THE LAST LESSON

Que. 1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Ans. That day Franz was expected to be prepared with the lesson on rules governing the use of participles.
His teacher M. Hamel had announced the previous day that he would question the students on participles.
But Franz had failed to learn his lesson and the feared punishment.

Que. 2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day? OR
How was the scene at the school on the morning of the last French lesson different from that on other
days?
Ans. Franz noticed the absence of unusual din. Instead, he found everything to be as quiet as if on a Sunday
morning. No opening and closing of desks, repetition of lessons or rapping of the teacher's ruler on table
could be heard. Students were seated on benches and the elderly had occupied the back benches.

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

What was the bulletin - board news that caused a change in School?
Ans. The Order of the Prussians that barred the teaching of French and made compulsory the teaching of
German in the districts of Alsace and Lorraine had been put up in the bulletin board. This was a piece of
shocking information that hit directly the national pride of the French people.

Que. 4. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Ans. The order from Berlin sought to replace the teaching of French with German in the schools of Alsace
and Lorraine. It brought all the routine hustle bustle of the school to a stand-still This order awakened
patriotic sentiments in the locals and everyone reached school before time. Both the teacher and his students
devoted rapt attention to their last French lesson. M. Hamel become more sympathetic to his students and
taught his lessons with more patience. The villagers sat at the usually empty back benches and came to show
their respect and gratitude towards M. Hamel.

Que. 5. The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows
you this? Why does this happen?
Ans. The keen interest taken by the villagers, Franz’s regret at having ignored the study of his mother tongue
and M. Hamel's emotionally charged “Last Lesson” shows the sudden realization by all about their language
being precious. This happened because the order from Berlin barred the study of French and only German
would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This shows people’s love for their own culture,
tradition and culture.

Que. 6. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons? What would this
mean?
Ans. This sentence could possibly mean that however hard the authorities try to embed German language in
the culture of Alsace and Lorraine the natural status of French for them will remain unchanged. French flows
in the air and the entire place is full of its effect. Even though they train students in German, the basic mode
of communication will remain unchanged like the cooing of the pigeons. Germans can never succeed in
destroying the inherent love of the French for their motherland just as they can never succeed in changing
the spontaneous singing of pigeons.

Que. 7. What was tempting Franz to keep away from school on the day of the last lesson?
Ans. Little Franz was rather disinclined to go to school on the day of the last lesson because the weather was
very warm and there were birds chirping at the edge of woods. He could hear the sound of the Prussian
soldiers exercising outside in the open. All these things appeared to be more tempting for him than the rules
of participles taught in the class.

Que. 8. How does M. Hamel pay a tribute to the French language?

Ans. M. Hamel, on the day of his last lesson, paid a glowing tribute to the French language in his classroom.
He called it the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and the most logical language. He
wanted his student and all the French men to guard this language among them and I never forget it. He
hoped this language will liberate them in their fight against their oppressors.
Que. 9. Why was there a crowd in front of the bulletin board at the town hall?
Ans. All the sensational news related to the ongoing battle between the French and the Prussians were put up
on the bulletin board. On the day of the last lesson the news regarding the introduction of German language
in all the schools of Alsace and Lorraine in place of French was put up as the bulletin board. The crowd was
there to read this latest news.

Que. 10. “What a thunderclap these awards were to me.” Which were the words that shocked and
surprised little Franz?
Ans. The announcement made by M. Hamel that it was their last lesson in French shocked and surprised
Franz. Though he never took his studies seriously. The fact that it was going to be the last class made him
feel more attached to his mother tongue as well as the teacher who taught him. He was suddenly filled with
lots of patriotic feelings.

Que. 11. We have all a great deal to reapproach ourselves with". Why did M. Hamel blame the parents
and himself too for not showing due attention and care to the learning of French?
Ans. M. Hamel did not hold Franz responsible for neglecting the learning of the French and they needlessly
postponed their learning for the next day. Most people of Alsace only pretended to be French men but they
could neither speak nor write their own language. The parents were not anxious to have them learn. They
preferred to put children on a farm or at the mills to earn a little more money. He even held himself
responsible as he often sent his students to water his flowers instead of learning their lessons. He also used to
give a holiday whenever he would want to go for fishing.

Que. 12. How was the Last Lesson different from the usual lessons taught on other days? Describe the
Last Lesson.
Ans. Usually, when school began there used ta be a great bustle. The noise could be heard out in the street.
But on the day of the last lesson everything was as still as a Sunday Morning, Little Franz was very nervous
thinking that the teacher would scold him for being late. But nothing happened. M. Hamel sounded verry
soft and affectionate. The teacher was wearing his formal dress that the usually put on inspection and prize
days. To Franz the whole school looked strange and solemn on that day. There were some villagers sitting on
the back benches that were normally empty, everyone looked very sad. The teacher addressed the class and
reminded them of their mistakes. He blamed the student for not showing real interest in their studies and
parents for not sending them to school regularly and himself for sending children to water his flowers and he
taking leave on working days to go for fishing. However, on the day of the last lesson they had no time to be
wasted and they all paid full attention to what was taught in the class. He reminded them of the importance
of learning the language and hoped that it would enable them the stand against the oppressors during the
course of time. The teacher became very emotional and didn’t get words to bid farewells. He wrote on the
blackboard ‘Vive la France’ and made gestures that the school was dismissed.