From the stories, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry, the characters experiences a pleasant gift from great loss. With each of these gifts, come the loss of a character. From “The Washwoman,” the death of the washwoman left a great impact on many of the characters. Torm’s death, in “Gwilan’s Harp,” reveals a new talent in Gwilan. Lastly, “The Last Leaf” shows that Mr. Behrman’s sacrifice restores Johnsy’s health. The authors use these characters to represent the themes of the stories. Overall, these authors teach the positive effects that happen when a loss occurs. “The Washwoman”, by Isaac Singer, portrays a cheerful story. Even though the story does show plenty of joyfulness,…show more content… LeGuin, who lives a depressing life. During her life, she is well known for her ability to play the harp. Her beautiful harp was given to her by her mother, but during her life, the harp ends up being smashed along with her music career. From the crash, Gwilan broke her wrist, which made her handicapped to the harp. Both she and her husband Torm felt devastated. “She saw Torm on the road in the sunlight kneeling by the broken harp, his face all blood and dust, and he was weeping” (LeGuin). Years passed and so did Torm. Gwilan’s depression leads her to a new talent, singing. Though she seemed to have stripped of everything, a new gift…show more content… Henry, a young lady called Johnsy falls ill with pneumonia. As death seems to close in on her, she starts counting the leaves left on the tree. Johnsy believes that when the last leaf falls, she will finally die. One of her dear friends, Sue, attempts to pull her away from this crazy idea. When all hope seems lost, their supposed crazy neighbor, Mr. Behrman, states that he has the key to her illness. Though he might seem crazy, he shows to have saved her. “Didn’t you wonder why it never fluttered or moved when the wind blew? Ah, darling, it’s Behrman’s masterpiece – he painted there the night that the last leaf fell” (O. Henry). From Mr. Behrman’s masterpiece, Johnsy’s health was restored, but from this came the death of Mr. Behrman. Through the loss of Mr. Behrman, came the health of Johnsy.
All three of these stories teach the positive actions that are the result of a loss. From “The Washwoman,” the impact that the washwoman has on others continues even after her death. In “Gwilan’s Harp,” Gwilan discovers a new talent, even after her life seemed deprived of music. And in “The Last Leaf,” the death of Mr. Behrman allows Johnsy’s health to continue. By using these characters and their actions, the author begins to make their theme clear. Each of the stories portrays the theme of encouraging actions that come out during depressing
