1. THE LAST LESSON

Think as you read (Page 7)

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

Franz was expected to be prepared with a lesson on participles. His teacher, M. Hamel, had announced that he would ask questions on this topic, but Franz did not know the first word about them.

2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?

Usually, the school was very noisy with the sound of opening and closing desks and lessons repeated in unison. However, that day everything was as quiet as a Sunday morning. Even the village elders were sitting quietly on the back benches.

3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?

For the last two years, the bulletin board had been the source of all bad news. That day, a notice was put up stating that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine, replacing the French language.

Think as you read (Page 8)

1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?

The order changed the entire atmosphere. M. Hamel was very gentle and wore his special ceremonial clothes. The back benches were filled with villagers who came to thank the teacher for his 40 years of service. Everyone was focused on the lesson with great seriousness.

2. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?

Franz suddenly realized how much he loved his language. His books, which once felt like a "nuisance," now felt like old friends. He forgot about M. Hamel’s ruler and cranky nature, feeling only sad that his teacher was leaving forever.

Understanding the text

1. The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?

This is shown by the presence of the village elders in class and the sadness everyone felt. It happens because people often take their language for granted until it is taken away. M. Hamel reminds them that their language is the "key to their prison," meaning it is their strongest tool against slavery.

2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean?

This shows Franz’s innocent reaction to the Prussian rule. He wonders if the Germans can control nature itself. It means that language is natural and instinctive. Just as you cannot force a pigeon to change its cooing, you cannot truly force a person to change their heart and their native tongue.

Key Vocabulary for Class XII Exams

Using these words will help students get better marks:

• Linguistic Chauvinism: The habit of thinking one's own language is superior and imposing it on others.

• Solemn: Very serious and formal.

• Unison: Speaking or moving at the exact same time.

• Apprentice: A person learning a trade from a skilled employer.

• Commotion: A state of confused and noisy disturbance.

The Last Lesson Extra Questions and Answers

The Last Lesson Extra Questions Short Answer Type

Question 1:
Who occupied the back benches in the classroom on the day of the last lesson? Why?
Or
Who were sitting on the back benches during M Hamel’s last lesson? Why?
Answer:
The old men of the village were sitting on the back benches during M Hamel’s last lesson because they were sorry that they had not attended school more often.They also wanted to thank their teacher for his forty years of faithful service and to show their respect for the country that was theirs no longer.

Question 2:
Why did M Hamel write Vive La France’ on the blackboard ?
Or
What words did M Hamel write on the blackboard before dismissing the last class? What did they mean?
Answer:
M Hamel wrote the words ‘Vive La France!’ in big letters on the blackboard before dismissing the last class. These words meant, ‘Long Live France!’ This shows his patriotic nature.

Question 3:
“We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”, said M Hamel.
Or
Why does M Hamel reproach himself for his students’ unsatisfactory progress in studies?
Answer:
M Hamel reproaches himself for his students’ unsatisfactory progress in studies because he „ has given them his own personal work to do during school time. Besides, he also gave them a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. He also tells the villagers that they should reproach themselves for not having learnt their language.

Question 4:
“When a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.”
Or
Can you think of examples in history here a conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?
Answer:
Some examples of the native language taken away from conquered people or had a language imposed on them are:

1. Portuguese became the language of Angola when it was colonized by Portugal.
2. English was imposed on the Celtic people in Northern Ireland when it was conquered by Britain.
3. Spanish was imposed on the Basques and the Catalans when their lands were taken over by Spain.

Question 5:
What tempted Franz to stay away from school?
Answer:
Franz feared a scolding at school as he had not prepared his lesson on participles, on which his French teacher M Hamel was to question the class that day. Besides, the warm and bright weather, the chirping of birds and the sight of the marching of Prussian soldiers also tempted Franz to stay away from school.

Question 6:
Why were the elders of the village sitting in the classroom?
Answer:
As per an order from Berlin, French was no more to be taught in the schools of Alsace. Therefore, M Hamel, the French teacher, had to leave after forty years of long and faithful service. The elders of the village felt sorry for not learning their language and were present in the classroom to express their respect and gratitude towards him.

Question 7:
What shows M Hamel’s love for the French language?
Answer:
M Hamel had taught the French language in the school- for forty years and was overcome with emotion when he realized that the villagers would not be able to learn it any more. He wanted them to preserve the language with them, thus showing his love for the language.

Question 8:
What made M Hamel cry towards the end of his last lesson?
Answer:
M Hamel cried towards the end of his last lesson because he loved the French language and felt pity for the villagers, as they would not be able to learn their mother tongue any longer.

Question 9:
What was unusual about M Hamel’s dress on his last day in the school?
Answer:
M Hamel’s dress on his last day in the school consisted of his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt, and a little black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days.

