The Last Lesson (Important Q&A) of Class 12 English Flamingo

Introduction

“The Last Lesson” is a powerful short story by French writer Alphonse Daudet, set during the Franco-Prussian War. The story is narrated by a young boy named Franz, who lives in the French region of Alsace. One day, Franz arrives at school only to learn that it is his last French lesson, as an order has come from Berlin that only German will be taught in schools from the next day onward. The story highlights the emotions of the people of Alsace, including Franz, his teacher M. Hamel, and the villagers, as they realize they are about to lose their language and identity under foreign rule.

Summary of The Last Lesson

The story begins with Franz, who is nervous about going to school because he hasn’t prepared his lesson on participles. He considers skipping school, but eventually, he goes. Upon arriving, he notices something unusual: the school is quiet, and M. Hamel is dressed in his formal clothes. To his surprise, the classroom is filled with villagers, and M. Hamel announces that this will be their last French lesson because German will be taught from the next day. The lesson proceeds with everyone feeling a deep sense of loss and regret. Franz, who usually didn’t like school, begins to pay attention and wishes he had valued his education earlier. M. Hamel speaks about the importance of their language and how it represents their identity. The story ends with M. Hamel writing “Vive La France!” on the board, a final act of defiance and love for his country.

Themes of The Last Lesson

1. Language and Identity: The story emphasizes how language is closely tied to personal and cultural identity. The imposition of German in place of French is a loss of freedom and a blow to the people’s sense of belonging.
2. Regret and Realization: Franz’s regret for not taking his studies seriously reflects the human tendency to appreciate something only when it’s about to be taken away. This theme resonates with the villagers as well, who suddenly realize the value of their language and culture.
3. Patriotism: The story shows a strong sense of patriotism through the characters’ attachment to their language and country. M. Hamel’s dedication to teaching French until the very last lesson and his emotional farewell demonstrate love for one’s nation.
4. Colonialism and Oppression: The imposition of German on the French-speaking population of Alsace represents the broader theme of colonialism, where conquering powers often force their language and culture upon the conquered.

Analysis of The Last Lesson

“The Last Lesson” serves as both a personal reflection on the importance of education and a political commentary on the effects of war and occupation. Alphonse Daudet uses Franz’s innocent perspective to express the deeper sorrow felt by the people of Alsace as they lose their cultural heritage. The classroom becomes a symbol of resistance, where M. Hamel teaches not just a language lesson, but also an important message about self-respect and the value of one’s identity.

M. Hamel represents the dedication of teachers and their role in shaping not only individuals but entire communities. His grief is not just over the end of his teaching career, but also over the fading of French culture in the region. His act of writing “Vive La France!” at the end is a symbolic resistance against the suppression of his people’s identity, showing that love for one’s language and country cannot be easily erased.

The story also touches on the emotional impact of war and occupation, showing how even something as personal as language can become a tool of control. Daudet masterfully conveys how the loss of language feels like the loss of freedom, turning a simple classroom lesson into a profound reflection on cultural survival and resistance.

Think As You Read – I (Q&A of The Last Lesson)

1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
   Franz was expected to be ready for a lesson on participles. His teacher, M. Hamel, had said he would ask questions about them.
2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
   Franz noticed that the school was unusually quiet. There was no noise of children shouting or their desks being moved around, which was different from how it normally was.
3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
   A notice had been put up on the bulletin-board saying that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. French lessons were to stop.

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Think As You Read – II (Q&A of The Last Lesson)

1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
   The order from Berlin meant that M. Hamel would no longer teach French. This would be the last French lesson for the students, and from the next day, all classes would be in German.
2. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
   Franz felt sad and guilty for not valuing his lessons before. He suddenly realized how much he had taken M. Hamel and the French language for granted. He now respected both his teacher and his school.

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Understanding the Text

1. The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
   The villagers and students, including Franz, all felt sad because they realized that they would no longer be able to learn or speak French freely. The language was a part of their identity, and it felt more important when they were about to lose it.
2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean?
   This could mean that Franz felt the German rule was going too far. He was imagining that everything, even nature (like pigeons), would be forced to change and speak German. It shows how deeply upset he was about losing his language.

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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?
   Examples include when the British ruled India and imposed English, or when European settlers forced native people in America and Australia to speak English. In such cases, local languages were either suppressed or people were forced to learn the conqueror’s language.
2. What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive?
   A linguistic minority might face challenges like not having enough opportunities to speak their language, or not seeing it used in schools or media. They can keep it alive by speaking it at home, creating cultural clubs, or having schools and events in their language.
3. Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far? Do you know what ‘linguistic chauvinism’ means?
   Yes, it’s possible to be overly proud of one’s language to the point of disrespecting other languages. ‘Linguistic chauvinism’ means believing that one’s own language is superior to all others.

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Working with Words

1. Find out the origins of the following words:
   • Tycoon – Japanese
   • Tulip – Turkish
   • Logo – Greek
   • Barbecue – Spanish
   • Veranda – Portuguese
   • Robot – Czech
   • Zero – Arabic
   • Ski – Norwegian
   • Trek – Dutch
   • Bandicoot – Telugu
2. Choose the correct explanation for the underlined words: (a) “What a thunderclap these words were to me!”
   (ii) startling and unexpected.(b) “It is as if they have the key to their prison as long as they…”
   (i) do not lose their language.(c) “You will get to your school…”
   (iii) early enough.(d) “I never saw him look so tall.”
   (b) seemed very confident.

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Noticing Form

1. Pick out five sentences from the story with the past perfect form.
   • “M. Hamel had said that he would question us on participles.”
   • “I had not learned my lesson well.”
   • “The people had gathered quietly.”
   • “The news had been put up on the bulletin-board.”
   • “Franz had never seen M. Hamel look so serious.”
   Why is this form used?
   This form is used to show actions that happened earlier in the past, before the main events of the story.

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Writing

1. Write a notice for your school bulletin board. Your notice could be an announcement of a forthcoming event, or a requirement to be fulfilled, or a rule to be followed.

ABC SchoolOctober 22, 2024 NOTICE Annual Sports DayThe school is organizing the Annual Sports Day on November 15, 2024. All students who are interested in participating are requested to submit their names to the Sports Committee by October 30, 2024. For further information, please contact your class teacher. John Doe Head, Sports Committee

2. Write a paragraph of about 100 words arguing for or against having to study three languages at school.
   I believe studying three languages in school is very beneficial. It helps students understand different cultures and communicate better with people from various backgrounds. Knowing more than one language also improves brain function and makes learning new languages easier in the future. In today’s global world, language skills are very important for jobs and travel. However, students should be given the choice of which languages they want to study so that they can focus on the ones that interest them the most.
3. Have you ever changed your opinion about someone or something that you had earlier liked or disliked? Narrate what led you to change your mind.
   I once disliked a subject in school, thinking it was too hard. But when I got a new teacher who explained everything clearly, I began to enjoy the subject. I realized that sometimes it’s not the subject but how it is taught that makes a difference. This experience changed my mind and taught me to give things another chance before making a judgment.