy: after all, she, just as hopelessly as Berman, dreams of writing the Bay of Naples. Speaking about a terrible disease, pneumonia, the author uses the technique of personification, personification. It is no coincidence that this word is written in a story with capital letters. The metaphors “unfriendly stranger”, “murderer” and adverbial phrases, including epithets: “walking invisibly”, “touching first one, then the other with his icy fingers” - create a terrible image of death. O. Henry's heroes live in a killer city that destroys their dreams and their lives. A special place in the short story is occupied by the description of ivy: “An old, old ivy with a gnarled trunk, rotten at the roots, wove half of the brick wall. The cold breath of autumn tore the leaves from the vines, and the bare skeletons of the branches clung to the crumbling bricks.” It also has symbolic meaning ivy is the “vine of life” from which the metaphorical and personified image of autumn plucks the last leaves. Nature itself seems to bring death to those who live in these poor neighborhoods. Creative method O. Henry can be compared with a similar description of the killer city in the works of N.V. Gogol (“Petersburg Tales”) and F.M. Dostoevsky (“Crime and Punishment”).
Group 3 task: describe figurative system and the composition of the novella. What literary type can her heroes be classified as? How does the writer reveal their inner world? Is it possible to draw analogies with Russian literature?	The system of images of the novel can be divided into two groups: the first is the artist Berman, Jonesy, Sue, the doctor - circle characters small, which is determined by the genre of the work; second – symbolic images Pneumonia, autumn, old ivy. There is no background on the girls, the author only states that one came from California, the other from Maine. Sue and Jonesy “met at the table d'hôte of a restaurant... and found that their views on art, endive salad and fashionable sleeves were quite the same. As a result, a common studio arose.” But with the studio comes friendship. Young, talented, they support each other. How carefully Sue looks after her friend during her illness, when she counts the leaves on the old ivy and assures herself that she will die when the last leaf falls. O. Henry very accurately conveys the heroine’s state: “Johnsy, pale and motionless, like a fallen statue” cannot fight for her life. Her monologue is full of despair: “I’m tired of waiting. I'm tired of thinking (retardation). I want to free myself from everything that holds me - to fly, fly lower and lower, like one of these poor, tired leaves.” Another character is a doctor. With a few strokes, the author paints a portrait of the old doctor: “the concerned doctor with one movement of his shaggy eyebrows called Sue into the corridor.” He knows the life and strength of the human body: “Our entire pharmacopoeia becomes meaningless when people begin to act in the interests of the undertaker.” But the medical theme does not exhaust the image of the doctor: his reaction to Sue’s words about Jonesy’s dream is important: “She... she wanted to paint the Bay of Naples with paints.” “Nonsense,” said the doctor. He admits that you can live for love and even for fashion, but does not understand that you can live for art. At the pre-climax of the story, the author introduces the image of the artist Berman. If portrait characteristic Sue is not mentioned at all, and about Jonesy it is only said that she is “a miniature girl, anemic from California zephyrs, while Berman’s portrait description is more detailed: “He was already over sixty, and his beard, all in curls, like Michelangelo’s, hung down from the head of a satyr to the body of a dwarf." Michelangelo-satyr-gnome - this series, of course, is not accidental: everything about this hero is contradictory. He dreams of a masterpiece, but in his closet for 25 years there has been “an untouched canvas, ready to receive the first touches,” which the artist still does not dare to apply. He, “an angry old man who scoffed at all sentimentality,” still looked at himself “as a watchdog specially assigned to guard two young artists.” Such completeness of Berman’s image allows us to conclude that it was he main character short stories. He grumbles and does not accept Jonesy's sad fantasies, but at the cost of his life he saves her, creating his masterpiece. The grave cold retreated from Jonesy, but took the old artist into its arms. The motif of cold continues in the description of Berman’s closet after his death, “his shoes and all his clothes were wet through and were cold as ice.” We can conclude that the heroes of the novel are little people who support each other in trouble. O. Henry does not have the psychologism of Pushkin and Dostoevsky, but to some extent his heroes can be compared with Samson Vyrin, and Makar Devushkin, and with Varenka.
Group 4 assignment: determine the main theme and idea of the novel. What is a masterpiece in your understanding and can Berman’s “last leaf” be called a masterpiece? In which work of Russian literature does the theme of art and its purpose arise most fully?	In a short story, O. Henry touched on several topics: he gives a sketch of the life of “little” people of art, poor and humble; shows a heroine who has given herself over to a painful, fatal fantasy, talks about the meaning of life (love, art and even “fashionable sleeves”) and that a person should hope, should have a dream, like Berman, like Jonesy, but main topic associated with art and its influence on human life. The idea of the work is to show the saving power of art. The short story ends with Sue's words to Jonesy: “Look out the window, dear, weren't you surprised that he doesn't tremble or move in the wind? Yes, honey, this is Berman’s masterpiece - he wrote it the night the last leaf fell.” Art is the ability of man, imitating nature, to create beauty. And even if Berman created his painting not on canvas, but on a brick wall, even if his whole life was only preparation for the creation of this masterpiece - the price is justified, because a young life was saved. One of the works of Russian literature in which the question of the purpose of art is the main one is “Portrait” by N.V. Gogol, the main character, an old artist, dying, bequeathed to his son to remember that for an artist there is nothing low, since the very mission of art is to elevate and cleanse.

