"All Fiction can be Profitably Regarded as Argument"

I think we're all pretty familiar with works like Farenheit 451 and 1984. The rise of power--tyranny is facilitated by a lack of knowledge. I'll gladly let the government "take" my gun (I don't have a gun) before I'll let them take my books. But what about our guilty pleasure reads? What about our Meg Cabots. Sophia Kinsellas, and Veronica Roths?  Don't worry. I'm not going to talk exclusively about romantic comedies. If I were, though, I'd say it's fiction making a dangerous argument about female fulfillment.
I'm a fan of O'Henry. You may know or recognize "The Gift of the Magi"story: he sells his watch to buy her combs, she sells her hair to buy his watch chain. Simple. Sweet. and Clean. My favorite O'Henry story is "The Last Leaf." I finished it crying in the middle of The Commons. Here's a summary and the full-text if you're interested. It isn't long.
We could make good analyses for many O'Henry arguments in this piece. There are observations on class, immigration, propriety, sickness, and social mores. Still, the argument I like to believe O'Henry is making is that hope has power. Sometimes, you're so ready to give up you're just waiting for the wind to come along and pluck the last leaf from the branch. You don't know someone painted the damn thing on, but you find a way to persist until spring comes.