THE LAST LESSON BY ALPHONSE DAUDET

THE LAST LESSON  BY ALPHONSE DAUDET

Introduction:The Last Lesson was written in the days of Franco-Prussian war, in which France was defeated by Prussia (combined nations of modern day Germany, Poland and parts of Austria) led by Bismark. The French districts of Alsace and Lorraine were annexed by Prussia. It shows that the colonial power wants not only territory, but also dominates over the language and culture of a particular country. There pervades the story an atmosphere surcharged with the suppressed feelings of patriotism and nationalism coupled with the helplessness. The story is a wake-up call for all those people, who are in the habit of postponing things. The story also extrapolates the fact that war makes man inhuman and insensitive to the feelings of others.

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

Ans: Franz was expected to be prepared with the rules of participles assigned to him by his French teacher, Mr. M. Hamel , for school that day.

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

Ans: Unlike other days in the school there was no bustle, no lessons repeated in unison. He could see his classmates being aready seated in their places. Mr. Hamel addressed Franz  softly and asked him to go to his place very quickly. Mr. Hamel was dressed in his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and little black cap, which he normally wore on inspection days. The backbenches of the classroom were occupied by the village elders who looked very grave on that day.

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

Ans: It had been put up on the bulletin board that as the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine have passed into  Prussian hands, the order had come from Berlin to teach only Germans in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine in place of French from next day onwards.

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

Ans: Unlike other days, there was no commotion in the school and no lessons were repeated in unison. . The last benches, which on other days used to be empty,  were occupied by the village elders. Mr. Hamel appeared to be kinder than usual and was dressed in his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and little black cap, which he normally wore on special occasions.

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

Ans: Franz suddenly could find it very easy to  understand everything that Mr. Hamel spoke. He listened all that Mr. Hamel spoke very carefully. Mr. Hamel too taught with infinite patience on that day. Franz developed sudden obsession for the school and developed interest for the school.

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

Ans: It shows the eruption of patriotic fervor among the people. The imposition of German language on the people of Alsace and Lorraine further strengthened their love for French. They felt that their freedom of expression in their motherland has been held in hostage by the Germans.

This happens because people come together during time of identity crisis and try their utmost best to rescue their motherland and mother tongue from the aggressor. Their love for the country and their fellow countrymen suddenly get revamped during such emergency.

7. Faranz thinks, ‘Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?’ What could this mean?

Ans: This sentence could possibly mean that whatsoever hard  the imperial power tries to impose their culture on the French, the French would hold fast to their language and remain loyal to it. As they cannot tame a pigeon to sing in German, so it would be very hard for them to embed the German language in the lives of the people of Alsace and Lorraine.

Q8. How did M. Hamel say farewell to his students and the people of the town?

Ans: M. Halmel bade farewell in a solemn and grave manner. He declared in the class that as the Province of Alsace and Lorraine passed off into the hands of Germans, it was their last French lesson on that day. From the next day onwards, Germany would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He requested the class to treasure French in their heart as language is the key to the prison of imperial power.

Q9. Who did M. Hamel blame for the neglect of learning on the part of boys like Franz?

Ans:  M. Hamel held both parents and children for dereliction of learning on the part of Franz. He blamed parents for delegating work to their wards to earn money instead of going to school. He even blamed himself for delegating the work of watering his plants or declaring holidays for children whenever he wanted to go fishing.

Q10. What words did M. Hamel write on the board before dismissing the last class? What did they mean?

Ans: M. Hamel wrote ‘Vive La France’, which means ‘Long Live France’. These words describe his  unflinching faith and profound love for his motherland. He was undergoing the waves of patriotic fervor  while writing these words on the blackboard.

Q11. What regrets did Franz have after hearing Hamel’s announcement?

Ans: Franz regretted missing the school so often. When the class started, the narrator heard his name being called out to recite the rules of the participles in which he got stuck on the first words. He felt very disgusted at his failure. His books, which were a nuisance recently, suddenly became his old friends. He also regretted that he would not see Hamel and feel his ‘crankiness.’

Q12. How does M. Hamel pay a tribute to the French language?

Ans: Hamel pays tribute by referring to the French language as the most beautiful language in he world. It was the clearest and the most logical language in the world. They must guard it among themselves. He reminded that when people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it ws the key to their prison.

Q13. Mention two things about M. Hamel that surprised Franz on his last day at school.

Ans: M. Hamel did not scold Franz for being late. Instead he kindly told him to go to his place. On that day he was dressed in his best clothes. He wore his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and little black silk cap with embroidery, which he wore only on inspection or prize days.

Q14. Hamel while addressing Franz says about the fate of Alsace: ‘Ah, that’s the great trouble with Alsace.’’ What fate of Alsace does he refer to here?

Ans:  Mr. Hamel laments the fact about Alsace that it will not learn the French language henceforth and its people will be deprived of this language. In fact, Alsace had put off learning till the next day. But the prospect of learning the French language is no longer possible as German language would be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine from the next day onwards.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<  End>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Share this

Empowerment Rules the World