The Last Lesson

Extract 1

For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out
of doors. It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the
end of the woods; and in the open field back of the saw mill the
Prussian soldiers were drilling.

1) Who is referred to as ‘I’ in the extract? Where was he? Why

does he think of running away?
Ans ‘I’ in the extract refers to Franz, a young school boy who is the
narrator of the story.
Franz started for school very late in the morning and was in a
great dread of a scolding especially because M. Hamel, his teacher,
had said that he would question them on participles and he did not
know the first word about them.
Franz had not learnt his lesson therefore he thought of running
away and spending the day out of doors rather than going to school
and getting punished.
2) Why does he want to spend the day outdoors? Which of his
character traits is revealed from his will?
Ans) Franz is scared because he has not learnt his lesson on participles
that was assigned by his Science teacher M. Hamel. He thought of
running away and spending the day out of doors because because it is
warm and bright. The chirping of birds at the edge of the woods and
the drilling of the Prussian soldiers in the open field tempts him more
than the rule for participles. He feels tempted to skip school to enjoy
the the pleasant weather and the freedom of being outside.
This wish reflects his carefree attitude and lack of commitment
toward his studies, revealing his tendency to procrastinate and avoid
responsibilities. Franz’s attitude also shows that he is a typical child
drawn to the joy of the present moment rather than understanding the
importance of his lessons.
3) What is the Prussian soldiers a reference to, which is revealed
later in the story? How does the presence affect the people?
Ans) The presence of the Prussian soldiers is a reference to the
Franco- Prussian War during which France was defeated and territories
like Alsace and Lorraine were annexed by Prussia. Their presence
symbolises the loss of freedom and the imposition of German
authority over the French speaking regions. It underscores the invasion
 and the oppressive control that follows, as the Prussians attempt to
enforce their language and culture on the local people. This presence
deeply affects the people of Alsace. The announcement that French will
no longer be taught and will be replaced by German shocks the
villagers, filling them with regret for not having valued their Language.
The townspeople along with M. Hamel , the teacher and Franze, the
protagonist, experience a sense of helplessness, loss and nostalgia for
their heritage. The emotional impact reflects their realisation of what
they have taken for granted and stirs a newfound respect and love for
their mother tongue.
4) What does the narrator find more tempting than the rule for
participles? Does he fall for the temptation? What does he do?
Ans) Franz thinks of skipping school as he has not prepared his lesson
on participles assigned by his teacher, M. Hamel. The bright, warm
day, the chirping of birds at the edge of the woods and the Prussian
soldiers drilling were more tempting than going to school and studying
a language about which he was completely clueless.
Franz had enough strength to resist the temptation and he
hurried off to school.
5) Explain briefly the characteristics of the person referred to as
‘I’ in the story?
Ans The person referred to as ‘I’ is Franz, a young boy from Alsace. He
was a carefree young boy, who was more excited by the chirping of the
birds and the drills off the Prussian soldiers than his French lessons.
Franz appears indifferent and reluctant about his lessons.
However, when he realises that it is the last lesson in French due to the
new order that only German will be taught, he feels a deep sadness
and regret for not taking his studies seriously.
Friends was a keen observer. He notices the changes in his
village with a keen eye. When he passed by the town hall and
observed the crowd in front of the bulletin board, he had a foreboding
that there was some bad news on the anvil. When he reached his
classroom, he saw his teacher M. Hamel in his finest outfits that he
usually wore on special occasions. He observed a change in M. Hamel’s
behaviour for he did not lecture or scold him when he reached the
class quite late.
Franz, though a young child was a perceptive boy. When M.
Hamel announced that the order has come from Berlin to teach only
German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and that a new master
would come the next day, Franz immediately realised that the bulletin
board in the town hall had contained this shocking news.
At the beginning of the story, Franz seemed to be a frivolous
child motivated by immature desires but the shocking revelations
made by his teacher, M. Hamel in his last class, totally changed him. In
fact, the impending German control over their language and culture
forced him to grow up practically instantly. He became as solemn and
sombre as the villagers who sat quietly on the back benches in his
classroom. France felt quite shattered on hearing that it would be his
last lesson in French and regretted the many hours of learning that he
had wasted in idle pursuits. Thus, from the young carefree boy who
wanted only to play in the meadow, Franz evolved into a serious young
man who understood the complex reality of the world around him.

