“Jesus wept” (John. 11.35). Loss acts as an inevitable hardship for all humans, even Christ himself cried over the pain that occurred from the loss of a dear friend. More complex than merely the displacement of something, loss brings grief and distress, consequently effecting anyone in or near its path. Providing examples of the effects of loss, the short stories “Gwilan’s Harp” by Ursula K. LeGuin, “The Washwoman” by Isaac Singer, and “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry each take varying approaches on the topic. “Gwilan’s Harp” depicting long term, traumatic loss, following its repercussions through the entirety of one’s life. “The Washwoman” immersing readers within temporary loss, viewing how momentary relief can affect the entire outcome. “The Last Leaf” observing the forthcomings of loss, and how different routes for dealing with it beforehand play a major …show more content…
Henry’s “The Last Leaf,” uses seemingly inevitable loss, viewing the resulting effects that foreshadow. Johnsy, a young artist living in the heart of New York City’s art community, falls deathly sick with Pneumonia. Her condition growing worse by the day, she readies herself for death, solidifying in her mind that inevitably the pneumonia will result in her loss of life. Whilst waiting for death, she counts the leaves outside her window as they fall, stating, “I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down just like one of those poor, tired leaves” (O. Henry). Upon hearing of Johnsy’s clouded thoughts, neighbor Mr. Behrman sets out to clear her mind, promptly going out during a storm to paint a leaf outside of her window, so that one last leaf may never fall, so long as she stayed sick in her bed. Consequently, this act resulted in the loss of Mr. Behrman’s life, due to falling deathly ill whilst painting the leaf. Oppositely, for Johnsy this selfless act provided clarity, showing her that the loss of life acted not as a fact, but a choice for which she could make the