INDIAN SCHOOL AL WADI AL KABIR

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH (2025-26)

QUESTION BANK – CLASS XII

THE LAST LESSON – Alphonse Daudet

Summary:
The story is narrated by a French boy, Franz. He is lazy but sensitive and likes to play. He dislikes
studying French and hates his teacher M. Hamel.
After overpowering their districts of Alsace and Lorraine in France, Berlin has ordered that German
language instead of French be taught in the schools there.
It is the last day of their French teacher M. Hamel, who has been there for forty years. He is full of grief,
nostalgia and patriotism. As a mark of respect to his hard work, the village men also attend his ‘last
lesson’. They are sad as they did not learn their mother tongue, French in their childhood.
Franz is shocked to know that it’s his last lesson, as he does not know French. Now, suddenly, he gets
interested in learning it and understands everything taught on that day!
He develops an instant liking for the teacher, M. Hamel and respects him for his sincerity and hard work.
He feels sad at departing from him and is ashamed for not being able to recite the lesson of participles.
M. Hamel tells them that they all are at fault for not being eager enough to learn, putting it off to the next
day. He blames himself for not teaching them sincerely.
His patriotism is reflected in his praise for the French language as being the most beautiful and most
logical language in the world. He tells the class to guard their language as being close to one’s language
is the key to escape from the prison of slavery. It will help them in getting free from the Germans.
They realize the importance of learning their mother tongue and that they have been defeated by the
Germans because of their illiteracy.
Franz feels that it is not possible to take away one’s language from a person as it is natural to each being,
may it be the “coo” to the pigeons or “French” to the Frenchmen.

Title Analysis of the Lesson

Procrastination is an evil that corrodes golden opportunities sent in our way as delaying our works is an
inherent flaw in our outlook towards life. The story revolves around the last lesson taught by M. Hamel
as now French would no longer be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. If we take our life for
granted and fail to be grateful for it, chances are that we will lose it in times to come. This is exactly what
happened with the people of Alsace and Lorraine. They lost their chance to be close to their mother
tongue as they had never bothered to learn their language and it was a matter of shame that being
Frenchmen, they were unable to read or write French. Hence the title ‘The Last Lesson’ is apt as it
teaches the people of Alsace and Lorraine and the readers as well that lessons of life must be learnt well
in time lest life should take away the opportunity.

Setting of the Lesson

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The story is set in a French village in Alsace district of France, with the backdrop of the Franco-Prussian
war in which France was defeated by Prussia (then consisting of Germany, Poland and parts of Austria).
The Prussian rulers order that French will no longer be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The
story tells how M.Hamel, a school teacher in Alsace, his students and the towns people react to this news.
There is an atmosphere of hopelessness and regret in the classroom. For the first time the defeated French
people in the village realize their mistake in not learning their own language. The setting is appropriate,
as the story relates to a bygone era of French defeat in the hands of the Prussians.

Narrative Style

The story ‘The Last Lesson’ has a first person narrative. The speaker is a little boy named Franz, a
resident of Alsace-Lorraine district of France that has been occupied by the Prussians.
The tone is serious and biased. The author feels biased about the government and the war compelling
everyone to speak German. The oppressors and conquerors become heartless and enforce their own views
on the defeated. This is clear from the story when the order from Berlin comes that French will no longer
by taught in Alsace and Lorraine.
The author has used many literary devices of irony, metaphors, similes and symbols to make the
narration and them clear and effective. He uses irony, to highlight the human tendency that there is a
plenty of time to do things. Hence, we keep on postponing the lessons of life, forgetting that life is
subject to change. Learning of French by the people has never been a serious affair with them. But the
sudden order to stop teaching French comes as a sudden blow and sad realisation to the people.
The author has also used other devices like metaphors, similes and symbols. ‘What a thunderclap’ is a
metaphor for the sudden order from Berlin. Mother tongue ‘as if a key to their prison’ is a simile, the key
to regain freedom from their prison.

Theme of the Lesson

The importance of language and its connection with nationalism are the central themes of the chapter
“The Last Lesson.” The protagonist of the narrative is a little kid, Franz, whose teacher, M Hamel is
compelled to flee his native town in France’s Alsace region because German settlers are annexing it and
making German its official language. Now the mother tongue, French will not longer be taught in the
schools of Frech districts of Alsace and Lorraine. Even though it is obvious that his students won’t be
able to speak French in the future, the narrator’s French teacher, Monsieur Hamel, is determined to give
them one more lesson in the language. The teacher emphasizes that language is an integral element of
one’s identity and culture and that its suppression constitutes an act of oppression, as done by the enemy
country. The French villagers reaize that they have been overpowered by the enemy soldiers because they
did not value their country and their mother tongue.

