Summary in English :-
Franz(The narrator) was very late for school that morning. He was afraid of his French teacher, M . Hamel: He(M. Hamel) would ask the students questions on participals. But Franz does'nt know anything about it(Participals). So he feared a lot. First, he thought of running away from the school He thought to be on the bunk. But the weather was warm and very bright. So he cancelled that plan and he hurried to school.
0n the way to school, Franz passed the town hall. There he saw a big crowd in front of the Bulletin board. All the news had appeared on that bulletin board for the last two years.
Usually, there was a lot of hustle and bustle at the beginning of the school. But that day there was all still in the school. The narrator went into the classroom before everybody. He was quite afraid. But nothing happened to him. M. Hamel saw him and he asked Franz to take his seat very kindly.
M. Hamel, the French teacher was in his best clothes. The whole school seemed so strange and silent. He saw some village elders sitting quietly on the back benches. M. Hamel mounted his chair. He began to speak in a grave and gentle tone. He said that it would be his last lesson. An order had come from Berlin that only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Thus it was their last French lesson. He wanted the children to be very attentive.
The narrator felt sudden love for French. He felt sorry for not learning his lessons in French. He never liked his books. He had no interest in grammar and history. But now he felt a fascination for them.
Even he started liking M. Hamel. He forgot all about his ruler. Now it was his turn to recite. But he got confused. But M. Hamel did not scold him.
M. Hamel expressed his concern for the people of Alsace. He said that the people of the district gave no importance to French. They took no interest in learning their own native language. But French is the most beautiful language in the world. It is the clearest and most logical. The people must never forget it. It appeared that H. Hamel wanted to give them all he knew before going away.
All of a sudden the Church clock struck twelve. The sound of the trumpets of the Prussian Soldiers were heard. M. Hamel stood up. He was very pale and distressed. He wanted to speak but something choked him. He could not speak anything. Then he turned to the black-board. He took a piece of chalk. He wrote in big letters : ’Vive La France!’ (Long Live France). Then he made a gesture to the class with his hand: ”School is dismissed-you may go.”
Summary in Hindi :-
फ्रांज (कथावाचक) को उस सुबह स्कूल के लिए बहुत देर हो चुकी थी। वह अपने फ्रांसीसी शिक्षक, M. Hamel से डरता था। वह (M। Hamel) छात्रों से Participles पर सवाल पूछेगा। लेकिन फ्रांज को इसके बारे में कुछ भी पता नहीं है। इसलिए उसे बहुत डर था। सबसे पहले, उसने स्कूल से भागने का सोचा उसने सोचा लेकिन मौसम गर्म और बहुत चमकीला था। इसलिए उसने इस योजना को रद्द कर दिया
स्कूल जाने के रास्ते में, फ्रांज टाउन हॉल से गुजरा। वहां उन्होंने बुलेटिन बोर्ड के सामने एक बड़ी भीड़ देखी। पिछले दो वर्षों से उस बुलेटिन बोर्ड पर सभी समाचार मिला करते थे।
आमतौर पर, स्कूल की शुरुआत में बहुत हलचल थी। लेकिन उस दिन स्कूल में सब कुछ शांत था। कथाकार कक्षा में सबके सामने गया। वह काफी डर हुआ था। लेकिन उसे कुछ नहीं हुआ। एम। हेमेल ने उन्हें देखा और उन्होंने फ्रांज़ से अपनी सीट बहुत विनम्रता से लेने के लिए कहा।
