The Last Lesson

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THEME

Through ‘The Last Lesson’, the story highlights the effects of the Franco-Prussian war on the culture and language of the people of France, particularly Alsace and Loraine. Through the oppression of the Prussians, the author also talks about the love for one’s language and country. The story focuses on the pain of the people of Alsace and Loraine who are forced to learn German instead of their own mother tongue as a repressive order. It brings forth the idea of guarding one’s identity which is incomplete without having the freedom of speaking and learning one’s mother tongue. As pointed out by M. Hamel to his pupils that since they have been reluctant to learn their language, the Prussians will mock them for being Frenchmen who can neither speak nor write their own language. It is Hamel’s way of instructing them to hold on to their language and culture.

Another theme is the realization of Franz to have learnt his mother tongue rather than wasting his time. It lays emphasis on the value of time and giving importance to a thing when there is a fear of losing it. Man has a tendency to procrastinate and sometimes the time that slips out of one’s hand cannot be retrieved. This is what happens with Franz. Not only Franz but the elders of the region have also not given time to learn their language. Their being present in M. Hamel’s last class reflects their remorse at not valuing education. Suddenly, everyone is so keen to learn and find themselves diligently working in their notebooks.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

1. The people in the story ‘The Last Lesson’ suddenly realized how precious their language was to them. What indicates this to you?

The repressive order on the bulletin-board conveyed that French would no longer be taught in the schools of Alsace. It would be replaced by German in schools. As a consequence of this order, M. Hamel, the French teacher, received an order to leave the town. That day Franz found the school to be unusually silent. There was no commotion, no moving of desks and no recitation of lessons. Even the elders of the town were sitting on the last benches in the classroom, with wet eyes, to attend the last lesson in French, which was delivered by M. Hamel before going. This indicated their love for their language and country. Also they regretted their careless attitude towards learning their language, thinking they had enough time.

M. Hamel rightly pointed this out in the story when he said that mostly people realize the importance of something or somebody when they lose it. The same happened with the people of Alsace.

2. What makes Franz think, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What is its implication?

The repressive order of the Prussians to teach German in schools makes Franz wonder whether even the pigeons would be made to sing in German. This highlights the extent of authority and dominance that Prussians wanted to have on the French. It implies that Germans can never succeed to subjugate their soul & their inherent love for their mother tongue and their country just as they cannot make pigeons sing in German.

3. Franz had not been a diligent student. Support your answer with evidence from the story ‘The Last Lesson’.

Franz, a young school going boy, doesn't like to go to school. He is quite interested in staying outdoors, listening to the chirping of birds, seeking birds eggs or sliding on the Saar. Books had always seemed a burden to him. He had never learned his lessons and had cut a sorry figure in front of M. Hamel because of his casual approach. That day when he was late to the school, it was because he had not learned the rules of participles that M. Hamel was to ask in the class. He was thinking of running away and spending the day outdoors rather than going to school. Thus, it is true that Franz had not been a diligent student.

4. “What a thunderclap these words were to me!” What were the words that shocked

and surprised the narrator & why?

M. Hamel’s announcement that it was his last French lesson because of the repressive order that came from Berlin, came as a thunderclap to the narrator. The teacher further informed his pupils that from the next day they would be taught German by a new master, who would be joining the next day. Franz had never expected anything like this. He realized that he didn’t even know how to write as he had never paid attention to his lessons.

5. What brought the villagers to the classroom on the day of the last lesson? What did Franz see when he passed the town hall?

The villagers came to know about the order from Berlin to teach German in schools instead of French from the bulletin board. It came as a shock for everyone and they regretted taking their lessons lightly. It also meant that it was the last day of their teacher, M. Hamel, who had given 40 years of dedicated service teaching the villagers their mother tongue. So, on the day of the last lesson, the villagers occupied the back benches of the class as a mark of respect for the teacher and their love and loyalty towards their mother tongue.

6. While admonishing his pupils for their lack of sincerity towards their classes, M. Hamel also holds himself responsible for taking his lessons lightly. Elaborate.

Or

“We’ve all got a great deal to reproach ourselves with”, said M Hamel. Comment.

