The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet

 

The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet

Franz is scared of going to school as his French teacher M. Hamel had announced a test on participles which he had not learnt. Although, Franz wants day out of the school and enjoy beauty of nature- the bright sunshine, the birds chirping in the woods, but eventually decides to go to the school.

On the way, he passes through the Town Hall and notices a huge crowd around the Notice board. He does not stop as Bulletin board served all bad news, lost battles, the drafts and orders of the commanding officers. He sees Prussian soldiers drilling but resists.

On reaching the school, he notices that everything was as quiet as a Sunday morning. He is not scolded by the teacher. Franz observes that the teacher is dressed in a ceremonial uniform which he wears on prize ceremonies and inspection day only. He is surprised to the villagers occupying the last benches- old Hauser, former mayor and postmaster were also there.

M. Hamel announced the notice which was served from Berlin as from tomorrow onwards German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Franz realizes that, that is what was put up on the bulletin board. Franz could not believe that it would be his last lesson of French. He repented that he does not know his own mother tongue and for not taking his lessons seriously.

Meanwhile Franz is called to recite the rules of participles and he makes mistakes, but the teacher instead of scolding preaches that one should not waste time and postpone the things thinking that there is plenty of time. Always keep the mother tongue close to your heart as it is the key to the prison of slavery.

The atmosphere in class is solemn; teacher teaching sincerely and patiently, students and others studying with utmost sincerity. Franz wondered sarcastically if Prussians could force pigeons to coo in German. M. Hamel overcomes with emotions and writes on the black board “Long Live France” and dismisses the class. The narrator still remembers his last lesson.

NCERT Book Solution  

Think As you Read (Page No: 7)
1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day? 2011, DELHI, SET I
Answer: Franz was expected to be prepared with the rules of participles. Mr. Hamel had told the students that he would take a test on the topic that day.

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

Answer: Usually when the school began there would be a lot of commotion. But that day everything was as quiet as a Sunday morning. The students were at their places and Mr. Hamel was walking up and down with his terrible iron ruler under his arm.
3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
Answer: The bulletin-board notified the general public about an order from Berlin. It stated that only German would be taught to students in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. There would be no teaching of French now onwards.

(Page No: 8)
1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
Answer: Following changes were caused by the order from Berlin in the school that day:

(a) The school and all other things were quiet like Sunday morning.

(b) The whole school seemed very strange and solemn.

(c) M. Hamel had put on his finest dress which he wore only on inspection and prize days of school.

(d) The village people came and sat silently on the back benches in school to thank the teacher for his service.
2. How did Franz's feelings about M. Hamel and school change? 
Answer: M. Hamel told that that was his last lesson. These words were a great thunderclap to Franz. He hardly knew how to write. Suddenly he developed a strange fascination for his language. His books which seemed a nuisance only a while ago, were his ‘‘old friends now’’.

After 40 years of faithful service M. Hamel was going away. Franz felt all this must have broken his heart. He would never see him again. This idea was quite painful to Franz. He forgot all about his ruler and how cranky the teacher was.
(Page No: 9)
1. The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
Answer: The order from Berlin imposes German on the French speaking people of Alsace. It makes all the difference. The order arouses patriotic feelings among the people. Suddenly they realize how precious is their language to them. The people of Alsace were earlier indifferent  to their language French. They develop a new-found love for their mother tongue. M. Hamel goes on to declare that French is “the most beautiful language in the world.” It is the clearest and the most logical language. Village people also come and sit in the class to show their respect to M. Hamel and to show their concern for their language that is theirs no more.