'The Last Lesson' very prominently raises the question of linguistic and cultural hegemony of the
colonial and imperial powers and their lust for controlling the world and influencing their cultures
and identities.

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

The language of a country is not only a medium of communication for the people but also the link
for identity, once the native language is snatched away from the people. It's not only the loss of
convenient communicating medium but also the loss of identity for people for what they have been
and what they might become.

When a small child like Franz can think of the irrationality behind snatching away the right of
language and identity from people then why can't the war lords and colonizers understand the
fact?

RTC/ CBQ
1. Assertion- After the class was over, Mr. Hamel could not even speak as his voice choked with
emotions.
Reason- Mr. Hamel was old and could not talk at a stretch.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
c. A is true but R is false
d. A is false but R is true
2. Assertion- Mr. Hamel focused on the importance of one’s language as the key to one’s prison.
Reason- Language helps people bind together despite being enslaved under some other foreign rule.

a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
c. A is true but R is false
d. A is false but R is true
3. Assertion- Watcher, the blacksmith, taunted Franz that there was enough time before he reached
school.
Reason- Watcher had already come to know about the order from Berlin.
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 a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
c. A is true but R is false
d. A is false but R is true
4. Assertion- A bulletin-board always serves as the source of bad news during a war.
Reason- All the bad news about the Franco-Prussian War had come from the bulletin-board in
Alsace.

a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
c. A is true but R is false
d. A is false but R is true

Solved Answers: ( Short answer questions – 2 marks)

1.What changes were noticed by Franz in his French teacher while teaching his last lesson?
Ans. M.Hamel – a perfect and ideal teacher. His tone becomes gentle and polite. As a true patriot-calls
upon the people to shake off their habit of procrastinating to safeguard their language- the most beautiful
language in the world.

2. How did Franz’s feelings about M.Hamel and school change?

Ans. Order from Berlin-that only German would be taught in schools-aroused a sense of patriotism in
Franz quite suddenly he developed a strange fascination for his school and the French language- his
books which were earlier a burden to him were ‘old friends now’- also developed a certain respect for
M.Hamel- the fact that he would not teach them any more, made Franz forget how cranky he was.

3. What is the significance of the last lesson?

Ans. The last lesson was to be delivered by the French teacher, M.Hamel, to his students. From the next
day, learning the German language would be imposed on the people speaking French. The teacher
stressed upon the importance of the French language which he calls the most beautiful language in the
world. He tells the class to guard their language among themselves and never forget it.

4. Why was Franz tempted to play truant from school?

Ans. The French teacher M Hamel was going to ask questions on participles which Franz had not
prepared. To avoid being scolded he was tempted to play truant from school and spend the day out doors
in a pleasurable manner.
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5. What was unusual about the school that Franz noticed when he entered the school?
Ans. As Franz entered in school he noticed the unusual silence as if it was a Sunday morning. No noise
of lesson chanting, no noise of opening and closing of desk drawers. All students were already in class.
Teacher was wearing the special fancy dress which he would usually wear only on special occasions like
prize ceremonies etc. The back benches were occupied by the villagers

6. Why was it the last lesson? How did Franz react to it?
Ans. As the order from Berlin had come to teach German in all schools of Alsace and Lorraine there
would be no French lesson form the next day M Hamel announced in the class. The announcement was
like a thunderclap to Franz. He felt sorry for not learning French. The French books, which earlier were a
nuisance, became attractive. He felt he could not give up his French books.

7. What reasons did M Hamel give for their lack of interest in learning French?
Ans. The lack of interest in learning French was due to the parents who wanted their children to work in
the farm or mill to earn; due to the students who were reluctant to learn and often put off the lesson for
the next day and due to himself as he asked them to water the flowers and gave them off when he had to
go for fishing.

8. Why does M Hamel not want the people to forget French?

Ans. M Hamel did not want them to forget French as it is the most beautiful and logical language and as
long as they held fast to their language it would be as if they had the key to the prison.

