The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet - answer prepared by Mr. Rupjyoti Goswami
1. How long did M. Hamel teach in his school? HS-2022
Ans:- M. Hamel taught for forty years in his school.
2. Where were the birds chirping?
Ans:- The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods/forests.
3. What is the name of the blacksmith mentioned in story 'The Last Lesson'? HS-2018, 2022
Ans:- Wachter.
4. Where did the order to teach German come from?
Ans:- The order to teach German came from Berlin.
5. What is the name of the river mentioned in "The Last Lesson"? HS-2019
Ans:- The Saar
6. What did M. Hamel write at the end of the class? HS-2015, 2019
Ans:- M. Hamel wrote "Vive La France" at the end of the class.
7. What did M.Hamel do when he wanted to go fishing? HS-2013
Ans:- M.Hamel declared a holiday for his pupils when he wanted to go fishing.
8. "I started for school very late that morning''. Who is "I" here? HS-2012, 2016
Ans:- "I" here is little Franz, a schoolboy from the border district of Alsace in France.
9. What did M.Hamel write at the end of the class? HS-2015, 2019
Ans:- At the end of the class, M.Hamel wrote "Vive La France!" on the blackboard.
10. Whose words were "a thunderclap" to little Franz?
Ans:- M.Hamel's words about teaching his pupils the last lesson in French were "a thunderclap" to little Franz.
12. Where were the Prussian soldiers drilling?
Ans:- The Prussian soldiers were drilling in the open field back of the sawmill.
13. What did M.Hamel say at the end of the class?
Ans:- M.Hamel declared the dismissal of school at the end of the class.
14. How did M.Hamel declare the dismissal of school?
Ans:- M.Hamel declared the dismissal of school with a gesture of his hand.
15. What did Franz think 'for a moment'? HS-2016
Ans:- For a moment, Franz thought of running away and spending the day out of doors.
16. What is the 'great trouble with Alsace'? HS-2018, 2022
Ans:-The 'great trouble with Alsace' is the public tendency to postpone learning on the pretext of having plenty of time.
17. What is the "key to their prison" when people are enslaved?
Ans:- When people are enslaved, the "key to their prison" is preservation of the mother tongue.
18. What was M.Hamel's sister doing on the day of the last lesson in French?
Ans:-On the day of the last lesson in French, M.Hamel's sister was packing their luggage and belongings in the balcony.
19. Why did M.Hamel stammer towards the end of the last lesson in French?
Ans:-M.Hamel was overpowered with sadness for having to leave his school forever. So, he stammered towards the end of the last lesson in French.
20. What was the "thunderclap" to little Franz?
Ans:-M.Hamel's declaration that they were going to learn their last lesson in French that day was the "thunderclap"to little Franz.
21. what would Franz love to do that sunny morning instead of going to school? HS-2022, 2019
Or
Why did little Franz want to spend his day out of doors? HS-2012, 2017
Ans:- On that sunny morning Franz would love to spend his day out of doors instead of going to school. He would like to look for birds' egg, to go sliding the river Saar.
22. What was much more tempting than the rule for participles?
Ans:-The beautiful world outside M.Hamel's school campus was much more tempting than the rule for participles.
23. Who was with the blacksmith/Wachter when he was reading the bulletin?
Ans:- The apprentice was with the blacksmith when he was reading the bulletin.
24. Why did Wachter tell Franz that he would reach school in plenty of time?
(OR) Why did Wachter, the blacksmith, tell Franz that he would reach school in "Plenty of time"?
Ans:- Wachter got to know that there would be no more classes in M.Hamel's school due to an order from Berlin forbidding the teaching of the French language in Alsace and Lorraine. So, he said these words to Franz.
25. What did M.Hamel tell Franz when he entered the classroom?
Ans:- When Franz entered the classroom, M.Hamel told him to go his place quickly. He looked like expressing regret for having to beg in the class without him.
26. Who was wearing a "three-cornered" hat in the classroom?
Ans:- Old Hauser was wearing a three-cornered hat in the classroom.
27. How did Franz react to M.Hamel's declaration/announcement of teaching his pupils the last lesson in French? 2/3 marks
Ans:-Franz was overcome with sorrow and repentance when he got to know that M.Hamel was going to teach them the last lesson in French. He regretted missing those classes for the sake of trivial pleasures. He immediately realized how uselessly he had spent his precious time in seeking birds' eggs and going sliding on the Saar. From that moment, he began to consider his books as old friends that couldn't be given up.
