The Last Lesson

Treasure Chest
Story 15
The Last Lesson

Multiple-Choice Questions

1. (c) 2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6. (d) 7. (d) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (c) 11. (d) 12. (a)

Section B: Context Questions

Extract 1

Ans 1: ‘I’ refers to the narrator of the story, a school-going boy, named Franz. He was on his way to school. He thought of running away because he was afraid of being punished by his teacher as he was late and he also had not studied Participles, on which the teacher was supposed to question them. 

Ans 2: He wanted to spend the day outdoors because he was not interested in his studies. 

Besides, he was more excited by the chirping of the birds at the edge of woods and the drills of the Prussian soldiers than his French lessons. It reveals that he was a carefree boy, disinterested in his studies.

Ans 3: The presence of Prussian soldiers was a reference to the fact that their homeland has been occupied by the Prussians. Their presence was a blow to them as they understand that they would have to give up not only their country but also their language and culture.

Ans 4: He was tempted by the bright sunny day and the chirping of the birds at the edge of the forest to remain outdoors. No, he did not fall for the temptation. He hurried off to his school.

Ans 5: The narrator was a carefree young boy who was disinterested in studies. He was a silly boy having immature desires and willpower. He was also a keen observer and quite perspective.

Extract 2

Ans 1: M. Hamel, the French language teacher is addressing his students in the classroom. The narrator described that his tone was grave and gentle.

Ans 2: The narrator says that it would be his last lesson because their country had been occupied by the Prussians and they had ordered to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine instead of French. He is talking about his last French lesson.

Ans 3: The order from Berlin was to teach only German instead of French in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. It was done because the Prussians, whose native language was German, had occupied the region of Alsace and Lorraine.

Ans 4: The new master refers to the new German teacher. The new master would ban the study of French language, and instead make them study German, the language of the invaders and thereby, crush their identity, freedom and culture.

Ans 5: The Last Lesson was literally the last lesson in French which M. Hamel gave to his students in his last class. This was because the Prussians had conquered their country and banned the study of French language. Besides, the lesson which he gave to his students about how they can save their identity and culture by preserving their language served as a life’s lesson for his students. Thus justifying the title of the story. 

Extract 3

Ans 1: Franz had not prepared the assignment on participles which his teacher M. Hamel had asked to do. When Franz was asked to say the rules, he faltered on first words and stood there speechless. It was his last French lesson and he did not want to punish Franz on the last day of his class.

Ans 2: ‘We’ refers to the entire French community, including M. Hamel. It suggests that the entire French community and M. Hamel were responsible for neglecting the study of French language and culture.

Ans 3: They had said to themselves that they had plenty of time to study French. By doing so, they gave themselves an excuse delay the study of French and consequently, did not know their own language.

Ans 4: The ‘fellows’ are the Prussian forces who had conquered the French territories of Alsace and Lorraine. They would ask the French people how they could be considered as French when they could neither speak nor write their own language. Yes, they were right in saying so because the French people of Alsace and Lorraine had neglected the study of their own language and could neither speak or write in French.

Ans 5: The theme indicated in this extract 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 the knowledge their own language, the French would not be able to hold on to their own identity or culture.

Extract 4

Ans 1: According to M. Hamel, French was the most beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world. He added that they must preserve their language and never forget it. He also said that without knowing their own language, they would not be able to hold on to their own identity or culture.

Ans 2: When people do not learn their language, they are not able to hold on to their own identity and culture. By learning their own language, people get the power to challenge their slavery even without using any arms and thus use language as a ‘key’ to their freedom.

Ans 3: Franz felt that he was able to clearly understand the last lesson taught by M. Hamel because he listened to it quite attentively knowing well that it would be their last lesson in French. He could not understand it earlier because he never realised the importance of studying  his own language.

Ans 4: M. Hamel put extra effort to teach the students in his last class because he wanted to instil in them the love for their language and thereby the importance of their identity and culture. 

Ans 5: M. Hamel was a true patriot who wanted to instil among his students, the love for their language and respect for their country.

-He viewed his forty-year-tenure as a French teacher with deep pride and regarded it as a service to his nation.

-He made his student realise the importance of studying French and thereby, protecting their identity and culture.

-He instilled the feeling of nationalism among his, students by asking them to write ‘France, Alsace’ over and over again.

-During his last class, before bidding good-bye to his students, M. Hamel wrote on the blackboard ‘Vive La France’ (Long Live France).