The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet

 THINK AS YOU READ

Q1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

Ans:  That day Franz was expected to be prepared with participles because M. Hamel had said that he would question them on participles. Franz did not know anything about participles.

Q2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Ans: Franz noticed that everything was as quiet as Sunday morning. There was no opening or closing of desks. His classmates were already in their places. The teacher’s great ruler instead of rapping on the table, was under M. Hamel’s arm.

Q3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Ans: An order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The Germans had put up this notice on the bulletin-board.

THINK AS YOU READ
Q1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Ans: M. Hamel had put on his best dress—his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered. The whole school seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches the elderly village people were sitting quietly like the kids.

Q2. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
Ans: Franz came to know that it was the last lesson in French that M. Hamel would give them. From the next day they will be taught only German. Then he felt sorry for not learning his lessons properly. His books, which seemed a nuisance and a burden earlier were now old friends. His feelings about M. Hamel also changed. He forgot all about his ruler and how cranky he was.

The Last Lesson:

In the chapter, the author describes the events of the year 1870 when France was captured by Prussian forces.  Orders came from Berlin that German language will be taught in the two districts of Alsace and Lorrain and French teachers will have to leave from there. Consequently, M. Hamel a French teacher has to leave his old school. M Hamel delivers his last lesson with full devotion and sincerity.  M. Hamel’s student Franz was afraid of him because he had not prepared his lessons. But M Hamel did not scold him but rather blamed himself for Franz’s weakness in his subject. He remembers when he would ask his students to water his flowers and declares a holiday when he wanted to go fishing.

M Hamel says that French language is the most logical and beautiful language in the world. He asks the class to guard their language. He says that being close to one’s language is a way to escape the clutches of slavery.  This language will assist them in attaining freedom from the Germans.  The people realize the significance of their mother tongue.