28. What lesson do you learn from the story "The Last Lesson'? HS-2022
Ans:- It teaches us that sometimes we take for granted the most precious things of our lives and we realize their importance only when we have lose them. 'The Last Lesson' highlights the importance of one's own native language and the necessity to learn it.
29. What made little Franz forget about M.Hamel's ruler and his cranky nature?
Ans:- Little Franz became very emotional at the idea that M.Hamel was going to leave the school forever and there would be no possibility of meeting him again. This made him forget about his ruler and his cranky nature.
30. How did M.Hamel react to Franz's inability to say the rules for participles?
Ans:- M.Hamel abstained from scolding Franz at his inability to say the rules for participles. Instead, he blamed the people of Alsace for their habit of postponing learning till another day. The complacency of the people about having "plenty of time" for reading, was their weakness and M.Hamel was severe on it.
31. What were the changes that occurred/took place in M.Hamel's school during his forty years of service?
Ans:- During his forty years of service, only a few changes occurred in M.Hamel's school. Firstly, the desks and benches had been worn smooth with the passage of time. Secondly, the walnut trees in the garden grew taller. Finally, the hopvine that M.Hamel had planted himself, twined about the windows to the roof.
Broad Questions' Answers
32. Draw a character sketch of M. Hamel as it is shown in 'The Last Lesson'. Marks-5 HS-2016
Ans:- M. Hamel looks like a traditional school master with a 'terrible' iron ruler under his arm. He is accustomed to reprimanding pupils whenever they fail to satisfy him with their learning. However M. Hamel's character undergoes a drastic change after the proclamation of an order from Berlin validating the teaching of German in the French speaking districts of Alsace and Lorraine. He becomes sentimental when he declares that he is going to teach his last lesson in French. He becomes lenient with his pupils and abstains from scolding Franz for coming late and for failing to make any progress with his studies. M. Hamel has completed 40 years of faithful service in the same school and this is why he is held in high esteem by the students and elderly people of the village. He blames the students and elders for their indifference to learning their mother tongue and their habit of procrastinating learning. He also holds himself morally responsible for their miserable knowledge of French because he used to engage them in his flower garden and gave them a holiday when he went out for fishing. Hamel is a reflective and patriotic person who considers French to be the most beautiful language in the world and calls upon the Frenchmen to preserve it among them.
33. How does M. Hamel make the people realize how they the students and he have been responsible for not learning their language well? Marks-5
Ans:- On the day of the last lesson in French, M. Hamel wears his ceremonial dress which he used to wear on inspection and prize giving days. The order from Berlin made it mandatory for the French speaking people of Alsace and Lorraine to learn German. Therefore everyone was sad and aggrieved. M. Hamel was surprisingly soft and lenient with his pupils on the day of the last lesson in French, but he spared nobody from his criticism. He accuses the people of Alsace of neglecting their mother tongue. He blames the people for procrastinating learning. He chides the people who pretend to be Frenchmen, but can neither speak nor write their own language. He criticizes the parents for engaging their children on a farm or at the mills for money instead of sending them to school. Hamel holds himself morally responsible for neglecting his teaching responsibilities. He sent the students quite often to water his flowers instead of making the best use of their precious time. He gave them a holiday when he went out for fishing. Thus he lays bare everyone's faults for not learning their lessons well.
34. Why did Franz want to spend his day out of doors?
(or) What was much more tempting for Franz than going to school and why? Marks2/3
Ans:- Franz was very late for school on the day of the last lesson in French. He was already afraid of being questioned by M.Hamel on participles because he did not know the first letter about them. He was sure to face a scolding from M.Hamel. In comparison to this the world outside seemed to be very attractive. The bright weather, woods, fields, chirping of birds and the military drill of the Prussian soldiers almost tempted him to spend his day out of doors. But his conscience worked otherwise and he hurried off to school.
35. What had been put up on the bulletin board? Marks 2/3
Ans:- Every important news or public announcement was put up on the bulletin board. For the last two years since German occupation, the bulletin board had been the source of all their bad news'. A new order from Berlin, making it mandatory for the French speaking people of Alsace and Lorraine to learn German,was displayed on the board. It was humiliating for the people who gathered around the board to see it.
