THE LAST LESSON

CLASS 12 ENGLISH

Notes
Simran Sahni
Back Ground - Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)
Prussia won the War (Prussia = Austria & Poland + Germany)
Order from Berlin - only German would be taught in the Schools in Alsace and Lorraine

FRANZ LATE FOR SCHOOL

. Franz was already late & was afraid of being scolded by Mr. M. Hamel, the French teacher.

He was supposed to learn a lesson on participles but he was not prepared.

The Day was bright & sunny and he saw the Prussian soldier drill

He wanted to skip school that day,but he resisted all temptations and went to 🏫 school.
On his way to School:

He saw a crowd near the bulletin board which contained all the information about the war, lost
battles, orders of the commanding officer.

He met the BLACKSMITH WATCHER, who asked him not to run he has plenty of time.

Franz thought he was making fun of him.

Franz reaches School:

. The school was as quite as Sunday morning- no rappling of rulere on table, children not
repeating their lesson in unison, no noise of opening & closing of desks.

Franz had planned to take advantage of the early morning commotion and enter the school
without being noticed.

The teacher (M. Hamel) did not scold him, simply asked him to take his seat as quickly as
possible.
 CHANGES IN CLASSROOM

Mr. M. Hamel was specially dressed , in his beautiful green coat, his
frilled shirt, and the little black silk
cap, all embroidered . Inspection & Price days ,which he normally
wore on inspection days & prize days/Sundays.

. The back benches that normally remained empty, were occupied by

VILLAGERS.
Like old hauser,former mayor ,former postman.

.Hauser was wearing a three pointed hat and was holding an old
primer which was thumbed at edges .

In The Classroom: ,Startling Revelation

Mr M. Hamel announced that French will no longer be taught in the schools of Alsace & Lorraine.
And also announced that it was their last lesson.,and asked everyone to be attentive

It was a thunder clap for Franz

. Franz felt very bad for neglecting the language so much.

The books that seemed boring appeared to be his last friends.

Regretted to have wasted so much time playing outside,,collecting birds eggs.

Even he forgot his teacher's cranky ruler

Understood why M.hamel wore special dress,and villagers came,they felt sorry for not learning
there language and to
thank M HAMEL FOR 40 years service

FRANZ TEST M .Hamel called Franz

M.hamel asked to recite ,but Franz he didn't knew the participles felt sad. Regretted of not learning
his lessons.

He mixed up everything but M Hamel didn't scold him at all,

Said how people procrastinate

We have great deal to reproach ourselves,

M. Hamel blames for the neglect of learning People of Alsace who kept learning for
tomorrow.Parents preferred to put their children on farm mills for money .Blames Himself for not
taking his classes seriously.Sending students to water his plants and giving holidays when he
wished to go for fishing.

M.hamel told importance of language

Most beautiful language is the clearest and most logical,We should guard it as ,long as one knew
language, key to every prison.

GRAMMAR lesson started

Franz amazed understood everything

Easy , may be he was attentive or Sir was teaching patiently,
Teach as much as he can

Writing lessons start

M. Hamel brought new copies for all

To give it all a new start.
On copies one had to practice handwriting.
It was written in beautiful round hand—
France, Alsace, France, Alsace….
‘It looked like little Flags floating every where in the school
room, hung from the rod at the top of our desks’
Everyone set to work, every thing was quiet, only sound
heard was the scratching of pen over the paper..

Franz thinks,"Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?"

Franz saw M Hamel

Sitting motionless chair gaze class wanted to fix class in his head ,
40 years HAS BEEN IN SAME CLASSROOM

LITTLE CHANGES SINCE THEN LIKE

garden outside. , walnut tree GREW tall,HOPING PLANT GREW 🪴 TALL

Sister packing trunks leave country next day

AFTER Writing lessons HISTORY LESSONS started baby chantedba, be bi, bo, bu.
Old Hauser cry in a trembling voice

Ending of the last lesson

Church clock struck 12 Angleus trumpets 🎺 soldiers Prussian

returned drill.

M.hamel stood up pale,ta

My friends I I...........choked
Blackboard turn chalk

Vive La France 🇫🇷 Gesture ,,,,,,,,,“School is dismissed — you

may go.”.
Main Theme:-

This lesson highlights the importance of one's own language for the existence

It brings out the concept of Linguistic Chauvinism

It also highlights the attitude of postponing learning by people.

CHARACTER sketch of M. Hamel

Value points:

a) M Hamel as a teacher
o Taught French for forty years , and was very sad that he had to leave the place.
o Was a strict teacher and a disciplinarian
o Final day showed his love for French and children.
b) M Hamel as a patriot
o was passionate about his mother tongue
o Told the villagers about the importance of unity, sense of identity and patriotism.

Franz as a student

😃Franz was not a studious student. He was lazy and didn't like to study or go to school.
Although he was very emotional and sensitive he never wished to study. For him, the beauty and
the scene of nature were much refreshing than the classes and studies.

Mind map

Franz Late for School

- Crowd at the Town Hall,bulletin board
- Unusual silence at school

😔
- Last Lesson Declared by Mr M. HAMEL
- A Sudden Change in Franz's For learning French, He regretted .
- Franz Test on Participles
- Importance of French Language highlighted by M. Hamel.

🇫🇷
- M Hamel and his last french lesson,everyone studied with concentration
- At the end. Vive La France (BLACK BOARD)