Creative polylogue. Students present the results of their research. 5 minutes for each group. 20 minutes total. During the group’s performance, the children ask questions to each other, and the teacher, if necessary, specifies the children’s conclusions.
Summing up the lesson.

Teacher: the topic of our lesson is “What is a real masterpiece?”, we examined O. Henry’s short story in detail, we understood what the writer called a masterpiece. But this is how the work itself can be called. Isn't it? (Students' opinions are heard). At home, please re-read the short story “The Gifts of the Magi.” By the way, there is a wonderful Russian modern film “New Year's Romance”, created based on these two short stories by O. Henry. I have a disk. Who would like to watch? You can stay after class today or take the disc home. (A kind of reflection - which of the schoolchildren were affected by the work of O. Henry.)

Summary of a literature lesson in 6th grade.

Topic: The Last Leaf of Hope (O. Henry “The Last Leaf”).

Goals:

1. Educational: introduce children to the life and work of O. Henry.

2. Developmental: consolidate the ability to express your point of view on an event in the text.

3. Educators:

a) expand your general horizons;

b) instill interest in foreign literature;

c) vaccinate moral concepts about true friendship, hope;

D) reveal the purpose of art.

Tasks:

1. broaden the horizons of students, introduce them to representatives of American literature;

2. instill a love of art;

3. cultivate feelings of goodness.

Lesson type: synthetic

Lesson on the biography of a writer;

lesson of in-depth work on the text.

Method:- heuristic method

reproductive method
Techniques:

The teacher's word about the life and work of the writer

Commented reading

statement of a problem arising from the read work
heuristic conversation

Equipment: projector, computer.

Board design:

Fifth of March

The last leaf of hope

“It doubles joy and halves grief”

F. Bacon.

Lesson plan:

Organizational moment - 1 min.
Opening remarks teachers - 3 min.
The teacher's word about biography and creative path writer - 10 min.
Teacher's word about the features of creativity - 4 min.
Conversation about the relationship between goodness and art – 5 min.
Working with the class. Analysis of the work - 15 min.
Listening to a musical composition based on the novel – 4 min.
Summing up. Homework. - 3 min.

Total: 45 minutes

Lesson progress:

1. Organizational moment.

Teacher: Good morning, let's sit down. Let's get ready and get ready to go to work.

2. Introductory speech by the teacher.

Teacher: Guys, in the last lesson we got acquainted with A. Green’s story “14 Feet”. We looked at how it is revealed human character in a borderline, extreme situation. We came to the conclusion that a person has high and low thoughts, that a person’s character is complex, but people learn from mistakes. Using the example of the image of Kist, we saw that a person is capable of becoming better, cleaner in his soul. We said that “literature is the study of humanity,” it is all about him, about his inner world, character, about his life values.

Today we will continue to study this topic using the example of O. Henry’s short story “The Last Leaf.” Before moving on to the short story, let's get acquainted with the life and work, the unique fate of this man.

3. A word from the teacher about the biography and creative path of the writer.

Teacher:

Who do you think people erect monuments to?
- Why do people receive such an honor?
- Why, in your opinion, can a monument to a book be erected?
And it was this honor that was awarded to the work of the writer O. Henry. His stone book 2 meters high stands open in the USA in the city of Greensboro.

