Johnsy
Johnsy (a nickname for Joanna) is a young painter from California who falls ill with pneumonia. With the sickness and pain she becomes fatalistic and believes she will die when the last leaf drops from the ivy vine she sees out her window.
Sue
Sue is Johnsy’s roommate, and she takes care of Johnsy during her illness. Sue is an artist, and earns a living by drawing illustrations for magazines.
Behrman
Behrman is an old painter who lives in the basement apartment of the building Johnsy and Sue live in. He is over sixty years old; he is small and weak and has a long gray beard. All his life he has spoken of painting a masterpiece, but he has never started work on it. Behrman feels that the girls' safety is his responsibility. To save Johnsy’s life, Behrman paints an ivy leaf on the brick wall that she believes to be the last leaf. Behrman contracts pneumonia while painting and dies two days later.
The Doctor
The doctor comes to Johnsy's bedside to assess her condition. He is pessimistic about her chances of survival, as he concedes that a patient's will to continue living is integral to their survival. The doctor returns later in the story to confirm that Johnsy has regained her health. He also informs Sue that Behrman died in the hospital.
