The Last Lesson Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 marks)
Question 59.
What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson? What impact did it have on them? Why? (All India 2009)
Answer:
M. Hamel told his students that a new order from Berlin has declared that all schools of Alsace and Lorraine would teach only German so this was going to be their last French lesson. This new order aroused patriotic feelings in him and he, in turn, wanted to arouse similar patriotism in his students and the village elders. He made them conscious of the glory and value of the French language and told them to safeguard it among themselves and keep it alive at all costs as it was the key to their unity and liberation. Everyone listened to him sadly but with rapt attention and respect. Even little Franz listened to his teacher’s words with a new-found interest. He felt sorry that he had neglected learning French. Everyone from the village assembled in the class to thank Mr. Hamel for his forty years of faithful service to the community.
Question 60.
How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the day of the last lesson? (All India 2015)
Answer:
Acquiring power over the Alsacians made the Prussians so dominating that they even imposed their language on them. This way the Prussians intended to dominate the hearts and minds of the Alsacians and wanted them to even think in their language and thereby lose their complete identity. An order had been received from Berlin that only German would be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine. So there was something unusual about the school on the last day of the French lesson. The usual hustle and bustle was missing. Everything was ‘strange and solemn’ as on a Sunday morning. The village elders were seated on the back desks.
M.Hamel, who had been teaching French at the school for the last forty years, was wearing his formal suit in honour of the last French lesson. While delivering the last lesson, he called upon his students and the village elders to guard the French language among themselves and never forget it, declaring French to be the most beautiful language in the world. Franz developed a sudden fascination for school and the French language and a sudden respect for M.Hamel. He wanted his teacher to stay and felt very guilty for having neglected his French lessons as now he was being deprived of the opportunity of learning his language.
Class 12th English notes
class 12th english notes, class 12 english chapter 1 summary
Question 61.
Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment. (All India 2015)
Answer:
The one common feeling that fills each and every person who is present in the last French lesson is an acute sense of regret. M. Hamel reproaches himself for putting off his students’ learning till the next day and sending them to water his flowers instead of learning their lessons. He also gave his students a holiday when he wanted to go fishing. Franz felt sorry for not learning his lessons and escaping school. He wished he had attended his classes more often and even the thought of losing his teacher saddened him. The village elders occupied the back benches of the class to atone for their guilt and express their regret for not having attended school regularly. They were now showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more.
Question 62.
Our language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. Describe how regretful M.Hamel and the village elders are for having neglected their native language, French. (Delhi 2016)
Answer:
The feeling of regretfulness for having neglected their native language, French comes quite late to M. Hamel and the village elders. They realise rather late that their language is part of their culture and they should be proud of it. It is only after they have been deprived of learning their language that they understand its value. The imposition of German language made them suddenly realise the authority of their captors and they felt a loss of freedom. So on the day of the last French lesson the village elders are seated on the back desks and M. Hamel, who had been teaching French at the school for the last forty years, was wearing his formal suit as a mark of respect for the last French lesson. M. Hamel expressed how they all had a great deal to reproach themselves for as most of the people of Alsace could neither speak nor write French. Parents preferred to put their children to work on farms or mills.
M. Hamel regretfully said how he himself sometimes sent his students to water his flowers instead of learning their language lessons. While delivering the last lesson M. Hamel called upon his students and the village elders to guard the French language among themselves, declaring it to be the most beautiful language tn the world. Each one of them felt guilty for having ignored the French lessons.
Question 63.
Our native language is part of our culture and we are proud of it. How does the presence of village elders in the classroom and M.Hamel’s last lesson show their love for French? (All India 2016)
Answer:
Acquiring power over the French made the Prussians so dominating that they decided to impose even their language on them. So on the day of the last French lesson the village elders were seated on the back seats of the classroom. They felt sad and sorry for not having gone to school more often. Their presence was also their way of thanking their master, M.Hamel for his forty years of faithful service. M.Hamel himself had put on his fine Sunday clothes in honour of the last French lesson. Assuming the role of mentor he advised the class to safeguard and preserve their language among themselves and never forget it. He called French the most beautiful and logical language in the world. By the end of the class M.Hamel was so choked with emotion and could not speak so he took a piece of chalk and wrote on the blackboard “Vive la France!” (Long Live France) and then dismissed the class.
Question 64.
Describe the atmosphere in the class on the day of the last lesson. (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
On the day of the last French lesson the atmosphere in the class was strange and solemn. The school was as quiet as if it was a Sunday morning. The teacher (M.FIamel) moving in the class with his ruler under his arm was wearing his special dress for the last class. The elders of the village were sitting on the backbenches of the classroom. All the students were studying with complete attention and the teacher was teaching with full dedication. All this was due to an order from Berlin that from the next day German would be taught instead of French by a new teacher. While delivering the last lesson, the teacher called upon his students and the village elders to guard the French language among themselves and never forget it, declaring French to be the most beautiful language in the world.
Class 12th English notes
Mohd Sharif
Mohd. Sharif Qualification: B.Tech (Mechanical Engineering) [Founder of Wisdom Academy] [Aim Foundation & Free-Education.In] [Engineer By Profession | Teacher By Choice] [Blogger, YouTube Creator]