Even Franz grows sentimental. This is his last lesson in French. He feels sorry for neglecting French. Now he develops a craving for French and the teacher who taught it.
2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this means?
Answer: The story is set in the background of the Franco-Prussian war(1870-71). Two French districts Alsace and Lorraine fall into Prussian hands. An order from Berlin declares that there will be no teaching of French now onwards, instead they will be taught German now. All the people get emotional. M. Hamel also makes them realize their mistake of neglecting the learning of their mother tongue. They all are working attentively in the class. Franz sees pigeons cooing on the roof. He remarks sarcastically “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”

Franz remark is quite revealing. Powerful German can impose learning of German language on the French speaking people. But they can’t force birds to follow their orders and coo in German. They can enslave people of Alsace and Lorraine. They can’t have any authority over their feelings.
Talking about the Text
1. “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.”
Can you think of examples in history where a conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?

Answer: Some examples of the native language taken away from its people and/or imposition of the language of the conqueror are:
(a) Portuguese becoming the lingua franca of Goa.
(b) English imposed on the various British Colonies.
(c) Spanish imposed on the South American Countries.

(d) French imposed on the various French colonies in Africa
2. What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:
Punjabis in Bangalore
Tamilians in Mumbai
Kannadigas in Delhi
Gujaratis in Kolkata
Answer: A linguistic minority in a state does not have as much liberty to exercise linguistic skills as the natives of the state. They initially try to learn the jargons in order to cope with the day-to-day life activities and finally begin to understand the native language with regular interaction. At the workplace and educational organisations, English or the link language helps a lot to cope up with the work and learning process. But, when it comes to understanding the basic norms of the society, in order to socialize, one does face a sort of linguistic barrier during communication.
To keep their language alive, the linguistic minorities can form small communities where they can celebrate their festivals as per their traditions. Moreover, they can continue to speak their native language at their homes in order to make their children learn the language. People must, even, try to visit their native places at regular intervals in order to stay close to their roots.
3. Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far?  Do you know what ‘linguistic chauvinism’ means?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to carry pride in one's language too far if one is fond of one’s own language at the cost of others. Indifference towards other languages is not healthy for any democracy like India.
When the sense of belonging to one's own language crosses the thin line between ‘pride’ and ‘proud’, it becomes linguistic chauvinism. If people feel good about their languages and traditions, they must have tolerance for other languages too. Everybody has the right to follow the religion as well as speak the language as per his/her desire. 

Additional Questions

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:

1. Why was the narrator scared of going to school that morning?

Answer: Franz had started late for school and thus was afraid of being scolded by his teacher M. Hamel. He had not learnt his lesson regarding the rules of participles and thus dreaded the teacher’s anger.

2. What did Franz see as he passed the town hall?

Answer: There was a bulletin-board near the town-hall. When Franz passed by it, he noticed a crowd there. He did not stop to look at it. He wondered what could be the matter then. For the last two years they had received all the bad news from the bulletin-board.

3. Who were the village people? How did they look?

Answer: Old Hauser, the former mayor, the former postmaster and several others were the villagers sitting at the back benches. They looked sad and Old Hauser even brought primer that he held open on his knees.

4. Why did Mr. Hamel say that it was his last lesson?

Answer: The teacher told them that it was their last French lesson as an order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master would come the next day.

5. How did Franz’s attitude towards his books and Mr. Hamel change?

Answer: 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.

6. Why had Franz not been able to learn much at school?

Answer: His parents were not quite anxious to have Franz learn. They put him to work on a farm or at the mills in order to have a little more money. The teacher got his flowers watered or gave him a holiday. He too neglected his lessons.

7. What did Mr Hamel say about the French language?

Answer: M. Hamel told them that French was the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and the most logical language. He asked them to guard it among them and never forget it. He gave a reason also. When a people were enslaved, as long as they held fast to their language, they had the key to their prison.

8. How did Mr. Hamel bid farewell to his school?

Answer: M. Hamel stood up in his chair. He looked very sober and confident. He wanted to say some parting words, but something choked him. Then he wrote “Vive La France!” on the blackboard with a piece of chalk. Then he stopped. He leaned his head against the wall. Without a word, he made a gesture to the students with his hand to permit them to go as the school was over.