The last lesson 12th

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Chapter:1 The last lesson

Summary of The Last Lesson

Prussia defeated France in the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871. They captured


certain districts of France and decided to reign over them. The Last Lesson is a story,
by French writer Alphonse Daudet, about the last day of school in the district of Alsace
during the Franco-Prussian war. It is about realising the value of freedom we generally
take for granted. The school’s teacher, M. Hamel, makes his last class memorable with
strong words and gestures, invoking patriotism in all present at the premises.

The Last Lesson Summary

The narrator of the story is Franz – a student in the class of M. Hamel. One morning
Franz was late for school. His teacher, M. Hamel, had told his class that he would be
asking questions on participles on that day. Franz felt like bunking school for a moment.
But he resisted the urge and went to school. On his way to school, he saw people
clustered in front of the bulletin board, and, as usual, he assumed that there was some
bad news. It had been happening since Prussia annexed their district of Alsace.

The day felt unusual compared to regular days, as there was no commotion in the
classroom. Everything was quiet, and instead of being scolded by M. Hamel, Franz was
asked to go to his seat quickly. He noticed something odd about his teacher. M. Hamel
was not wearing his usual clothes – he wore extravagant clothes only meant for school
inspection or prize days. Another odd thing that day about the school was that most of
the villagers, including the former mayor, former postmaster, etc., were sitting on the
back benches and looked sad.

As the class began, the teacher, M. Hamel, announced that this was his last French
lesson for his students as the Prussians had announced that French would no longer be
taught in schools. Franz felt a sudden pang of remorse. He realised what the bad news
on the bulletin board was: French was no longer to be taught in schools. Franz felt sorry
about bunking his classes and not bothering about his lessons. He realised the villagers
had come there to pay their respects to M. Hamel’s forty years of service as a teacher.
It was also about showing respect for their country, which was not theirs anymore.

When it was Franz’s turn to recite, M. Hamel was patient. He did not scold Franz. He
went on to discuss their district’s problem – the assumption that they always had plenty
of time. That is how the students lagged in their lessons – because they had taken their
freedom and time for granted. Then M. Hamel blamed himself and Franz’s parents for
making him do chores rather than letting him focus on his studies. M. Hamel went on to
talk about the beauty of French – their mother tongue – and how everyone should hold
on to it even if it were not taught at schools. He explained that when people are
enslaved, the only key to redeeming their freedom is the common language that they
share. He had brought new copies for the students and decorated the classroom for
them.

Franz felt that everything his teacher was teaching was lucid and easy to understand.
He blamed himself for not listening to the lessons properly. Franz discovered that M.
Hamel was supposed to leave the country. He realised how difficult it must have been
for his teacher to leave a place he had stayed and served in for forty years. As the clock
struck twelve and the Prussians blew their trumpets, the class ended, and M. Hamel said
goodbye to his class by writing ‘Vive La France’ on the blackboard since he was too
emotional to speak. He leaned his head against the wall and made a gesture with his
hand – implying that the school was dismissed.

Conclusion of The Last Lesson

The story ends on a very sentimental note. On the one hand, the citizens of Alsace were
disappointed about losing their freedom under the reign of the Prussians. But also, on
the other hand, they had come to realise what they were going to miss – the freedom
and the privilege of learning their language, both of which they had taken for granted.
The Last Lesson Class 12 summary shows how the teacher’s departure inspires
patriotism in the villagers at the end of the story. We can see how the citizens of Alsace
are getting ready for a new tomorrow of bitter realities by showing exceptional mental
resolve.

Frequently asked Questions on CBSE Class 12 English The Last

lesson

Q1

Who is the writer of ‘The Last Lesson’?


The writer for ‘The Last Lesson’ is a French novelist and short-story writer Alphonse
Daudet.

Q2

What is the central theme of ‘The Last Lesson’?

The Last Lesson gives us a moral that we should not take our freedom or any other
thing we have for free in a granted manner because we never know when we might be
deprived of those privileges.

Q3

Why does M. Hamel talk about continuing to learn the French

language?

M. Hamel emphasises continuing to learn the French language even if it is not taught at
schools because knowing a language is like finding a key to freedom for people
enslaved by a foreign entity.

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