While admonishing his pupils for their lack of sincerity towards their classes, M. Hamel also held himself responsible for not taking his lessons seriously. The teacher felt that along with the children, even the adults including him were to be blamed for taking the time in hand lightly. Sometimes when he wanted to go fishing, he had given his students an off and had at many times asked them to water his plants during the class. Even the adults in the village have preferred to send their children to work at farms and mills over school. This remark of M. Hamel reveals his repentance and regret for the missed opportunity on both sides.

7. What was the significance of the words written by Hamel on the board before dismissing his last class?

Before dismissing his last class, M. Hamel wrote ‘Viva La France’ on the blackboard. It meant ‘Long Live France’. The words written by him on the blackboard in the backdrop of marching Prussian soldiers, bring forth his patriotic feelings for his country. He wanted to instill the same among his pupils. Before leaving he urged them to uphold their culture and language, as respecting their mother tongue and not giving up on their culture would only be the key to their freedom.

8. How did Franz react to M. Hamel’s announcement? Or

“This is your last lesson”. How did Franz react to this declaration of M Hamel?

Franz was shocked to the core. He had never expected something like that to happen. French was his mother tongue, how could it not be taught in schools? Therefore, when M. Hamel announced that it was their last lesson, he realized that he hardly knew how to write and now there was no chance for him to learn further. He regretted wasting his time seeking birds’ eggs and just roaming around. His books that were a burden for him a moment ago, seemed to be his old friends whom he couldn’t give up. The idea that he wouldn’t be able to see his teacher, M. Hamel again, made him like M. Hamel. He forgot everything about his ruler and his crankiness. After the announcement, he got his answer for the Sunday clothes that M. Hamel was wearing.

9. What did M. Hamel tell his students in his last class? How did the students react?

Since it was the last lesson of M. Hamel after the order from Berlin to teach German in the schools of Alsace, he wanted to give his best to his pupils. But he was a little upset also as many, including Franz had not paid attention to the French lessons previously and now they had lost the chance to learn it. Sometimes, he too had taken his classes lightly and he blamed himself also for the same. He told the people sitting there that their habit of postponing learning thinking that there was enough time was going to cost them their identity. He praised the French language to be the most beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world. He encouraged everyone sitting in his class to guard their language and never forget it, because he added when people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the key to their prison.

The students that day, including the adults, were in a solemn mood. They listened to the last lesson of M. Hamel with complete attention and M. Hamel also explained everything patiently. Franz understood each and every word of M. Hamel that day. He regretted not paying due attention to his lessons before. Even the adults sitting at the back felt sad and a few cried at their careless attitude towards education.

10. That day everything was as quiet as Sunday morning. How & why were things different that day? Or

What unusual events did Franz notice that day?

That day was an unusual day. First Franz met a huge crowd in front of a bulletin board in town hall, which he ignored because he was getting late to school. When he approached his school, everything was as quiet as Sunday morning. Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street, the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated loudly in unison, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But that day was different, everything was still, dead silent to be precise. Franz, who had counted on the commotion to enter the class unnoticed, had to enter with all eyes on him.

Later when he had settled at his seat, he realized that his teacher was dressed in his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered. He always wore this dress on special occasions, like the inspection and prize days. He also saw village people sitting quietly on the back benches, which was strange for him as usually they remained empty. As he wondered, the announcement from M. Hamel made everything clear. M. Hamel informed his pupils that it was their last lesson in French that day as an order had come from Berlin to teach only German in schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He also told them that their new master would be coming the next day and that it was his last day with them.

11. To the people of Alsace, the bulletin board served as a symbol of oppression and deprivation. Elucidate.

The Prussians had captured Alsace and wanted to have complete control on its people. It was the bulletin board through which oppressive notices were served to the people of Alsace. For the last two years all the bad news had come from there — the lost battles, the draft, the orders of the commanding officer and much more. The notice of prohibition of teaching French in the schools of Alsace was also served to the people through it. This notice was an attempt to capture the souls of the people, to attack their identity and culture. Thus, it was a symbol of oppression and deprivation for the people of Alsace.

12. Comment on the role of parents in instilling the importance of education among their children. Write it in reference to the chapter ‘The Last Lesson’.

