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I want to see the last one fall. I'm tired of waiting. I'm tired of thinking. I want to turn loose my hold on everything, and go sailing down, down, just like one of those poor, tired leaves.
In her weakened condition, Johnsy has been able to do nothing but gaze out the window to the wall of the adjacent building. She identifies with the ivy vine clinging there, feeling weaker each day as the vine sheds its leaves. At this point in the story, only one leaf remains, and Johnsy is determined to die when it falls. She expresses her depression and hopelessness when she says she’s “tired of waiting . . . tired of thinking.” With each leaf that falls, she has given up on the things that tie her to the living world. The final leaf, symbolizing her friendship with Sue, serves as a lifeline for Johnsy, almost against her own desire. Although she wishes to let go and pass away peacefully, the strength of the bond prevents her from doing so.
“I've been a bad girl, Sudie,” said Johnsy. “Something has made that last leaf stay there to show me how wicked I was. It is a sin to want to die. You may bring me a little broth now, and some milk with a little port in it, and—no; bring me a hand-mirror first, and then pack some pillows about me, and I will sit up and watch you cook.”
Johnsy and Sue have seen that the last leaf has not fallen after the second night of rough weather. Johnsy takes it as a sign that she, too, should hold on to life. This quote showcases Johnsy’s newfound hope. First, she calls Sue “Sudie,” an affectionate nickname, for the first time in the story. Likewise, she calls herself a “bad girl” and “wicked,” acknowledging the sinfulness of her desire to die. She also wants food and drink, which she had earlier refused, and she asks for a mirror, showing renewed interest in her appearance. Finally, she feels motivated enough to sit up and engage with Sue as she cooks. Whereas earlier Johnsy had wanted to release herself from their friendship, her final tie to life, now she wants to hold on to it.
