GYAN BHARATI SCHOOL

SAKET, NEW DELHI

LESSON PLAN: English Core

• Name of the Teacher: Mrs. Ankita Juyal Balooni
• Class: SS2 A
• Name of the Chapter: The Last Lesson (from the book Flamingo)

CENTRAL IDEA:
The “Last Lesson” that M. Hamel gives to his students, is not just a lesson in language and writing—it is a
lesson in patriotism and resistance. Although his land has been occupied by Prussian adversaries, M. Hamel
defies his oppressors by using only a French grammar book, a blackboard, and his own voice. In doing so, he
teaches his pupils that even without arms, they have the power to challenge their oppressors. Daudet’s “Last
Lesson,” therefore, highlights how people often take language for granted, failing to realize the extent to
which it lies at the very heart of their identity. Language is not only the means through which people express
themselves, but also the means through which their culture is preserved and perpetuated. M. Hamel cannot
undo the order from Berlin, he nonetheless acts as a patriotic Frenchman by affirming his national identity as
a means of resistance against domination. This is reflected particularly in the exercises that M. Hamel assigns
his students during the class. For the lesson in writing, he has the pupils copy out the words “France, Alsace,”.
The nationalistic and patriotic dimension of this exercise is made evident in Franz’s remark that M. Hamel’s
copies hanging around the room looked like “little flags floating everywhere.” The words associate the region
of Alsace with France, rather than with the land of the Prussian occupiers. In this way, the words function as
a denial of the Prussian claim to the land, and act, instead, as an affirmation of Alsatian identity as French.

Overcome with emotion at the end of the lesson, M. Hamel is unable to speak, and instead writes in large
letters on the blackboard, “Vive La France!” or “Long Live France!” These words he inscribes again represent
an act of resistance; they affirm his loyalty to the French republic, even in the face of subjugation to the
Prussians, and embody his unconquerable allegiance to his native culture and land.

POINTS TO REMEMBER:
• Franz, a schoolboy in the French region of Alsace-Lorraine, arrives at school one morning only to
discover that, on the order of the Prussian forces that have taken control of the region, lessons will no
longer be taught in French, but in German—the language of the invaders. The story emphasizes the
deep link that exists between language and cultural identity, suggesting that language is not only a
marker of unique cultural heritage, but it also constitutes its very essence.
• Franz isn’t very keen on his French lessons to begin with. On the day the story is set, Franz expects to
be quizzed by his teacher M. Hamel about grammar, but he hasn’t learned the rules on participles he
was supposed to and is unprepared for questioning. He would have preferred to spend his day outside,
he finds his schoolwork boring and pointless, as reflected in his preference for doing other, seemingly
more exciting things. Together, these details establish that Franz initially fails to value his own
language.
• Yet upon arriving for class and discovering that this is going to be his last French lesson, Franz is
devastated, just as the other pupils and the villagers in the classroom are. M. Hamel’s announcement
that the Prussians have mandated only the teaching of German in the schools of Alsace-Lorraine, the
region they’ve invaded and home to Franz, makes him realize the importance of his language.
• Franz says that he hardly knows how to write in French, and he is terribly dejected that he must now
stop learning the language altogether. When Franz is called on to recite the rule for the participle, he
is unable to do so. More than ever, he regrets not studying when he had the chance: “What would I
not have given,” he tells the reader, “to be able to say that dreadful rule for the participle all through,
very loud and clear, and without one mistake?” It is only when he finds his way of life threatened by
foreign occupiers that Franz learns that the language he has taken for granted is in fact central to his
identity, as well as to his freedom.
• The link between the French language and French cultural identity becomes clearer to Franz as the
lesson proceeds. When Franz fails to recite the rule for the participle, M. Hamel gently reprimands
him, telling him and the rest of the gathered school children and villagers that it was their lack of
commitment towards their language and procrastination that has brought them to this juncture. It is
this procrastination that now gives the Prussian occupiers the right to say, “[Y]ou pretend to be
Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?”
• M. Hamel even blames himself, taking responsibility for the times he sent his students to water his
flowers, or gave them a holiday, instead of obliging them to learn their lessons. Thus, the teacher
emphasizes language as the central aspect of cultural identity. One cannot be French, or even claim to
be French, without mastering the French language first.
• Prussians had acquired the districts of Alsace and Lorraine, but they were not satisfied with mere
political domination, they desired to enforce their own language on the people of the defeated nation.
Franz wondered whether they would make the pigeons sing in German too. It means that they had
grown up using French as their language and this act of snatching away their language from them was
unfair and unkind. The French language was as natural to them as cooing was to pigeons. So, the
compulsion to learn/use another language was similar to trying to dominate a force of nature. As it is
impossible to alter the way pigeons sing, in the same way it is difficult for the people of Alsace and
Lorraine to accept a language that was forcibly imposed on them.
• M. Hamel talks about the beauty and clarity of the French language. He encourages the gathered
crowd to guard it carefully, “because when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their
language it is as if they had the key to their prison.” Thus, M. Hamel posits the French language not
only as a marker of cultural identity, but as its very essence. Without it, those who are enslaved cannot
hold on to themselves or their cultures, and thus also their freedom.
• M. Hamel not only lectures his students on the link between language and culture, he also
demonstrates this link through the final grammar instruction that he gives them. Franz remarks that
the teacher “had never explained everything with so much patience,” so that the lesson seems “so
easy, so easy!” to little Franz. M. Hamel thus discharges his role as a teacher of French with immense
diligence. In communicating the principles of French so effectively, he not only equips his students
with a better grasp of their language, but he also equips them with a better grasp of their French
cultural identity.
• Carrying pride in one’s language too far leads to ‘linguistic chauvinism’. The imposition of German over
the districts of Alsace and Lorraine is an apt example of the same. It is an attempt to dominate the
minds and hearts of the people whom they defeated and an attempt to overpower/ threaten their
French identity. M. Hamel’s love for French is genuine. The order from Berlin arouses patriotic feelings
in him. He regrets that the people have not paid much heed to the learning of French and asks people
to safeguard it amongst themselves as it is the key to their unity and freedom. The village elders came
to pay their respect to the master and to utilize every minute of the last lesson. The teacher attempted
to pass on the linguistic legacy to his students and they sincerely accepted everything.
• ‘The Last Lesson’ is an apt and self-revealing title as the entire episode is balanced on the last French
lesson delivered by M. Hamel. Everyone thought that they had ample time to learn their lessons and
never paid much attention to school. But the unexpected order from Berlin shook everyone. It brought
 the blinding realisation that now the villagers would be deprived of learning something that they took
for granted. M. Hamel was leaving the school with a heavy heart. It is during the last lesson that we
witness their desperate attempts to make-up for the loss, but it wasn’t sufficient. Their procrastination
has made them miss out on the opportunity of being able to learn French.

INCIDENTS IN THE LESSON:

• Little Franz was running late for school. He had not memorized the participles and was tempted to
skip school. He resists that temptation and decides to go to school.
• He notices a crowd at the Town Hall. He does not realize it then but comes to know later that the
bulletin board carried the message that the teaching of French was banned in schools in the districts
of Alsace and Lorraine.
• Witnesses unusual calm at school and the presence of the villagers in the class. He also notices that
his teacher was wearing his best clothes.
• M. Hamel declares it to be his last French lesson in accordance with announcement. This shocks
Franz and brings a sudden change in Franz's views.
• Franz tries to answer M. Hamel when questioned and feels extremely sorry for not taking his lessons
seriously.
• Mr. Hamel laments and reflects upon the reasons for the students’ deficiency in the language. It was
due to their own negligence of the language and procrastination that has put them in this situation.
The parents, the teacher as well as the students are equally responsible for taking their language for
granted.
• M. Hamel taught like a true teacher and highlighted the importance of French Language.
• M. Hamel conducts his last French lesson. The lesson seemed very easy to Franz as he was able to
understand. It speaks about how the teacher was able to fulfill his duty and impart a valuable lesson
along with the efforts of a dedicated student who is eager to grasp everything. Unfortunately, this
attitude wasn’t embodied by any of the parties when they had the time. It is only in their last lesson
that they can do justice to their roles as a teacher and student.
• Choked with emotion, M. Hamel is not able to say anything, and he just writes “Vive La France” on
the blackboard.

CHARACTER SKETCHES:

M. Hamel:
His character is presented with sympathy and respect by the author- traditional school master- always kept
his ‘terrible’ ruler under his arm- Franz is in dread of receiving a scolding from him when he is late for school
and is also unable to recite his homework- witness the other side of M. Hamel after the order came from
Berlin- he is transformed, is soft and gentle towards his students- highly respected by both his students and
the village elders- had completed 40 years in the same school- loved French and France from the core of his
heart- considered French to be the most beautiful, logical and clearest language in the world- asked people
to guard it amongst themselves.

Franz:
He was not a brilliant student- didn’t prepare his lesson on participles, when asked to recite the same, he got
mixed up and confused- always in dread of his teacher and his ruler- changed his opinion about his teacher
when an order had come from Berlin and German was being imposed on them- began to respect his teacher
when he got to know that it would be his last French lesson- felt sorry and guilty that he had neglected
learning French- listened to the last lesson with rapt attention and was able to understand everything.

GYAN BHARATI SCHOOL

ENGLISH CORE ASSIGNMENT
THE LAST LESSON
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Answer the following questions in 30 to 40 words each.
a. Why did Franz think of running away and spending the day out of doors?
b. Mention any two changes that can be observed in the behaviour of M. Hamel after the order came
from Berlin.
c. “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 towards the learning of French?
d. How does M. Hamel pay a tribute to the French language?
e. Justify the title ‘The Last Lesson’.