Parents are the first teachers of their children and their home is their first school. Thus, the values instilled by parents in their children go a long way in shaping their personality. Parents have to make their children realize the importance of education by being their role models. They themselves have to value & respect it before expecting the same from their children. But the parents of Alsace were themselves not serious about the importance of education. They found it better to send their children to the mills or for work on a farm to earn a little more money. Thus, when the parents had such a casual approach towards school, how could children like Franz have shown interest in learning and going to school?

13. Discuss the character sketch of Franz.

Franz, a young school going boy, is the narrator of the story ‘The Last Lesson’. Like many other boys of his age, he doesn’t like going to school. He is not much interested in studies and therefore not very particular in attending school. Rather he wishes to miss school and spend time outdoors amidst beautiful nature. He doesn’t value education and is not sincere in learning even his mother tongue, leave aside other subjects. He dreads M. Hamel, his French teacher for being strict with him. Most of the time he has not learned his lessons and cuts a sorry figure in front of his teacher. To him M. Hamel is cranky. When he comes to know from the teacher that it was his last French lesson because of the order from Berlin, he is shaken to the core. It seems to him as if time has slipped from his hands. He still has so much to learn. A sudden realization dawns upon him and he regrets wasting his time and not paying attention to his lessons. Sitting in the class on the last day, he finds M. Hamel’s lecture interesting and everything appears to be so simple to him. Though Franz awakens to the importance of education and time, it is late for him to learn his lessons. As M. Hamel points out in the story that a thing is valued only when we lose it, Franz also doesn’t want his teacher to go. He wants to learn his mother tongue from M. Hamel. His troubled mind argues whether even the pigeons will be forced to sing in German. This highlights his patriotic feelings and his love for his mother tongue. He wins the appreciation of the reader in the end when he displays his eagerness to imbibe everything his teacher has to say. Adversity converts him into a conscientious student.

14. Briefly discuss the character sketch of M. Hamel.

M. Hamel teaches French in a school in Alsace. He has given 40 years of dedicated service to the school. He loves his work and lives in a room just above his classroom. He loves gardening and has a small garden outside his classroom. He also loves fishing and sometimes gives a day off to his students when he has to go fishing. He accepts that he has not been diligent all the time. At times he asks his students to water his plants during his class. He is a strict teacher and students find him to be cranky. He is respected by the elderly people in the village. During his last lesson in French, even the adults of the village come to attend his class to show their respect to him and to make up for the time wasted by them in postponing their learning. The way he encourages everyone in the class to hold fast to their language and culture highlights his love and patriotic feelings for his language and country. Though he has to leave the next day, he finds it to be his duty to utilize the time in hand in delivering his last lesson to his pupils. Praising the French language for its clarity and calling it to be the most logical in the world, he appeals to the people to guard it. His true nature can be summed up from the last words that he writes on the board in the presence of the Prussian soldiers outside. His presence on the last day in his special attire and the zeal with which he delivers his last lecture, motivates the villagers to guard their language.

15. What do the marching Prussians soldiers outside the classroom signify?

The marching Prussian soldiers outside the classroom symbolize the win of the Prussians over France (Alsace). It also signifies the attack of the Prussians on the language, hence the culture, of France in an attempt to have complete control on the people. It indicates a threat to the identity of the people of Alsace.

16. How is the last lesson delivered by M. Hamel suggestive of a new beginning for Franz?

Franz is a carefree school going boy who loves to be away from school. He doesn’t prepare his lessons and thus becomes a subject of his teacher’s wrath. He finds spending time out of doors amidst nature, seeking birds eggs and listening to the chirping of birds more interesting than the lessons of M. Hamel. But when he comes to know about the order from Berlin that stated that only German would be taught in schools of Alsace, he is shocked. He reckons that he hardly knows how to write French and will never be able to learn it. He feels sorry for not paying attention to his lessons when it was time. He had always taken it for granted. As he listens to M. Hamel’s last lesson attentively, he finds everything to be so easy. Even his teacher doesn’t seem to be cranky. His books that were a burden for him appears to be old friends. He wants to make amends and learn everything from his teacher. He realizes the value of time and importance of learning. Thus it serves as a new beginning for him.

17. What did the order from Berlin meant for-

1. The people of Alsace

2. Franz as a student

• The people of Alsace

The order from Berlin indicated the extent of control that the Prussian government wanted over the people of Alsace. It was a step to take away all freedoms from them, one being the freedom to express themselves in their mother tongue. By banning the learning of French in the schools of Alsace & replacing it with German, they wanted to take away their identity and attack their culture.