Let's get acquainted with the biography of this amazing writer.
Real name O. Henry William Sidney Porter (1862-1910). He is the author of more than 280 stories, Novell was born in Greensboro, USA, on September 11, 1862.
At school, O. Henry stood out for his sharp mind, rich imagination and ability to draw with one hand and simultaneously solve arithmetic problems with the other. After school, the young man began working in his uncle's pharmacy, but at the age of 19 he developed a cough similar to tuberculosis, and a family friend suggested that William go to work on a ranch in Texas, a state with a dry and hot climate. The ranch owner had a rich library, the young cowboy read a lot and began to write stories himself, however, he did not try to offer them to anyone and soon destroyed them. But two years later, William went to the large city of Austin, according to the concepts of that time.
Here he changed several professions. He worked in a cigar shop, in a real estate company, learned to play the guitar and sang in a quartet, which was eagerly invited to picnics and weddings. He published humorous drawings in magazines that brought neither money nor fame.
After getting married, W. Porter decided to settle down and went to work as a cashier at the First National Bank of Austin. When the embezzlement was discovered, Porter was charged with theft. All his friends and colleagues swore that the young cashier could not have embezzled money from investors, and the court cleared Porter of all charges. Nevertheless, William left the bank, went to Houston and began working for a local newspaper as an artist and columnist. However, the auditors began to dig deeper and discovered a great disorder and shortage in the bank books - this time of $4,703.
In January 1897 he was arrested. While Porter was awaiting trial, important changes occurred in his life. My wife, who had been ill for a long time, died. The wife's parents took the daughter in with them. One of the American magazines accepted his story from the life of cowboys for publication and asked for more, but the author had no time for the pen. At the trial he behaved indifferently and on April 25, 1898, the aspiring writer was sent to prison for five years.
Here he worked, remembering his youth, in the prison pharmacy. When it was discovered that a certain amount of pharmaceutical alcohol was missing and the pharmacist was suspected, he flared up: “I’m not a thief! I’ve never stolen a single cent in my life! I was accused of embezzlement, but I’m sitting for someone else who pocketed this money!”

Sitting with Porter was 20-year-old safecracker Dick Price. He did a good deed - he saved the little daughter of a rich businessman from a slammed safe. Price opened the top-secret lock in 12 seconds. They promised him a pardon, but they deceived him. Based on this plot, Porter composed his first story - about the burglar Jimmy Valentine, who saved his fiancee's niece from a fireproof cabinet. The story, unlike Dick Price's, had a happy ending.

The story was not immediately accepted for publication. The next three were published under a pseudonym.

While in prison, Porter was ashamed to publish under his own name. In a pharmacy directory, he came across the name of the then famous French pharmacist O. Henri. It is her in the same transcription, but in English pronunciation– O. Henry – the writer chose his pseudonym for the rest of his life.
The pharmacy did not take up much time, and Porter continued to write stories, sending them out through the sister of one of his cellmates. He began to sign his writings with the name “O. Henry.”
For impeccable behavior, the prisoner was released not after five years, but after three years and three months. Coming out of the prison gates, he uttered a phrase that has been quoted for a good century: “Prisons could provide a certain service to society if society chose who to put there.”

The stories he wrote in prison were in great demand in magazines, and publishers sent him money so he could get to New York.
4. The teacher's word about the features of creativity.

In 2 years, O. Henry wrote 130 works. He drew subjects for his works from life. The bottom of the American metropolis became his inspiration. O. Henry often spent whole days in dubious drinking establishments, drawing stories from the stories of fellow regulars.
O. Henry's heroes are a thief, a tramp, a cowboy, a doctor, a sailor, a worker, a shopkeeper, a planter, a saleswoman, an actor, an artist, a lawyer.

I worked like crazy, I couldn’t stand this pace and healthy person, the writer’s health was undermined.

He avoided the company of his literary brethren, sought solitude, shunned social gatherings, and did not give interviews. He wandered around New York for several days without any apparent goal, then locked the door of his room and wrote.

O. Henry spent the last weeks of his life alone in a squalid hotel room. He became ill, drank a lot, and could no longer work. At the 48th year of his life in a New York hospital, he passed into another world. O. Henry wrote about the great power of good and taught people to do good. And he was not unfounded; using his personal example, he proved the main ideas of his works. Despite the impressive fees for his works, he never made a fortune, because he gave all his money to the poor and needy, he sacrificed himself for the good of others.