Question 10:
Why is the order from Berlin called a thunderclap by Franz?
Or
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” What were the words that shocked and surprised the narrator?
Or
“What a thunderclap these words were to me!” Which were the words that shocked and surprised little Franz?
Answer:
The announcement made by M Hamel that there was an order from Berlin to stop teaching French, and that this was their last French lesson, seemed to be a thunderclap to Franz. He would no longer be able to learn French, his mother tongue.

Question 11:
What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in the school?
Or
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Answer:
The order from Berlin stated that only German will be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This meant that French would no longer be taught in the school. M Hamel, the French teacher, would have to leave. This also caused the elder villagers to attend the school for the last lesson in French.

Question 12:
What did M Hamel tell them about the French language? What did he ask them to do and why?
Answer:
M Hamel praised the French language, calling it the most beautiful, the clearest, and the most logical language in the world. He asked them to guard or preserve their language among themselves and never forget or lose it.

Question 13:
What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Answer:
Franz noticed many unusual things about school that day. Usually, when the school began, there was a much commotion, which was missing that day. His teacher, M Hamel had on his ceremonial clothes. But the most unusual thing was that the village people were sitting quietly on the back benches, which were usually empty.

Question 14:
How did M Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of the town?
Answer:
Towards the end of his ‘Last Lesson’, M Hamel stood up to say farewell to his students and the people of the town. He then turned to the blackboard and wrote, ‘Vive La France’. Then he dismissed the class with a gesture of his hand.

Question 15:
What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Answer:
Franz was expected to be prepared with his lesson on participles. M Hamel, his French teacher, had announced that he would question the class on participles. But poor Franz didn’t know even the first word about them.

Question 16:
What had been put up on the bulletin board?
Answer:
An order that had come from Berlin had been put up on the bulletin board. The order was that from the next day only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher would join the school from the following day.

Question 17:
Who did M Hamel blame for not giving due attention to their language?
Answer:
M Hamel blamed the people of Alsace for not giving due attention to their language. He also blamed himself. Often, he had sent the students to water his plants, and when he wanted to go fishing, he just gave them a holiday.

Question 18:
Who did M Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz?
Answer:
M Hamel blamed himself for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz. He was a little irregular, and took leave whenever he needed it, which reflected on the behavior and studies of the students. He also blamed their parents for not taking interest in their education.

Question 19:
What announcement did M Hamel make? What was the impact of this on Franz?
Or
“This is your last French lesson.” How did Franz react to this declaration of M Hamel?
Answer:
M Hamel announced that he would be giving them the last French lesson because the orders had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Franz was shocked to hear this declaration.

Question 20:
What changes came over little Franz after he heard M Hamel’s announcement?
Answer:
After hearing the announcement, Franz was very sad and he regretted not learning his lessons, and being deprived of the opportunity to learn his own mother tongue. His books suddenly became his ‘old friends’ whom he could not abandon.

Question 21:
Why was Franz confused? What added to his confusion?
Answer:
When Franz reached school, he found the entire place unusually quiet, strange and solemn. He was late for school and thought that M Hamel would scold him. But, to his surprise, M Hamel spoke very kindly to him and-invited him in. However, what confused him the most was the presence of the village elders in the classroom.

Question 22:
How did Franz perform when his turn came to recite?
Answer:
When it was Franz’s turn to recite, he got mixed up on the first words and stood at his place, ashamed. He did not have the courage to look up and face his teacher.

Question 23:
How did M Hamel praise the French language?
Answer:
M Hamel called French the most beautiful language in the world. According to him, it was the clearest and the most logical language. He wanted the people of France to guard it amongst themselves and never forget it.

Question 24:
How is the mother tongue important?
Answer:
The mother tongue is the representative of a nation’s true identity and character. It acts as a binding force, creating unity among the countrymen. M Hamel rightly said that when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if they had the key to their prison.

Question 25:
What was M Hamel’s contribution to the school in Alsace?
Answer:
M Hamel had given forty years of long and faithful service to the school. Though the students found him cranky, he was a true Frenchman at heart, who took immense pride in teaching his mother tongue. He loved the school and wanted the children to love their language.

Question 26:
Franz was able to understand everything that day. Why?
Answer:
Franz thought that probably he had never paid so much attention in the class, and that M Hamel had never explained everything with so much patience. Perhaps, these were the very reasons that he was able to understand everything that day.

Question 27:
What did M Hamel teach the class in his ‘last lesson?
Answer:
In his ‘last lesson’, M Hamel taught the class about grammar, then about writing and finally a lesson in history. More than this, he made his students realize the importance of their mother tongue, and taught them to take pride in their language.

Question 28:
How did Franz’s feelings about M Hamel and school change?
Answer:
Franz was shocked when M Hamel told the students about the order from Berlin and that it was their last French lesson. He forgot about his teacher’s ruler and crankiness; instead, he started liking M Hamel, as he was being separated from him forever. His feelings towards his school changed, as he did not want to give up his books and lessons, seemingly old friends.