36. What was the commotion that Franz anticipated in the classroom? Marks- 2/3
Ans:- The commotion that Franz anticipated in the classroom was the usual sound of opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison and the teacher's great ruler rapping on the table. Such sounds were too loud to miss on other days.
37. What was Franz expected to be prepared with that day? HS-2015
Ans:- Franz was expected to be prepared with the basic knowledge of participles to answer M.Hamel's questions. Ironically, Franz did not know the first word about them due to his negligence and lack of preparation. So, a scolding was all that he expected from M.Hamel under such circumstance.
38. What is the great trouble with Alsace? HS-2022, 2020, 2018
(Or) What, according to M. Hamel is the great trouble with Alsace?
Ans:- According to M.Hamel, the great trouble with Alsace is the indifference of people and students to learning. They have a habit of procrastinating learning on many pretexts. There are people who pretend to be Frenchmen, but can neither speak nor write their mother tongue.
39. Why did M. Hamel not blame Franz alone for his in ability to learn? HS-2017, 2020
(Or)
How does M. Hamel make the people realize how they, the students and he have been responsible for not learning their language well?
Ans:- M. Hamel did not blame Franz alone for his inability to learn because many other factors were responsible for the pathetic plight of the French language. An uninspiring environment is created by parents who engage their children on a farm or at the mills instead of sending them to school. He also held himself morally responsible because he used to send them to water his flowers or gave them a holiday when he went out on a fishing expedition.
40. How does M. Hamel pay a tribute to the French language?
(or) What are M.Hamel's views about the French language? HS-2016, 2013, 2012
Ans:- On the day of the last lesson in French, M.Hamel becomes upset. He becomes too emotional to teach.He declares that French is the most beautiful language in the world. It is the clearest and most logical of all languages. He makes a passionate appeal to the people to guard it among themselves and never forget it. As long as people hold fast to their language, they have the key to freedom. Hence they must love and respect their own language.
41. What was the order from Berlin? How did it affect the people of Alsace, particularly, M. Hamel and his students?
(or) How did the order from Berlin change the situation in the school? Marks-5
Ans:- The order from Berlin made it mandatory for the French speaking people of Alsace and Lorraine to learn German instead of French. The order hurt the pride of the people and gave birth to patriotic feelings and a love for the French language. They were so overpowered with emotion and sorrow that the elderly people of the village sat on the back benches with the students. They had come to show their respect for M.Hamel for his forty years of dedicated service to the community and his passionate attachment to the school. M.Hamel loved the French language from the core of his heart and therefore he could not bear anybody (not even himself) neglecting the language. The great trouble with the people of Alsace was their negligence and indifference to their own language. He took the people to task for engaging their children on a farm or at the mills regardless of its bad impact on their education. He held himself morally responsible for keeping children busy in gardening at the cost of their education. Hamel had a high opinion of the French language and called it the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and the most logical language. He called upon the people to guard it among themselves. Their language was the key to their liberation. People came under the positive influence of M. Hamel's words and they began to rediscover their love for their language.
42. Why did M.Hamel write "Viva La France"before dismissing his class? Marks-2/3
Ans:- M.Hamel's 'last lesson' to his students and the villagers was quite an emotional and heartrending experience. The presence of elderly people inside the classroom is a public acknowledgement of his forty years of faithful service to the community. M.Hamel's words aroused patriotic feelings among the villagers and students. He made them realize how precious was their language to them. No attempt to impose German on the French speaking people of Alsace would succeed in future. So he wrote"Viva LA France"on the blackboard as a message of hope, strength and patriotism.
43. Describe the unusual things that Franz noticed on the day of the last lesson. Marks-5 HS-2013
(Or) Give a detailed account of the scene in the class room on the day of the last lesson. HS-2017, 2015
(or) How did Franz spend the day of the last lesson at school.
