Answer:
The personification of pneumonia by O'Henry in the story "The Last Leaf" made the opponent of Johnsy look real and helped the reader to be moved and to support Johnsy in her fight against this opponent.
Step-by-step explanation:
"The Last Leaf" is a short story written by O'Henry that narrates the story of a poor young woman who caught pneumonia. The writer has personified pneumonia in many ways in the story, for example, pneumonia is personified as 'a cold stranger that could not be seen but walked through the streets of Greenwich touching people here and there with icy fingers.'
The personification of pneumonia made this illness look like a real person and an enemy who has come to devour the people in Greenwich. This personification made this enemy look real to the readers and invoked an emotional connection with Johnsy and created an urge to support the fight of hope and faith of Johnsy. The message that O'Henry wanted to convey through this story is of courage, hope, and optimism.
The personification contributed to this message by making Johnsy fight courageously with this enemy of pneumonia with hope and optimism.