• Franz as a student

As a student, Franz is shocked to know that he would no longer be able to learn French. He had been a negligent student and had never learned his lessons as indicated by the fact that he did not learn the rule for participles given as homework by M. Hamel. He realizes that he didn’t even know how to write in French properly and that he had been wasting his time. He is awakened to the fact that there was so much more for him to learn. With this awakening came a new appreciation for his teacher, M. Hamel. He could understand each and every word his teacher said. The teacher explained everything with utmost patience as it was his last lesson and Franz wanted to grab every bit of knowledge that the teacher had to offer that day. But it was late by the time Franz realized it.

18. What does the words “Alsace, France” written on the notebooks by M. Hamel indicate?

The words indicate M. Hamel’s patriotic feelings for his country. It also indicates his aim to instill a sense of patriotism in his pupils. The words indicate his lack of acceptance of the Prussians' claim over France and Alsace. With it he gave a message to his pupils that whatever the circumstances, Alsace belonged to France and they must guard their language.

19. What is the significance of the last words ‘Vive La France’ written by M. Hamel on the board?

M. Hamel was so overwhelmed by emotions in the end that he could speak his parting words to his pupils. So he wrote ‘Vive La France’ meaning ‘Long Live France’ on the board before dismissing his class. M. Hamel refused to surrender to the oppressive powers of the Prussians and expressed his loyalty to his country. Through these words, he also wanted to arouse the feelings of patriotism among his pupils and remind them to hold fast to their language as a mark of their identity and a key to their freedom.

20. What is the significance of the church clock striking twelve in the end?

The church clock strikes twelve at the end which is an indication of the recital of the Angelus, a Catholic prayer. At the same moment the trumpets of the Prussian soldiers returning from their drill are heard. The moment captures two contrasting forces; peace and war, faith and oppression signifying man’s hunger for power as opposed to devotion and harmony.

21. The story ‘The Last Lesson’ is all about linguistic chauvinism. Discuss. Do you think M. Hamel’s views about the French language can be categorized by ‘chauvinism’?

One’s language is a national identity. A common language is what binds the people of a nation amidst their political, economic, social and even individual diversities. The lesson ‘The Last Lesson’ strongly voices this nationalistic feeling of the people of Alsace. It also points at the feelings of patriotism & love for one’s language, when the Prussians force German language on the people of Alsace.

Linguistic chauvinism means unreasonable belief that your language is better and superior than others. The order from Berlin is a representation of ‘linguistic chauvinism’ and the use of repressive powers by them. The Prussians had acquired two districts of France, Alsace and Lorraine, and wanted to subjugate the people completely by taking away their identity i.e. their language.

TITLE

The last lesson in the story ‘The Last Lesson’ is significant on many fronts. Franz on his way to school is not aware of what that day has in store for him. But when he comes to know that it is his last lesson in French and the last lesson of M. Hamel also, it is a thunderclap for him. The change is because of an order from Berlin which stated that German would replace French in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This announcement shocks Franz and he regrets missing his lessons and taking them lightly. He realizes that he has so much more to learn & write and it cannot be completed in that last lesson. Also he finds the last lesson of M. Hamel interesting. He had never ever enjoyed his lessons before or listened to him so carefully. Moreover a few villagers (representing Alsace) were also present there, who too regretted as they had preferred to send their children to farm to raise an extra income than send them to school.

Knowing it to be his last lesson, M. Hamel puts his heart and soul into it and tries to give away whatever knowledge he has to his pupils. The last lesson is unique in itself, with village elders sitting along with children in the class and listening attentively to the lesson as if it were the last lesson, and it actually was their last. They become aware of their habit of postponing their learning & taking things for granted and want to amend it. The last lesson is a reminder for their lost opportunity to learn their mother tongue. Through his last lesson, M. Hamel instills in them love for their native language and makes them conscious of the fact that their language is their identity. Any encroachment on it is like capturing their soul. The Prussians were imposing German on them in an attempt to subjugate them. He suggests that they should hold fast to their language as it would be their key to freedom. Thus, the last lesson forms the seat of all action. Therefore the title is apt.