एम। हैमेल, फ्रांसीसी शिक्षक अपने सबसे अच्छे कपड़ों में थे। पूरा स्कूल इतना अजीब और खामोश लग रहा था। उसने देखा कि कुछ गाँव के बुजुर्ग चुपचाप बैठे हैं। M. Hamel गंभीर और कोमल लहजे में बोलने लगा। उन्होंने कहा कि यह उनका आखिरी Lesson होगा। बर्लिन से एक आदेश आया था कि केवल जर्मन को एलेस और लोरेन के स्कूलों में पढ़ाया जाएगा। इस प्रकार यह उनका अंतिम फ्रांसीसी पाठ था। वह चाहते थे कि बच्चे बहुत चौकस रहें।
कथावाचक को फ्रेंच के लिए अचानक प्यार महसूस हुआ। उन्होंने फ्रेंच में अपने पाठ नहीं सीखने के लिए खेद महसूस किया। उन्हें कभी भी उनकी किताबें पसंद नहीं आईं। व्याकरण और इतिहास में उनकी कोई रुचि नहीं थी। लेकिन अब वह उनके लिए एक आकर्षण महसूस करता था।
यहां तक कि उन्होंने M. Hamel को पसंद करना शुरू कर दिया। वह Participles के बारे में सब भूल गया। अब सुनाने की बारी उसकी थी। लेकिन वह उलझ गया। लेकिन एम। हमेल ने उन्हें डांटा नहीं।
M Hamel ने Alsace के लोगों के लिए अपनी चिंता व्यक्त की। उन्होंने कहा कि जिले के लोगों ने फ्रेंच को कोई महत्व नहीं दिया। उन्होंने अपनी मूल भाषा सीखने में कोई दिलचस्पी नहीं ली। लेकिन फ्रेंच दुनिया की सबसे खूबसूरत भाषा है। यह सबसे स्पष्ट और सबसे तार्किक है। लोगों को इसे कभी नहीं भूलना चाहिए। ऐसा प्रतीत हुआ कि एच। हमेल उन्हें वह सब देना चाहते थे जो वह जानते थे।
अचानक चर्च की घड़ी ने बारह बजाए । प्रशियाई सैनिकों के तुरही की आवाज सुनाई दी। एम। हमेल उठ खड़े हुए। उनका चेहरा विवरण और व्यथित था। वह बोलना चाहता था लेकिन कुछ नहीं बोल सका। वह कुछ बोल नहीं सकता था। फिर उन्होंने ब्लैक-बोर्ड का रुख किया। उसने चाक का एक टुकड़ा लिया। उन्होंने बड़े अक्षरों में लिखा: 'विवे ला फ्रांस!' (लॉन्ग लाइव फ्रांस)। फिर उसने अपने हाथ से कक्षा को एक इशारा किया: "स्कूल खारिज हो गया है-आप जा सकते हैं।"
Textual Questions
Q1. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day ?
Ans. There was complete silence everywhere, Everyone looked sad and serious. Village's old people had come to thank Mr. Hamel for his faithful service to the village for forty years.
Q. 2 How dld Franzs feelings about Mr Hamel and school change ?
Ans. Franz felt very sad for M. Hamel. He forgot all about his rod and his cranky nature. Now he no longer hated school. He felt a sudden love for French. He looked upon books as his friends.
Q.3 The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. What shows you this ? Why does this happen ?
Ans. Everyone listens carefully to whatever Mr Hamel says in the class. Everyone is sad due to the leaving of M. Hamel from the school. All this happens because Mr Hamel makes them realise that ‘when people are enslaved‘ as long as they hold fast to their language, it is as if they had the key to their prison.’
Q.4 Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons ?” What CouId this mean ?
Ans. It means that the Germans can enslave the French but they can’t take away their love of the French language. It is in their blood and cannot be ended as long as they are alive.
EXAMINATION-STYLE QUESTIONS
TYPE-l
SHORT-ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (30-40 words)
Q.1 Why did Franz not want to go to school that day ?
Franz was late for school that morning. He feared the teacher would scold him. Also, the teacher was to ask questions on participles. But Franz did not know anything about participles. So he thought of running away. He thought to be on the bunk.
Q.2 What sights did Franz see on his way to school ?
First of all, he saw the Prussian soldiers drilling in an open field. Then he passed through the town hall. A crowd stood in front of the bulletin board. Franz wondered what could be the news on the board.
