THE LAST LESSON

Q.1 What was Franz expected to be prepared with for the school that day ? or Why was little Franz afraid of being scolded ?

Franz was afraid of being scolded that day because he was late and  M.Hamel , his French teacher was going to ask the questions on Participles. But Franz did not know even the first word about them. He frankly admits that he was totally ignorant about the topic.

Q2.What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day? Or What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day ? (Textual Question)

Usually, when the school began, there was a great bustle. The noise could be heard out in the street. But that day there was a deep silence in the classroom. M.Hamel had put on his fine Sunday clothes. The village people were sitting quietly on the back benches. Everything was as quiet as Sunday morning.

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

There was a great crowd in front of Bulletin-board. All the notice regarding lost battles and orders of commanding officers were displayed on Bulletin-Board. A new order  had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The Germans had put up this notice on the bulletin-board.

Q.4.How did Franz’s feelings about M.Hamel and school change?

Franz came to know that it was the last lesson in French by M.Hamel  and German would be taught from the next day. Then he felt sorry for not learning his lesson properly. His books were like his old friends now. His feeling about M.Hamel also changed. He forgot all about his ruler and crankiness.

Q.5 What attracted Franz on his way to school? Or What was the Temptation and how did Franz resist it?

Franz was attracted by the warm weather outside. The birds that chirped at the edge of the forest and the Prussian soldiers who were drilling tempted him to spend the day out of doors. But he overcame his temptation and hurried off to school.

Q.6 What did M. Hamel mean by, ‘And now you see where we’ve come out!’ or

 “We have all a great deal to reproach ourselves with” Why did M.Hamel blame the parents and himself too for not showing due attention and care to the learning of French?

The people of Alsace left their learning to another day. M.Hamel  blames the parents  as well as himself for the negligence. The parents  preferred to put them to work on a farm or at the mill to have a little more money. But now after the ban the  people had no time left to learn their mother tongue.

Q.7.Who was wachter ? What did he ask Franz and why ?

Wachter was a blacksmith. He was reading the latest bulletin.  He asked Franz ironically not to go fast to his school . He meant there was no more French taught in the school as per the ban imposed by the Prussians and he had plenty of time. Franz thought that he was making fun and hurried off to school.

Q.8. Why did Franz wonder “ Will they make pigeon sing in German” ?

Language is primarily important for communication. Franz was feeling helpless about the ban on French in the Prussian rule. They can not change the language of a pigeon. His words suggest that birds and animals too have their identity by their sound but unfortunately the people of Alsace and Lorraine had lost their identity.

Q.9 “What a thunderclap these words were to me !” Which were the words that shocked and surprised the narrator? or  How did M.Hamel give the shocking news to the students  and with what effect ?

The new order from Berlin shocked and stunned the students and villagers. M.Hamel told them  in a solemn and gentle tone that it was their last French lesson .Henceforth, only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master would come the next day. During his last French lesson he wanted them to be very attentive.

Q.10 Why had the villagers come to school that day ?

The new order from Berlin aroused patriotic feelings in the villagers. They had come there  to thank M.Hamel for his forty years faithful service as well as to show their respect to the country that was theirs no more. They were sorry for their negligence and not learning French. They were sitting quietly and looked sad.

Q.11.What did M.Hamel tell about the French Language ? What did he ask them to do and why?

M.Hamel declared that French was the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and the most logical of all languages. He asked the people to guard it among themselves and never forget it. In his view , as long as they “hold fast to their language” they have the key to their prison. it has the amazing power to bind a nation together.

Q.12. Justify the title “Last Lesson”. Or What message does the writer want to convey through the last lesson.

The title is self-revealing. It was certainly the last lesson that was delivered by M.Hamel in French. It arouses  patriotic feelings. Through Mr.Hamel the writer wants to express that we should have pride on our language.  We must safeguard our language and culture.