Question

We appreciate the value of something only when we are about to lose it. Explain this with reference to the French language and M.Hamel.

Answer 1

• Introduction:
  The Last Lesson prose was written by Alphonse Daudet. The Last lesson is set in the days of the Franco-Prussian war. This lesson is an acknowledgment of the narrator’s sense of loss over French.
• The Narrator:
  Alsace and Lorraine fell into the hands of Prussians. They wanted them to learn and speak only German in their nation. The narrator was a student named Franz. That morning he is late. He is afraid. M. Hamel told his students the previous day that he would ask questions on participles. The narrator doesn’t know anything. The scene outside is attractive. He is tempted to skip the class.
• The News:
  Franz walks past the town hall. He sees a huge crowd at the notice board. All news regarding the occupation of France is displayed on it. He keeps walking to school.
• Unusual Scene at School:
  Franz peeps inside the class. His classmates are already seated. His teacher is walking in the class with the ruler under his arms. M. Hamel politely asks him to go to his seat. The whole school seems strange to Franz. M. Hamel was in his Sunday’s best dress. The villagers are sitting quietly on the back benches.
• The Last Lesson:
  M. Hamel mounts the chair. He announces in the same sad and gentle voice. He told that this is the last lesson. A new master comes the following day to teach German.
  It is the narrator’s last French lesson. He feels sorry that he did not learn French, Franz did not know any word about participles. The French teacher M. Hamel calls Franz to recite about participles. Franz fails miserably. The French teacher M. Hamel did not scold Franz and blame himself for not doing enough to make his students learn French.
• Importance of French:
  M. Hamel says that French is the most beautiful language in the world. It is the clearest and most logical one. He wants the village people to guard the language. It is the language that frees a nation from being enslaved.
• Conclusion:
  The church clock strikes twelve. The trumpets of Prussians returning from drill are heard. M. Hamel writes in a huge manner “Vive La France” (Long live France) on the black board. Then he dismisses the class in a sad manner.

Answer 2

Title: The Last Lesson
Author: Alphose Daudet
Theme: The secret of happiness is freedom.

Alsace and Lorraine fell into the hands of Prussians. They wanted German to be taught in school. M. Hamel taught French for forty years. M. Hamel said that it was the last French lesson. The old villagers were present in the school, besides children. M. Hamel told that French was a beautiful language.

It must be used as a key to the prison of the enslaved. He took the lesson in grammar and then in writing. He gazed at the garden and the classroom. He stood up when he heard the trumpets of the Prussian force. He was sad. He could not speak out of grief. He wrote “Long Live France” on the blackboard. He dismissed the school with a gesture.

Answer 3

1. Alsace and Lorraine fell into the hands of Prussians.
2. They wanted German to be taught in school.
3. M. Hamel was a French teacher in France.
4. He taught French for forty years.
5. The last day for French class had come.
6. The old people attended school besides children.
7. M. Hamel told that French was a beautiful language.
8. They must guard their language.
9. He wrote “Long Live France” on the board.
10. He bid farewell to the class.