5. Conversation about the relationship between goodness and art.

Guys, each of us comes into this world with a special mission and purpose. And in order not to stray from the true path onto the false path, art helps you and me: it teaches us to see the beautiful and beautiful, first of all, in the soul, it teaches us to create and appreciate goodness. Can we put an equal sign between goodness and art? Why?
- What types of art do you know?

Can we call everything that is drawn and sung art? Why?

To understand this, we need to understand the purpose of art, its main goal, for this we turn to our story.

6. Working with the class. Analysis of the work.

6.1. Image of Jonesy, Sue. True friendship.

What, according to the doctor, could have killed Jonesy, besides her illness? Explain the meaning of the doctor's phrase to Sue: “If you can get her to ask even once what style of sleeves they will wear this winter, I guarantee you that she will have a one in five chance instead of a one in ten.”

(The most important thing, the doctor believes, is not even a medicine, but the will to live. If the patient thinks that he will inevitably die if he does not resist the disease, he will have a “one in ten chance.” If you manage to interest the patient in at least something related to life, even in the style of sleeves, this is already good: this means that subconsciously the person is making plans for the future, hoping. To dream about the future means to hope for something, to strive for something. The person who remembers the past is old at heart, but the one who dreams has everything ahead)

Prove that Sue and Jonesy were true friends. What did Sue do for her friend? Pay attention to the phrase: “Think about me if you don’t want to, if you don’t want to think about yourself! What will happen to me?

(Each of our actions is connected with invisible threads to the lives of other people. Sue worked for her friend, fed her, looked after her, even lied for the sake of her recovery (“But just this morning the doctor told me that you will get well soon ... that you have 10 chances against one.").

No one is alone, not a single person in the world. There will definitely be people who are ready to help us at any moment, and it is very important to be able to see such people around you and give them the opportunity to help you in trouble. What did Sue want to prove to her friend with her actions?

(She wanted to prove to Jonesy, who was thinking only about her illness and imminent death, that she really needed her, that the girl had no right to succumb to trouble, at least for Sue’s sake).

Yes, in difficult moments you should not isolate yourself in your grief. pay attention to the epigraph to our lesson “It doubles joy, and halves grief”, what do you think we are talking about, what kind of human relationships?

- What thought did Johnsy put into her head? Why is the view of the last leaf,

holding on to a branch, revived the desire to live in the girl’s soul? Prove that Jonesy repented of her weakness and asked her friend for forgiveness.

(Liszt, who fought so hard for his life, instilled in Johnsy a feeling of shame for

your weakness:

“I was a bad girl, Sudie,” Johnsy said. - This must be the last one

the leaf remained on the branch to show me how disgusting I was. It's a sin to wish

yourself to death. Now you can give me a little broth and then milk. Although not:

bring me a mirror first, and then cover me with pillows, and I will sit and

watch you cook.

An hour later she said:

Sudie, I hope to paint the Bay of Naples someday."

Living only for yourself is death (spiritual), and if you live for another, then life is filled with meaning. Do you think we can call girls' friendship truly strong? What needs to be done for this to be so, what is the author leading us to?

(You can’t be selfish, think only about yourself, you need to help each other in trouble, goodness will not go unnoticed. The meaning of our life is to do good, to do good for others, then it will inevitably come back to you again. And only in this case will life not be in vain , it will not be empty, but, on the contrary, bright and bringing happiness. true friendship- support in difficult times).

- Pay attention to the epigraph to our lesson, great philosopher F. Bacon said: “It doubles joy, and halves grief.” What do you think this is about?

- What other sayings about friendship do you know?

Berman's image.

What can you tell about the artist Berman, about his life past and present. What was his meaning in life, then the girl’s illness?(write a masterpiece).

What was the meaning of the artist Berman’s action?

(our life should not pass without a trace, the meaning of life is to do good, help others, leave our mark on history, such a mark that later we will remember with respect and admire. This is exactly what Berman did; before, his life was nothing like this, people didn’t care about him. better opinion, but his action (the drawn leaf) proved the opposite; he saved a man’s life by sacrificing his own life. By this act, he proved that he did not live his life in vain, it acquired meaning, that he created what he strived for, that his life did not pass without a trace and aimlessly).

For what purpose did Sue tell Jonesy about the artist's death and his final decision?

(I wanted not only to honor the memory of the artist, but also to strengthen the will to live in my friend: now that she knows what the man did for her, she does not dare to succumb to illness).

- Why does the old man still die? (he achieved the main goal in his life, saving the life of a young girl).

They say that a person is alive as long as he is remembered? Is the old man alive in the hearts of girls?

