The Last Lesson

(Write the highlighted answers in your note bookfirst 3 answers in

Q2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Ans: Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in
the street. But it was all very still that day. 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?

Q4. 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 that were always empty, the elderly village people were
sitting quietly like the kids.

Q5. 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.

Q6. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons’ What
could this mean?
Ans: This comment of Franz shows a Frenchman’s typical reaction to the imposition of
learning German, the language of the conquerors. Being deprived of the learning of
mother tongue would mean cutting off all bonds with the motherland. Teaching the
pigeons to sing in German indicates how far the Germans would go in their attempts of
linguistic chauvinism.
Q7. The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to
them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
Ans: M. Hamel told the students and villagers that henceforth only German would be
taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Those who called themselves Frenchmen
would neither be able to speak nor write it. He praised French as the most beautiful, the
clearest and most logical language in the world. He said that for the enslaved people,
their language was the key to their prison. Then the people realised how precious their
language was to them. This shows people’s love for their own culture, traditions and
country. Pride in one’s language reflects pride in the motherland.

EXTRA NOTES

The Last Lesson (Alphonse Daudet)

(Short Answer Questions: 2 marks each)

1. Why was Little Franz scared to go school that morning?

Ans: Little Franz was scared to go to school that morning because he was late for school. Moreover, his

teacher M. Hamel had told them that he would question them on participles and Little Franz did not

know the first word about them.

2. What were the things that tempted/attracted Little Franz on the way to school?

Ans. On the way to school, Little Franz was attracted by the bright and sunny weather, a perfect one to
be spent out of doors. He was also tempted by the birds which were chirping at the edge of the woods
and the Prussian soldiers who were drilling in the open field at the back of the sawmill.

3. Why did the school look like a Sunday morning?

Ans: The school looked different that day. There was no sound of children or desk and benches nor of

M. Hamel’s terrible ruler. Everything was calm and quiet like a Sunday morning because of the order

that had come from Berlin.

4. What were the usual sounds heard out at the street when school began?

Ans: Usually when school began, there used to be a lot of noise. Opening and closing of desks, lessons
repeated in unison and the teachers great ruler rapping on the table to make the children silent are

some of them heard out in the street.

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

Ans: Franz noticed that everything was calm and quiet like a Sunday morning. The children were already

seated in their desks and M. Hamel was walking up and down in the class with his iron ruler under his

arm. He was wearing his best dress which he never wore except on inspection or prize distribution days.

6. How was the teacher/M. Hamel dressed?

Ans: M. Hamel was wearing his best dress that day. He was wearing his green coat, frilled shirt and a

little black silk cap, all embroidered which he never wore except on inspection or prize distribution days.

7. Why were the villagers sitting at the back benches of the school/classroom?

Ans: The villagers were very sad after they came to know about the order that had come from Berlin. So,

in order to show their love and respect towards their mother tongue and also to show gratitude to M.

Hamel, they were sitting at the back benches of the school.

8. What was like a thunderclap to Little Franz?

Ans: M. Hamel announced that he was going to give them the last French lesson. He also said that an

order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and the new

French teacher would arrive the next day. He asked everyone to be very attentive. These words were

like a thunderclap to Little Franz.

9. What was M. Hamel’s view/opinion on the French language?

Ans: According to M. Hamel, French was the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest

and the most logical language. He asked everyone to guard it and never forget it because 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.

10. Whom did the teacher/M. Hamel blame for Little Franz not learning his mother tongue?
Ans: M. Hamel blamed the parents, the children and also himself for Little Franz not learning French. He

pointed out that the parents preferred to put their children to work in a farm or in the mills to earn a

little extra money. Even the teacher also used to give them a holiday whenever he wanted to go for

fishing. The children put learning for tomorrow.

11. How did the teacher/M. Hamel address or behave Little Franz even if he was late?

Ans: To his surprise, Little Franz noticed that M. Hamel did not scold him for being late. When he saw

Little Franz, he told him very kindly to go to his place quickly and also said that they were beginning

without him. This was just opposite to the normal cranky behaviour of the teacher M. Hamel.

12. What bad news did the bulletin board give for the last two years?

Ans: The bulletin board brought all the bad news for last two years. Some of them were like the lost

battle, the draft and the order of the commanding officer etc. All these news were related to the Franco
Prussian war going on at that time.

13. Why did the crowd gather in front of the bulletin board that day?

Ans: That day, Franz noticed a crowd gathered in front of the bulletin board. For the last two years, all

the bad news had come through the bulletin board. He wondered what might be the reason that day.

Later, he came to know that it was the order from Berlin which was put in the bulletin board.

14. How did Little Franz react to the announcement made by M. Hamel?

Ans: The announcement made by M. Hamel was like a thunderclap to Little Franz. He understood that

this order had been put up in the town hall. His heart felt with regret and remorse for not learning his

language. He also thought about the teacher who would leave them forever very soon.

15. How did he feel about the last grammar lesson taught by M. Hamel?12 | P a g e

Ans: To his utter surprise, Little Franz found the grammar lesson to be very easy. He was amazed to see

how well he understood it. He also thought that he had never listened so carefully, and that M. Hamel,
their teacher had never explained everything with so much patience. It looked that as if the old man
wanted to give them everything he knew before going away.

16. What were the topics/subjects discussed or taught by M. Hamel on the day of the last lesson?

Ans: On the day of the last lesson, M. Hamel taught Oral questions on participles, a Grammar lesson, a
lesson on writing, History and Chanting of French alphabet for the babies

17. How did the little children behave in the class that day?

Ans: That day, even the little children were doing their works quietly. Franz noticed that some beetles

flying in during the writing lesson. But nobody paid any attention, even the littlest one. They were busy

in tracing their fish hooks.

18. What did Little Franz think about the pigeons?

Ans: After the announcement made by M. Hamel about their last French lesson, Little Franz was

wondering on many things amidst the strangely quiet school room. Once some pigeons cooed from the

roof. Little Franz wondered whether the Germans would make them sing in German too.

19. Why did M. Hamel tell the class to guard the French language and never forget it?

According to M. Hamel, when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if

the key to their prison. So, he requested everyone to guard their mother tongue and never forget it.

20. How did M. Hamel end/conclude his class?

Ans: When the church clock struck twelve, M. Hamel stood up from his chair. He wanted to say

something but something chocked him, he could not go on. Then he walked up to the black board and

wrote on it “Vive La France” with a piece of chalk as large as he could. He leaned his head against the

wall and without saying a word made a gesture with his hand that the school was dismissed, they might

go.