How can the statement 'a disease mind is even more harmful than the diseases itself' Be justify with reference to the last leaf
Answers
The statement above tells us that if a person is diseased and has given up on life so he/she has no chance of living because once a person starts thinking of going for a long journey he/she has only one chance in a ten for living. O’Henry has given us a nice example of a story that is the Last leaf in which Sue and Johnsy are best friends and Johnsy is suffering from Pneumonia which the author calls a chivalric old gentleman as the disease had stalked about the colony touching everyone with icy fingers. Johnsy had the disease and she could be alright if she could stop giving up on life and stop comparing herself with the old ivy wine tree whose leaves were falling day by day and she thought that when the Last leaf would fall she would also plan her journey to heaven. In O’Henry’s story Johnsy’s debilitating effect of the disease had not only weakened Johnsy’s body but also her mind, her mind was so morbid, and her morale was so low hence her mind fell prey to weird notions and delusions. She fancied herself to be as fragile, delicate and sensitive as a decaying leaf. I would like to conclude that a person should have faith in himself and not think about the things which make life difficult in his/her life.