. The true purpose of art.

Usually called a masterpiece brilliant creation art that has survived centuries, immortalizing the name of its creator. French word chef-d’oeuvre (literally: “head of labor”, “head of creativity”) is translated as “masterpiece”, “exemplary work”, “masterfully executed thing”. Why does neither the author, nor the reader, nor the young heroines of the story doubt that the sheet drawn by Berman on a brick wall is a true masterpiece?

(His drawing saved a man’s life. The artist’s skill created the complete illusion of a living leaf. The artist paid with his own life for the creation of his creation. Therefore, his work, which brings good to man, is considered a masterpiece by the author, readers and heroines of the story. Doing good is the main task of art).

Remember, at the beginning of the lesson we listed the types of art, and look, they all resonate in our souls, make us empathize or worry. We find images in paintings that delight us (take our breath away),(last day of Pompeii)we watch a movie, read a book, we experience the same state in our souls as the hero(mu-mu and Gerasim),architecture that stuns our imagination, dance that makes the heart beat in unison with the wind and music that awakens our senses.

7. Listening to a musical composition based on the novel.

Now let's listen musical composition“The Last Leaf”, written based on the work.

(after listening) What feelings and emotions did you have after listening to the recording?

Results:

What conclusion can we draw after analyzing the work? What are these works about, what did the author want to convey to us?

you need to believe in yourself and not give up.
The author wanted to show us true friendship.
The true purpose of art is to serve people and do good.

Thus, O. Henry's short story is about humanity, compassion, and self-sacrifice. And about art, which should awaken to life, give inspiration, joy and inspiration. These are the lessons of O. Henry, they teach to enjoy sincere human feelings, which can make life in this frantic world happy and meaningful.

8. Homework: memorize K. Simonov’s poem “Wait for me.”

A holistic analysis of O’Henry’s story “The Last Leaf”
O. Henry occupies an exceptional place in American literature as a master of the short-story genre.
The story is epic; the story is based on an event: the creation of a masterpiece by the artist Berman that saved the life of a young girl. Genre - short story: small form, several pages of text, laconicism, one plot point - the illness of a girl (Jonesy), her fatalism and miraculous recovery. It is based on the heroine’s double “mistake”: she first connects her life and death with the last ivy leaf, then does not notice that the last leaf is the creation of an artist’s brush, not nature. Plot punch at the end: Jonesy learns that Berman saved her and the price he paid for creating the masterpiece. The figure of the “loser” artist who created his masterpiece is illuminated in a new way. The composition is laconic and promotes empathy and complicity of readers: the exhibition is a description of the artists’ colony, the meeting of two girls, their decision to live together. The plot begins when Jonesy falls ill. The climax comes at the moment when Jonesy’s strength is running out, and the last leaf remains on the branches, and Bremen secretly creates his saving masterpiece on a cold night. The denouement is the heroine’s recovery and the resolution of the mistake: the handicraft of the last leaf, the greatness of the artist’s masterpiece.
The idea of the work is to show the saving power of art. The short story ends with Sue's words to Jonesy: “Look out the window, dear, weren't you surprised that he doesn't tremble or move in the wind? Yes, honey, this is Berman’s masterpiece - he wrote it on the night when the last leaf fell off.” Art is the ability of man, imitating nature, to create beauty. And even if Berman created his painting not on canvas, but on a brick wall, even if his whole life was only preparation for the creation of this masterpiece - the price is justified, because a young life was saved

The short story “The Last Leaf” develops the theme of human relationships, self-sacrifice, responsibility and, by and large, the meaning of life. The writer does not analyze either the actions or speech of the characters and, being an outside observer and a simple reteller, encourages readers to draw their own conclusions. The text fully reveals “Henry’s system - the dynamism of the plot, the absence detailed descriptions, conciseness of language." A skillful plot designer, O. Henry does not show the psychological side of what is happening; the actions of his characters do not receive deep psychological motivation, which further enhances the surprise of the ending.
With the help of a leisurely narration, the author shows a specific everyday situation (the friendship of two girls, the illness of one of them, a relationship with a neighbor-artist), and the characters do not raise doubts about the reality of their existence.
The author avoids sentimentality, telling how sincere love does impossible things.
In a short story, O. Henry touched on several topics: he gives a sketch of the life of “little” people of art, poor and humble; shows a heroine who has given herself over to a painful, fatal fantasy, talks about the meaning of life (love, art and even “fashionable sleeves”) and that a person should hope, should have a dream, like Berman, like Jonesy, but the main theme is connected with art and its influence on human life.
Another important motif is woven into the fabric of the story: the theme of creativity, the theme of a masterpiece. The old artist painted his masterpiece on the night when the last leaf fell from the branch: but not on the canvas that was waiting for many years, he remained clean. The old man went out into the street on a cold and windy night to draw the very leaf that helped restore the girl’s health and desire to live.
In the text of the novella we observe the development of an external conflict (Jonesy: man - nature, Sudie: man - man, Berman: man - creativity) and an internal conflict (man against himself).
The system of images of the short story can be divided into two groups: the first is the artist Berman, Jonesy, Sue, the doctor - the circle of characters is small, which is determined by the genre...

