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The old ivy vine initially symbolizes death. The story’s November setting means that autumn is ending. The shortening days and lengthening nights call to mind ideas of decay, decline, and old age. The leaves change color, die, and fall at the approach of winter, which is itself a symbol of cold, struggle, and death. Johnsy sees a sign of her own future in the ivy leaves, with her own health failing as the leaves fall. She predicts that when the last leaf falls, she will die. That last leaf, however, becomes a symbol of hope and life. It refuses to fall from the vine, despite the hard winds and rain. It clings to life, eventually inspiring Johnsy to cling to life as well.
The ivy vine and the leaf also symbolize Sue’s and Johnsy’s friendship. Just as the vine struggles to survive, so too does Sue grapple with poverty to the extent that their meals depend urgently on her selling her most recent drawing. She juggles the roles of both a worker and a caregiver for her ailing friend. For her part, Johnsy clings to Sue in a way similar to how the last leaf clings to the vine, which keeps her anchored to this world. The survival of final leaf signifies the survival of the endangered connection between the two young women.
