use strict;
  my $string = "Hello World";
  my $char;

  # Use a capturing parenthesis
  $char = $1
    if ($string =~ /(.)\Z/);
  print ">>$string<<\n";
  print "[[$char]]";

  # Chop the last char away from $string
  # this modifies $string
  $char = chop $string;
  print ">>$string<<\n";
  print "[[$char]]";

  # use substr :
  $char = substr($string,-1);
  print ">>$string<<\n";
  print "[[$char]]";