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The Last Lesson

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1What sights did Franz see on his way to school?

On his way to school, Franz found that the day was warm and bright. The birds were chirping at the
edge of woods; and in the open woods, the Prussian soldiers were drilling. When he passed the town
hall there was a crowd in front of the bulletin board. Franz wondered what the matter could be. But
he didn't stop to read it.

2What did Franz wonder about when he entered the class that day?
On that day there was no noise outside the class. Then he saw that M. Hamel was wearing his
beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black coat. He wore this dress on inspection and
prize distribution days. Then he saw the elderly people sitting on the back desks. All these sights
wondered Franz.

3Why were some elderly persons occupying the back benches that day?
The French districts of Alsace and Lorraine had- fallen into the hands of Prussians. The studying and
teaching of French had been banned there. M Hamel was a teacher of the French language. He had
been teaching in that school for the last forty years. Next morning he was leaving the school for
good. Therefore, the old men were sitting on the back benches. It was their way of thanking M.
Hamel for his faithful service.

4What a thunderclap these words were to me! What were those words and what was their effect on
Franz?
M. Hamel announced in the class that was his last class. The orders from Berlin had come to teach
the German language in Alsace and Lorraine. These words came as a thunderclap to Franz. Now he
started liking his books and M. Hamel in spite of his cranky nature.

5What was the mood in the classroom when M Hamel gave his last French lesson?
The mood in the classroom was that of sadness. There was a pin drop silence in the class. Even the
old people of the village had come to attend the class. They had come there to thank M. Hamel for
his forty years of service.

6Franz was able to understand everything that day. Why?


On that day Franz was able to understand quite well. All that M Hamel said seemed to him so easy.
Franz thought he had never listened so carefully and also M. Hamel had never explained everything
with so much patience.

7What happened when the clock struck twelve?


When the clock struck twelve, the sound of Angelus (a prayer) could be heard. At the same moment,
the trumpets of the Prussians returning from drill, sounded the windows. M Hamel got up and wrote
on the blackboard in very large letters 'Long Live France!'.

What did M. Hamel?


M. Hamel now knew it was the time to dismiss the school. He stood up. He was looking very pale. He
wanted to say something but he was so full of emotions that he couldn't speak anything. He took a
piece of chalk and wrote on the blackboard 'Long Live France!'

8Franz thinks, "Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?" what does this mean?
This means that Prussians may thrust their language on the French people. They can also ban the
studying and teaching of French. But they can never take away from them their love for the French
language.

Adults play a very important role in motivating the young learners to take education seriously. They
have went through this stage and can guide us in the right track through their experience. This can
also be seen in the lesson “ The Last Lesson” by Alphanso Daudet. This story is of a boy Franz who
took his studies as a burden and a teacher M.Hamel who took the noble profession like teaching to
be a joke. However, during the latter part of the story, it was M.Hamel only who gave rise to a
feeling of remorse in the mind of Franz not to take the french language seriously and went on
praising the language to be the most logical and clear. With this, one can see that it was M.Hamel
who motivated young Franz to think nice about the language and pay his complete undivided
attention on the Last Lesson. Moreover, the story emphasizes the importance of inspirational figures
like Mr. Hamel in shaping students’ attitudes towards learning. The dedication and passion exhibited
by the teacher leave a lasting impact on Franz, highlighting the role of adults in motivating students
and instilling a love for education. The story also underscores the crucial role played by adults,
particularly passionate and dedicated teachers, in inspiring and motivating students to actively
engage in their education.

The change in Franz’s attitude towards learning seems realistic in the context of the story. Initially,
Franz is depicted as a careless and disinterested student who takes his education for granted. He
sees his French lessons as a burden and fails to appreciate the value of his native language.
However, as Franz attends his last lesson, he witnesses a significant transformation in his mindset.
The emotional impact of Mr. Hamel’s final lecture and the realization that he will no longer have the
opportunity to learn French motivate Franz to appreciate the value of education. He regrets his
previous indifference and vows to be more dedicated in his studies. The change in Franz’s attitude is
realistic because it reflects the common human tendency to value something more when it is about
to be taken away. The sudden realization of the loss of his language and the emotional connection
formed with his teacher evoke a sense of regret and a desire to make amends. In conclusion, the
change in Franz’s attitude in “The Last Lesson” seems realistic as it reflects the common human
tendency to value something more when it is about to be lost.

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