Extract 2
My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The order
has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of
Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is
your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.

1) Who is addressing whom in this extract? How has the

narrator described his tone before the beginning of this
extract?
Ans M. Hamel is addressing his students in this extract. M Hamel
mounted his chair and in a grave and gentle tone told the children
that the order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the
schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
2) What order had come from Berlin? Why?
Ans) Set against the backdrop of the Franco Prussian war which led
to the defeat of France at the hands of Prussia (then comprising
Germany, Poland and parts of Austria), the story describes the
effects of cultural subjugation at times of war. One morning little
Franz, a school boy in the French region of Alsace, arrives at school
only to discover that the order had come from Berlin to teach only
German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
3) Who is referred to in the extract as the ‘new master’? How
would this ‘new master’ affect the people of Alsace and
Lorraine?
Ans) The new master is the German teacher who will replace M.
Hamel, the French teacher.
 French is integral to the people's identity, history and
heritage. Forcing the people to learn German means erasing their
connection to France and their cultural roots.
The importance of German reflects a form of control and
subjugation. The people feel dominated by a foreign rule, making
them feel powerless and disconnected from their heritage.
For individuals like M.Hamel and his students, it brings a
deep sense of sorrow and regret. M. Hamel, who has devoted his
life to teaching French feels that his service is ending under
humiliating circumstances and his students including Franz realise
the importance of the language only when it is about to be taken
away.
4) Why does the narrator say that it would be his last lesson?
Which lesson is he talking about?
Ans) The narrator is talking about the French lesson. Franz refers to
it as his ‘last lesson ‘ because it is the final time he will be taught
French in his school. This lesson is significant because an order from
the Prussian government has mandated that only German will be
taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine following their
annexation by Germany.
Franz’s French teacher, M. Hamel, informs the class that this
is their last French lesson, which stirs a mix of emotions in Franz
and the villagers. It symbolises a loss of identity and cultural
heritage for the people of Alsace, as language is a core part of their
connection to France. This ‘last lesson’ becomes a powerful
reminder to Franz of the importance of his language, as well as a
moment of regret for not valuing his studies.
5) Explain briefly how is ‘The Last Lesson’ an appropriate title
for the story.
Ans) The title ‘The Last Lesson ‘is appropriate for Alphose Daudet’s
story as it represents a poignant moment of finality and loss. The
story is set in a French village during the Franco – Prussian War,
when France lost the regions of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany.
The protagonist, Franz, attends his school only to learn that this will
be the last lesson taught in French as German will be imposed in
schools from the next day.
This last lesson symbolises the end of a cultural identity,
pride and freedom for the people of Alsace. It underscores the
importance of language as a vehicle of heritage and patriotism, with
M. Hamel, the teacher , imparting one final lesson with deep
 emotion and pride. Through this title, Daudet captures the sense of
irreversible change and the regret of taking one's language and
culture for granted.
The citizens of Alsace and Lorraine realised for the first time
how important it is to learn and nurture their own language. They
also learnt that their language, traditions and culture must not be
taken for granted. Their identity is lost now . Being French they did
not learn their language and now they had no option but to learn
German. It was a matter of shame for them.

Extract 3

‘ I won’t scold you, little Franz; you must feel bad enough. See how
t is ! Every day we have said to ourselves: ’Bah! I’ve plenty of time.
I’ll learn it tomorrow.’

1.What has Franz done for which M. Hamel said he would not scold
him? Why?

Franz could not recite the rules of participles that M. Hamel had instructed
them to do for homework. He did not scold Franz because he was conducting
his last class.

2. To whom is M. Hamel referring by using the pronoun ‘we’? What

is suggested by it?

M. Hamel is referring to the entire French community of Alsace

Lorraine including himself. By using the collective pronoun ‘we’ he
included himself in the reproach and pronounced himself as no better than
the villagers and his students for having put off doing their French lessons
for other tasks or frivolous activities. They did this thinking there was still
time.

3.What have they sad to themselves? What are its consequences?