(or) How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the day of the last lesson? HS-2022
Ans:- On the day of the last lesson, several unusual things came to Franz's notice. The usual commotion caused by the opening and closing of desks,loud reading of lessons and the teacher's great ruler rapping on the table,was not heard on that day. The whole school appeared to be quite solemn and strange. He was also surprised at the soft and lenient voice of M.Hamel who used to scold students on the slightest pretext. Moreover he was wearing his ceremonial apparel which he wore only on inspection and prize giving days. The most surprising of all things was the presence of the elderly people of the village inside the classroom. The back benches which were always empty were occupied by the village elders that included the former mayor the former postmaster and several others. Franz became sad and conscience stricken when M.Hamel declared that he was going to teach the last lesson in French. When it was Franz's turn to recite the rules on participles, he got mixed up on the first words, but to his surprise M. Hamel did not reprimand him. These were some of the unusual things noticed by Franz on the day of the last lesson.
44. Franz thinks"Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?" What does this tell about the attitude of the Frenchmen? HS-2018
Ans:- The Frenchmen showed their strong dislike and resentment against the order from Berlin imposing German on the French speaking people of Alsace. It was quite humiliating for them. It replenished them with a passionate love for their language. The pigeons cooing very low on the roof made Franz wonder if they would make even the pigeons sing in German.
45. How did Franz's feelings about M.Hamel and the school change?
(or) What changes came over little Franz after he heard M. Hamel's announcement of the last lesson in French?
Ans:- Franz was shocked and surprised when M.Hamel expressed his intention of teaching the last lesson in French. He was pained to know that he would never learn French anymore. He was sorry for wasting his precious time in search of birds' eggs or moving on the banks of the Saar. Books were no longer a nuisance but his 'old friends'. The thought that M.Hamel was going away forever,made him soft towards him. He forgot all about his ruler and also how cranky he was.
46. What did Franz think 'for a moment'?
Ans:- Franz was mesmerized by the love and concern shown by the students and village elders towards their native language. He also became sad to realize that it was their last lesson in French. The sound of pigeons cooing very low on the roof made him wonder if they would make them sing in German. He began to nurture a deep love for for his native language.
47. "We've all a great deal to reproach ourselves with". Why did M.Hamel blame the parents, and himself too for not showing due attention and care to the learning of French?
Ans:- M.Hamel criticized the people of Alsace for remaining indifferent to the learning of their native language, French. Many of them could neither read nor write their own language. He chided the parents for engaging their children on a farm or at the mills regardless of the importance of education. He also held himself morally responsible for occasional lapses in his teaching responsibilities.
48. Describe the unusual things that took place on the day of the last lesson in French.
Ans:- Many surprises were waiting for Franz on the day of the last lesson in French. The usual commotion caused by the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison and the teacher's great ruler rapping on the table was not heard. M.Hamel did not scold Franz for being late to school. He advised him in a lenient voice to go to his place quickly. Moreover he was wearing his ceremonial dress which he never wore except on inspection and prize-giving days. However, the most surprising of all things was the presence of the elderly people of the village on the back benches of the classroom. Each of them looked sad. M.Hamel did not scold Franz for his inability to recite the rules of participles. These were some unusual things noticed by Franz.
49. How did M.Hamel behave on the day of the last lesson?
(or) Describe M.Hamel's behaviour on the day of the last lesson.
Ans:- M.Hamel was different from his usual self on the day of the last lesson. He neither scolded Franz for being late to school, nor criticised him for his inability to recite the rules of participles. Instead he blamed himself and the parents for the academic backwardness of the students. He wore his ceremonial dress to mark the occasion of teaching the last lesson in French. He declared in a gentle and grave voice that the order had come from Berlin prohibiting French language in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He wanted them to be very attentive. M.Hamel was quite upset on that day. Sometimes he sat motionless and kept gazing at things. He was overcome with emotion while trying to declare the closure of his class. He finished by writing the words "Vive La France" on the blackboard.
Syllabus of HS Second year English (Prose)
Syllabus of HS Second year English (Poetry)
Syllabus of HS Second year English (Supplementary Reader : Vistas)
2. The Enemy
Mr. Rupjyoti Goswami
Post Graduate Teacher (English)
Bhogeswar Hazarika Girls' Higher Secondary School, Bebejia, Nagaon, Assam.
Email: rupjyotigoswami983@gmail.com
Mobile: 9864425896.
Contact us (whatsapp no-7020477396) for free notes on English, Political Science, Logic & Philosophy, MIL Assamese, Advanced Assamese, Swadesh Adhyayan, Economics, Education, History.
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon