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NEW HORIZON GURUKUL

GRADE-XII, ENGLISH
LESSON- THE LAST LESSON(FLAMINGO)
Introduction
The story is set during the Franco-Prussian War. The Germans captured the French
districts of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master was supposed to come to a school in
Alsace the next day to teach German instead of French. The story explains the impact
of this news on the life of a school in Alsace.

List of word meanings

▪ Dread- fear, phobia, terror, apprehension, misgiving

▪ Drilling- practice, exercises, exercise, training, praxis
▪ Resist- resistance, opposition, protest, opposite, antagonism
▪ Apprentice- trainee, seminaries, novitiate
▪ Bustle- stir, bustling, ado, commotion, clutter
▪ Unison-harmony, consistency, consistency, adjustment, correspondence
▪ Rapping- incrimination, knocks, clatter, dab, take the rap
▪ Counted on- rely upon, rest, depend, rely on, keep the faith, remain
▪ Commotion- stir, bustling, bustle, ado, clutter
▪ Blushed- abash, be shy, make ashamed, feel abashed, put to shame
▪ Solemn- serious, grave, profound, sedate, heavy
▪ Thunderclap- thunderbolt, wallop, thunder peal, thunder stroke
▪ Wretches- poor creature, poor soul, poor thing, poor unfortunate
▪ Cranky- lank, scrawny, slight, scraggy, spindly
▪ Puts off- avert, avoid, stave off, cast aside, defer, postpone
▪ Reproach- disdain, scorn, spurn, mock, disparagement
▪ At one stroke- Instant effect in a single action
▪ Twined- pull, jerk, tug, twist, twitch, pinch, squeeze
▪ Angelus- the bells in the tower above tolled the first Angelus
▪ Bearing on- touch, relate, come to, pertain, refer, concern, touch on, continue,
preserve, and carry on
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▪ Vive La France- long live France

▪ Mounted- ascend, entrain, swarm up (to climb on something)

The Last Lesson Theme

The themes of patriotism, freedom of language, and the love for one’s mother tongue
are predominant in the story. The people of Alsace and Lorraine were denied the
freedom to learn their own language by the Prussians.
The people living in the regions of Alsace and Lorraine are the victims of this aggressive
concept of linguistic chauvinism. They are forcibly made to learn German. This story also
makes a universal appeal as it highlights our tendency to value things more when we no
longer have access to them. When French was taught in the school, Franz and the likes
of him did not take it seriously. The parents also preferred to see their kids working and
yearning for the family rather than learning French.

It is not justified to take away the natural right of the people to speak their mother
tongue. The solemnity of the classroom builds up the mood of gloom and despair. M.
Hamel says that the only way to free themselves from enslavement is by clinging to their
own language. In confined existence, the only key to our prison is our language.

*Dominant Theme Raised in the Text – Linguistic Chauvinism

“Chauvinism” is a commitment to something or against it, just based on what you feel
(not necessarily what you may know). So, the concept that one’s language is superior
to that of others is linguistic chauvinism. Generally, this occurs when the language is
that of the ruling class.

The overt preference for one language over others is linguistic chauvinism. Language
is known to be the cultural identity of a specific group of people who use it. Therefore,
imposing some other language hammers their emotions on individuals and is a step
towards annexing their relationship with their culture. The pride of that country is the
language of any country. Not only does it define the culture, but it also tells us about
the country’s people, literature and history. Language is just the medium of
communication for some individuals, but it is the issue of life and death for others.

“The Last Lesson” very prominently raises the issue of colonial and imperial powers’
linguistic and cultural hegemony (supremacy, control) and their desire to control the
world and influence their cultures and identities.

The Last Lesson raises the burning question very innocently with the words of little
Franz, “Will they make them sing in German, even pigeons? “This raises the issue of
the immorality of imposing imperial languages and cultures on the colonies. The child
questions that when even birds and animals cannot be forced to give up their
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language and speak to others, what forces a man to think that it would be prudent to
force other human beings to accept any language other than theirs forcibly.

The language of a country is not only a means of communication for the people but
also a link for identity as soon as the native language is taken away from the people.
It’s not only a loss of convenient communication medium but also a loss of identity for
people because of what they were and what they could become. When a little child
like Franz can think of the irrationality behind snatching away people’s rights of
language and identity, then why can’t warlords and colonisers understand the facts?

Answer the following in about 30-40 words.

Q. How and why was M. Hamel dressed differently that day?

And. M Hamel was dressed differently on that day, wearing his fine Sunday clothes,
beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and the little black silk, all embroidered. He never
used to wear these except on inspection and prize days. He knew that it was his last
lesson and it was in honour of this last lesson that he had put on his fine clothes.

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

Ans. M Hamel reproaches himself for his student’s unsatisfactory progress in studies
because he has given them his own personal work to do during school time.

Besides, he also gave them a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. He also tells the
villagers that they should reproach themselves for not having learnt their language.

Q. How did Franz find teaching and learning that day?

Ans. Franz found teaching and learning very interesting that day. He was very
attentive and careful. Franz also realized that M Hamel had never explained
everything with so much patience. It seemed almost as if the poor man wanted to give
them all he knew before going away. M Hamel wanted to put it all into their heads at
one stroke as it was their last lesson.

2. Answer the following questions in 120-150 words

a.Why did M Hamel write ‘Vive La France!‘ on the blackboard?

He wrote it as a sign of opposition to imposing the teaching of German in the schools

of Alsace instead of French. It was a portrayal of his love for French and French
culture.

The people of Alsace did not give any importance to the language French from the
very beginning of the story, however, unlike others M.Hamel showed his concern.
People of Alsace ignored learning their own native language and paid no heed. It was
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not the case only with Franz but many others were also guilty of not learning French.
According to the narrator, the French language was the most beautiful language in the
world and therefore, it should be respected and acknowledged by everyone

b. What message did the writer convey in “The Last Lesson”?

Ans. The author Alphonse Daudet wants to emphasize to his readers that they should
always be loyal and proud of their country and mother tongue. He wants the readers
to be aware of the great importance of learning their own language and never
forgetting it no matter what the circumstances. In this chapter, the Prussians order
the French to speak and study only German and prohibit the learning of French.
Hence, the writer wants to convey that only if people ‘hold fast’ to their language,
they will be able to enjoy free and respectable lives.

c. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What
could this mean?
Ans. Alphonse Daudet’s ‘The Last Lesson’ very prominently raises the question of
linguistic and cultural supremacy of the colonial and imperial powers and their lust for
controlling the world and influencing their cultures and identities. Prussians acquired
the districts of Alsace and Lorraine in Franco-Prussian War, but they were not satisfied
with mere political domination, they desired to enforce their own language on the
people of the defeated nation. They released the order that from then German would
be taught in schools rather than French.

Franz wondered whether they would make even pigeons sing in German. It means
that they had grown up using French as their language and now snatching away their
language from them would be unfair and unkind. The language was as natural to them
as cooing is to the pigeon. So, the compulsion to speak another language is like
dominating the force of nature and enslaving it. As it is next to impossible to alter the
way pigeons sing, in the same way, it is difficult for people to accept a language which
is forcibly imposed on them. Adopting a new language causes pain and discomfort.