The Last Lesson #class XII

Lesson-1, The last lesson

Question and answer-

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

Ans- Franz was expected to prepare on the participles on that day. M. Hamel was supposed to question him on the participle.

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

Ans-  The order from Berlin bought the sad news. All the people were dishearten on the fact that they would no more be able to learn their Mother Tongue i.e. French. That day M.Hamel worn his special dress, the last bencher were present, everyone learnt their last lesson very attentively. They realised how beautiful their language was.

3.    What was the last thing written on the blackboard?

Ans- Vive La France was the last words written on the blackboard, which meant long live French.

4.    What change was there in Franz attitude towards M Hamel?

Ans- Franz attitude was completely different on that day. He suddenly realised his mistake for not learning properly to read and write his own language. Suddenly he had a fascination for his school and French language. When M. Hamel read out the grammars lesson, he was amazed at how easy it was and he could understand it easily. The entire lesson suddenly was easy for him.

5.    Why did M. Hamel not scold Franz that day for not knowing the participles?

Ans- M. Hamel did not scold Franz that day because he knew how bad he too was feeling deep inside his heart knowing the fact about his last French lesson. M. Hamel also blamed himself because he often sent Franz to water his flowers instead of allowing him to learn his lessons.

 

6.    The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. what shows you this? why does this happen?

Ans- As the saying goes, you never value your thing when it is with you, you realize the importance only when one loose it. Same happened with them, the people realized the importance of French, i.e. their mother tongue when they lost it. As order was already passed from Berlin that Only German will be taught in the school of Alsace and Lorraine, and the French teacher has to go. Suddenly the village people realized that they will no longer be taught French. The villagers hardly knew to read and write their own language. They developed a new profound love for French. M. Hamel calls French as the most beautiful clearest and most logical language of the world. While teaching his last French lesson in the school, M Hamel expressed his sadness over the fact that French men would not be able to speak or write their own language. He asked his fellow Frenchmen to protect the language as it is like a key to the prison they were about to be in. He advised them to guard it among themselves and never to forget it because it would prove to be the key to their prison when they were enslaved.

             This made the people realize how precious their language was to them. This also shows the people's love for their country and culture which is reflected through their love for the French language. Thus, the villagers were upset that they could no longer learn their mother tongue. Now when they realized that their last lesson has arrived they could not read and write their own language. They were sad to realize that Germans have overpowered them.

7.    What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the school?

Ans- Franz started for school very late on that particular day. He was also frightened because he had not prepared his lesson on participles. When he reached the school he noticed something unusual. Usually when school began there use to be a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in union, the teachers rules rapping on the table. But Franz notice unusual silence. M. Hamel also said nothing to him on that day for being late and very kindly said to go and take his place quickly. His teacher wore his special dress which he usually wore only on the inspection and prize day,  his  green coat, his frilled shirt and little black silk cap, all embroidered. The most unusual thing for Franz were the last benchers, they were sitting quietly, which use to be empty always. The whole day on the school there was no noise and everyone looked sad. 

8.    What had been put on the bulletin board?

Ans-  A bulletin board in a simple sense is a notice board where official notices were put up for the crowd to get notified about the updates and news. 

        On the day , the bulletin Board had a notice from Berlin. It stated that France was defeated by Prussians and consisted of what were now the nations of Germany, Poland and parts of Austria. It said that German will be the language in all the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and that will only be taught from then.

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

Ans- Franz was disheartened when he comes to know that he can no longer learn his language i.e. French. He also regretted on the fact that he didn’t know his mother tongue properly and he wasted his time doing other things instead of going to school. He feels that even though he didn’t know how to write French language, it could not be snatched from him.He brings out the example of a pigeon, the voice of the pigeon cannot be snatched, The German’s cannot teach the pigeon chirp in a German way. Similarly even though German is imposed in schools the people will not forget to communicate in their mother tongue. This remark is a Frenchman's typical reaction to imposition of learning German. This also shows the extent the German's would go in their attempts at linguistic chauvinism.

10. What did M.Hamel tell them about the French Language?

Ans- M. Hamel told the villagers that French Language is the most beautiful language. It is the clearest, logical language in the world. He advised them to guard it among themselves and never forget it.

11. Why did Franz think of running away from the school that morning?

Ans- Franz was tempted to run away and spend the day outside as it warm and bright day. He was also tempted to watch the Prussian soldiers’ drill. Moreover he was also afraid because he did not learn the participles which M. Hamel asked him to learn. His teacher was supposed to ask question on the participle and he was scared of a scold from his teacher.

12. Describe M Hamel's last day at school?

Ans- At M. Hamel's last day at school he was dressed in his special suit which comprised of his beautiful green coat frilled shirt and a little black silk cap all embroidered because it was the last lesson that he would deliver.  He never wore his this attire except on inspection and prize days. But that day deserved to be his last lesson in French and from the next day onward, Germany would assert its political rights over Alsace and Loraine. On the last day , Monsieur Hamel was much more invested in his work as if he wanted to impart all his knowledge in one day. He explained everything with a lot of patience to put all his knowledge into their heads at one stroke. Post the grammar lesson, there was a lesson in writing and M. Hamel had brought new copies for them to write in. These copies were written in a beautiful round hand-France, Alsace France Alsace.

13. What are M. Hamel's views about the French language?

Ans- M. Hamel loved his native language very much. He understood the beauty and importance of his language. That day he appreciated his language saying that it is the most beautiful language in the world- the clearest, the most logical. He requested them to guard it so that they can be united and fight back for their freedom. 

14. What was the commotion that Franz anticipated in the classroom?

Ans- Franz anticipated that a great bustle of the school would be heard from the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison and teacher's great ruler rapping on the table.

15. Why was the lesson called the last lesson?

Ans- The lesson was called the last lesson because an order had come from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. As the new master was supposed to come on the following day, it was the last French lesson of the old master.

16. What was written in the new copies brought by M. Hamel for the students in a beautiful round hand?

And- France, Alsace, France, Alsace was written in the new copies brought by M. Hamel for the students in beautiful round hand.