7th grade literature

Subject: O. Henry "The Last Leaf"

Goals: - introduce students to the biography and story of O. Henry “The Last Leaf”, find out the theme and idea of this work; teach identification author's position;

- develop children’s speech and creative imagination (the ability to think, figure out the ending of a story), intensify interest in the work of O. Henry;

- cultivate attentiveness to other people, empathy, the ability to come to the rescue, wisdom; cultivate interest in literature as an art form.

Lesson type: lesson extracurricular reading; integrated application of knowledge and methods of activity, a lesson using critical thinking methods.

Equipment : interactive whiteboard, presentation on the writer’s biography, text of the story, S. Kopylova’s song “The Last Leaf.”

…Only love holds and moves life.

I. S. Turgenev.

The least good in life is wealth, the most

The big one is wisdom.

G.E. Lessing.

Lesson progress

Organizational stage.

Updating.

Please guess the riddle. Who is this short description about? Member of the jokers' club, humble bank accountant, prisoner number 34627, prison pharmacist, author of 400 short stories and one novel, this man's real name is William Sidney Porter. Who is this man? Who are we talking about?

Today in class we will get acquainted with the biography of this unusual person and let’s analyze his story “The Last Leaf”, let’s think about the theme, the idea of this work and what it makes us think about.

Formation of new concepts and methods of action.

Teacher's word.

He wrote nearly 400 stories and one novel about Henry. The themes of his works are varied. The life of the Texas steppes and ranches, the exotic life of Central America, the life of the provinces in the USA, the world of criminals, the life of the small people of the city of New York. The heroes of his stories are ordinary people, making up the mass of the people. All of the writer’s work is imbued with attention and love for invisible, little people, whose troubles and joys he so vividly and vividly portrayed in his works. O. Henry captivated the reader as a master of the short story genre and managed to take his place among best writers American literature, such as Edgar Poe, Mark Twain, Washington Irving, and others.

2. Checking homework.2 students show theirpresentation about the biography of O. Henry , the rest add what interesting facts they know from the writer’s life.

3. Forecasting stage.So, let’s get acquainted with the story “The Last Leaf” itself. Look at the title of the story, think about what it could be about?(all guesses are written on the board).

Literary theory: the concept of a short story (watch presentation).

4. Reading the first part of the story to the words: “If you can get her to ask even once what style of sleeves will be worn this winter, I guarantee you that she will have a one in five chance instead of a one in ten.”

Conversation:- Who is this story about? Who are the main characters of the work?

- What is unusual about the situation? Who is this Mr. Pneumonia in the story? - What does the doctor think will increase Jonesy's chances of recovery?

- Clarify your assumptions: what do you think the story's problems will be?

5. Second stop. Reading to words:“This is the last one,” Jonesy said. “I thought that he would certainly fall at night.” I heard the wind. He falls today, then I will die too.”

Conversation:- Why did sick Jonesy think that she would die with the last piece of paper falling plush?

- Do her friend Sue and the artist old man Berman agree with her?

- How does the writer characterize him? What unusual thing does he notice about the old man’s appearance? What does he do for a living? What does he dream about? What can we say about his character?

- Try to guess what will happen next.

IV. Application. Formation of knowledge and methods of action.

O. Henry gave each story the character of a literary mystery. It seems to the reader that he knows what the outcome of events will be, but he soon becomes convinced that he was mistaken, and when the denouement comes, it is always completely unexpected, overturning all the reader’s assumptions. Thanks to this technique, O. Henry's stories are read with unflagging interest.

2. The teacher reads the story to the end. Discussion.

What is this story about? Were our assumptions justified? (about Jancy’s serious illness and her terrible fantasy).