The people of Alsace Lorraine had often put off learning their French
lessons thinking they still had time. Now the invading Prussians had made
teaching and learning of German compulsory in all schools of Alsace Lorraine
. The people were left with nothing but regret on having neglected their
education and thus being overcome by alien forces. They had to follow rules
and learn the language of an invading country.
4. Who are the ‘fellows’ referred to in this extract? What will they
say to them? Are they right in saying so? Give a reason to support
your answer.

The ‘fellows’ refers to the Prussan invaders. As the people of Alsace

Lorraine had often neglected learning their language, the invaders would
get an opportunity to ask them how they could claim to be French when they
did not even know their own language. They are right to a great extent. If the
people of Alsace Lorraine had known their language and culture thoroughly,
they would not have been overcome so easily by another country.

5. Explain briefly the theme indicated in this extract.

The theme indicated is the link between one’s language and cultural
identity. It was the procrastination of the study of their language that
caused the invading Prussian forces to threaten their way of living, their
identity and their culture . Without knowledge of their language, the
French would not be able to hold on to their own identity and culture.

Extract 4

Then, from one thing to another ,M. Hamel went on a talk of the
French language, saying that it was the most beautiful language in
the world – the clearest, the most logical; that we must guard it
among us 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.

1.What did M. Hamel say about the French language?

M. Hamel said that French was the most beautiful language in the world –
the clearest, the most logical . He said it was so precious for them that they
had to guard it among themselves and never forget it.

2. What happens to people when they go not learn their language? How does
the language act as a ‘key’ to the prison of the enslaved ?

M . Hamel said that people who never learn their language lose their
identity and culture. Thus is more terrifying than the physical loss of land .
He sad that 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. The best way to stand
up against the oppressive presence of the Prussians was to hold on to their
Language and culture. Speaking and writing their language would give them
a unique identity and lead them to freedom. The oppressor would give up to
see the determination of the people in their refusal to follow his rules and
language and in keeping intact their cultural identity. Thus he taught his
pupils that even without arms,they had the power to challenge their
subjugation learning their language.

3.Why did Franz feel that he was able to clearly understand the last
lesson taught by M. Hamel quite easily ? Why could not he
understand it earlier?

All that M. Hamel taught in his last lesson seemed so easy to Franz. He was
amazed to see how well he understood the lesson in grammar . He thought
too that he had earlier never listened so attentively and that M. Hamel had
never explained everything with so much patience.

4. How and why did M. Hamel put extra effort to teach the
students in his last class?

It seemed that poor M. Hamel wanted to give his students and people of
Alsace Lorraine all he knew before going away. He wanted you put it all into
their heads at one stroke because he wanted to instil in them a love of
their language which was closely linked to their cultural identity. This was
a covert way of answering the Prussians who thought they could impose
their language and culture in a foreign land and easily subjugate its people.

5. Explain how M. Hamel was a patriot , who wanted to instil

among his students, the love for their language and respect for
their country.

M. Hamel viewed his forty – year – tenure as a French teacher with deep
national pride. He regarded it as a service to his nation. He seemed to have
spent his life in teaching the youth of Alsace their language, i.e. , French
and thus tying them to their French culture and heritage. By doing so , he
tried to ensure that all his students should respect their motherland. The
occupation of Alsace by Prussia and forcing German language upon them,
was a massive blow to him. He considered it as the end of his life’s work as
he considered losing his language and culture more terrifying than the
physical loss of land. He asserted that for all the residents of Alsace ,the
French language was the best way to standup against the oppressive
presence of the Prussians. Speaking and writing their language would give
them a unique identity and lead then to freedom. He further instilled the
feeling of nationalism by giving his students an exercise to write words ,
‘France, Alsace’ over and over again. Overcome with emotion at the end of
the last lesson , M. Hamel was unable to speak , and instead wrote in large
letters on the blackboard, ‘Vive La France!’ meaning, ‘Long Live France!’.
These words suggest not only his act of resistance but also his loyalty to the
French republic in face of subjugation by the Prussians. It also shows his
indomitable allegiance to his native culture and land.

M. Hamel gave his students a lesson in patriotism and resistance to foreign

domination of their country in his last class. He defied the conquerors who
subjugated their language and culture, using only a French grammar book ,
a blackboard, and his own voice . By doing so he taught his pupils that even
without arms ,they had the power to challenge their subjugation by learning
their language and culture and keeping their patriotic fervour intact.