Q.3 What was the order from Berlin and what changes did it cause in the school ?
Ans. German(Language) would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine according to the Berlin's Order. The new teacher were coming the next day. There was a complete silence everywhere. Everyone looked sad and serious. Village's old people sat on the back benches. They had come to thank M. Hamel for his faithful service to the village for forty years.
Q.4 What was the scene in the school of last lesson different from that on other days ?
Ans. Usually, There were lots of noises at the beginning of school. The noises includes the opening and closing of desks. The sounds of teacher's great ruler rapping on the table could be heard. But it was all quiet that day. It was like a holiday morning.
Q.5 How was M. Hamel dressed on his last day in school?
Ans. M. Hamel weared his best clothes. He was wearing a little black cap of silk. He was in his frilled shirt and a beautiful green coat. He wore this dress on inspection and prize days only.
Q.6 What was the information given by M. Hamel to the children in his class ?
Ans. M. Hamel told that the orders had come from berlin to teach only German language in schools of Alsace and Lorraine. He said that the new teacher was coming the next day.
Q.7 What was the reaction of Franz when he knew that M. Hamel was leaving the school forever?
Ans. The narrator(Franz) was now full of regret . He felt sorry for not learning his lessons. He thought that his books were too heavy to carry. But now he saw them as his old friends. He had now a fascination for M. Hamel and his teaching.
TYPE- 2
LONG-ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (125-150 WORDS)
Q.1 What did M. Hamel tell about the French language to the tudents ? What were his last moments in the class ?
Ans. The whole atmosphere of the class was very sad and silent. He told that French was the most beautiful language in the world. He said that it was the most logical and the clearest language in world. He was very disappointed with the scenario. He wanted his people to keep it alive and never forget it. There were a sound of Angelus(middle prayer). The sound of trumpets by Prussian soldier was heard at the same moment. They were returning from their drill. M. Hamel stood up to say something. But he was choked by something and couldn't say anything. He took a piece of chalk and wrote in big letter "Vive La France!" which means "Long Live France!"
Q.2 Franz attitude towards school as well us towards Mr Hamel changes when he comes to know about the take over of his village by Pruuiam. Do you agree ? Discuss with reference to 'The Last Lesson'.
Ans. The narrator (Franz) did'nt like his school. He often absented himself from school. He would like to be on the bunk and spend his days out of doors. Usually, he got late for school. He would not care about learning his lessons. He was not good at studies. His French teacher, Mr Hamel, used to scold him. Franz did not like his teacher at all. But one day when Franz reaches his school, he finds many grown-up and old people sitting among the students. He comes to know that it is the last lesson that Mr Hamel is going to teach them. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This comes as a big shock to Franz. He is now full of regret. He felt sorry for not learning his lessons. School which appeared to him very boring earlier, now becomes very important to him. He feels he will miss the school from next day. Mr Hamel who appeared to him cranky, now becomes a good teacher for him. He suddenly develops love for his books. Thus the news that the Prussians have taken over his village, changes Franz’s attitude towards his school and Mr Hamel completely.
Q.3 Reproduce in your own words what Franz did or thought on his way to school.
Ans. Franz was very late for school that day. He was afraid of his teacher, Mr Hamel, would scold him. Moreover, the teacher had said he would ask questions on participles. But Franz did not know anything about it. So he thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was a warm and bright day. He saw the Prussian soldiers drilling in the open field. It was a tempting sight. However, he hurried to school. When he passed through the town hall, he saw a crowd in front of the bulletin board. For the last two years, all their news had come from there. Franz wondered what could be the news but he did not stop there. The village blacksmith was reading the bulletin. He called after Franz, saying, “Don’t go so fast, boy. You’ll get to your school in plenty of time !” Franz thought the blacksmith was making fun of him. He went swiftly from there. Then he reached to the school.
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