What is the idea (problematic) of the story? – What did the author want to say with his work?

(The power of suggestion, its influence on a person’s life, the ability to sacrifice oneself for the sake of another).

.
-Who is the exponent of the idea (which words are the main idea)?

(Artist: “What stupidity it is to die because leaves fall from a damned tree!”
Sue: “What nonsense you are saying!”) I.e. You can’t give in to bad thoughts, you have to fight.

- Has our attitude towards old man Berman changed at the end of the story? What kind of person was this? ?

(he turns out to be capable of a great act of self-sacrifice: at the cost own life supports Jonesy's spirit and saves her from death. This old loser and drunkard emerges as an example of that effective love that, without a single word, rushes to the aid of others. Berman acquires real spiritual greatness, and his death causes us pain.)

Can we say that at the end of his life the old artist managed to paint a masterpiece, as he dreamed of?Yes, this small piece of paper is a real masterpiece. Not with artistic point vision, no. He had love for a person, faith in his strength, and a desire for good. And humanity won.

Why can we say that there are two endings (denouements) in O. Henry's story? Identify them.

In essence, the novella is an example of a “double denouement”, i.e. there are two storylines here: Jonesy's illness and Berman's masterpiece. Formally, the main storyline is Jonesy's disease, but only formally. In fact, the main event in the work is Berman's dedication. Both lines receive a final, unexpected resolution only at the very end of the novella, when Sue reveals the truth to her friend. Thanks to this technique, O. Henry keeps the reader in a state of tension until the very end of the story. But this technique performs another function - with its help, old Berman instantly grows morally in our eyes and turns into a symbol of self-sacrifice.

Write what colors you associate with the plot of this story. Why?

3. Working with lesson epigraphs.– How do you understand the words of I.S. Turgenev and G.E. Lessing?

- What is wisdom? (according to author's assessment) (We become truly happy by sacrificing something for others. And the greater the sacrifice, the greater our love).

V. Summing up the lesson.

Did you like this piece? Was it interesting to read?

What did O. Henry’s story “The Last Leaf” make you think about?

O"Henry showed heroes with a kind soul, forcing us to look closely at each person, to learn to be humane to everything that surrounds us. The writer claims: we must strive to be human, despite the cruelty of our world, and this is possible!

TO THE COLD BREATH OF OLD AUTUMN
LEAVES OF OLD IVY WERE IN THE WAY...
THE FAT NEIGHBOR, WITH WRINKLES AND GRAY STRETCHES,
VISITING AN SICK ARTIST...

AND THE FICTION OF A morbid fantasy
IT WAS TOLD HER THAT SHE WOULD DIE
WHEN IT'S AUTUMN FROM Ivy
THE LAST LEAF WILL TEAR OFF...

THE NEIGHBOR DOES NOT AGREE WITH THIS SCHEDULE,
AND HE SAVED YOUTH THAT WAS POWER...
HE CUT OUT A LEAF AND COLORED IT,
AND SECRETLY AT NIGHT ATTACHED TO A STALK...

UNDER THE WILD WIND THE OLD IVY STANDED ON,
AT LEAST THROUGH THE LAST TRANSPH...
AND HERE... ALREADY ONE LEAF LEFT,
BUT THE EVIL WIND COULD NOT BREAK IT...

SOME INVISIBLE FORCE
BOLD ILLNESS, FATIGUE and WHINING,
AND LIFE ALREADY SOLEMNLY BLOWED,
LONG LIVE HER VICTORY MARCH!

So, we got acquainted with one story by the American writer O. Henry. But he also has many others interesting stories. I hope you continue to explore the work of William Sidney Porter, who lived a complex, adventurous life and worked under the pseudonym O. Henry. And may the wisdom of his stories become your wisdom.

VI . Homework information stage.

VII . Reflection stage.

Write a syncwine using one of the words of your choice: Jonesy, Berman, leaf. Students read out their work.

At the end of the lesson, Svetlana Kopylova’s song “The Last Leaf” sounds.

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A holistic analysis of O’Henry’s story “The Last Leaf.” Critical analysis of O'Henry's short story "The Last Leaf" Philosophical idea of the short story the last leaf

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A holistic analysis of O’Henry’s story “The Last Leaf.” Critical analysis of O'Henry's short story "The Last Leaf" Philosophical idea of ​​the short story the last leaf

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