9. Describe how M Hamel conducted the last lesson.

Ans. In his last French class though M Hamel was emotional he fully involved himself in the teaching
learning process. He heard every lesson to the last , sitting motionless in the chair. When the church bell
struck twelve he stood up pale and wrote ‘Vive La French’ and with a gesture he communicated that the
school was dismissed.

10. Describe the impact of the notice on Franz, M. Hamel and the senior villagers?
Ans. The notice affected everybody deeply. Franz thought why he had wasted his time on leisure
activities instead of learning his own language. The books which would seem to him as a burden now
seemed to be old friends to him. H. Hamel was feeling guilty for sending his students for his personal
tasks. Villagers were feeling guilty for not having sent their children to school.

11. Why were some elderly persons occupying the back benches that day?

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Ans: The order had come from Berlin to stop teaching French in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and
for German to be taught instead. In the last French lesson, the elderly were seen occupying the last
benches as a mark of respect for M.Hamel who had taught there for forty years. They sat there as they
wished to have gone to school more regularly. They also wanted to pay tribute to their country and
mother tongue. (CBSE 2018)

Long answer questions – 5 marks each

11. Write a brief character sketch of M. Hamel.

Ans. M. Hamel was taken as a strict teacher. Students were afraid of his iron ruler. He was a very
sincere and dedicated teacher who served for forty long years in his service as a teacher to the village in
Alsace. When he got the notice to vacate his place to make space for the new German teacher, he was
totally broken. He remained sad and nostalgic during his final class as he loved his country very much.
This changed his behavior; he behaved rather very politely and patiently. When Franz was not able to
say his lesson correctly, instead of scolding him he just made him understand the relevance of learning
the mother tongue. He preached to everyone present in the class that important things should never been
postponed. He regretted the fact that learning of French was never given any importance

12. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German , even the pigeons?”. Comment.
Ans. The Last Lesson is set in the days of the Franco-Prussian War. It depicts how , after defeating
France in the War, the Prussians wanted to take over not only the French territory but also rule over the
minds of the people of France. So an order received from Berlin declared that the French language was
no longer to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and was to be replaced by the German
language. This news came as a shock to the French people. Franz , too, felt extremely sad at being
deprived of learning his own language. He wondered at such tyranny where man tried to enslave the
minds of other men after capturing their territories. During his last French lesson , when Franz hears the
pigeons cooing, he wonders if they too would be forced by the Prussians to sing in German. He fails to
see any reason for man’s domination over man where, if given a choice, man would not hesitate to master
his control even over the forces of nature and its beings.

13. What do you think is the theme of the story ‘The Last Lesson’? What is the reason behind its
universal appeal?
Ans. The lesson highlights the human tendency to postpone the learning of things because one feels there
is plenty of time to do so. One does not realize that each day brings with it changing circumstances that
change life for better or for worse. The writer also asks the reader to value time, freedom and peace. One
never knows what a new dawn would bring with it that might end our hopes and aspirations. Through the
narrator, the author urges the reader to respect his country, its people, its culture and specially its
language for ‘it has the key to their freedom.

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The people of Alsace always thought they had plenty of time to learn their lessons; therefore, they did not
give much importance to school. They preferred their children to work on the farms and mills instead of
having them learn the lessons. Even Franz always looked for opportunities to skip school and collect
birds eggs. However, the unexpected happens and an order is received from Berlin regarding compulsory
teaching of German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. It is then that they realize that they would be
deprived of what they had been evading all this while. The story is aptly titled as it evokes the
consciousness in the reader not to put off things and do what one can do that day.

14. The story ‘The Last Lesson’ is all about ‘linguistic chauvinism’. Comment.
Ans. Man was born free but he has bound himself everywhere in chains – the chains of communism,
regionalism, nationalities and even linguistic confinements. War and battles for acquiring power became
a part of his nature. His desire to rule and become the lord of the world, made him selfish and self-
centred. The story ‘The Last Lesson’ is all about linguistic chauvinism. Acquisition of power over the
Alsacians made the Prussians so domineering that they imposed even their language on them. Their pride
in their language was so fixed that there was no scope of respecting and accepting the language of others.
Their rulers wanted to dominate even their minds and hearts and wanted them to even think in their
language, thereby causing the loss of their identity. The story thus highlights linguistic chauvinism which
is becoming a major cause of wars and political disturbance in the world.

15. ‘When a people are enslaved , as long as they hold fast to their language it is as if they had the
key to the prison’. Explain.
Ans. Political enslavement is a curse for any nation as it deprives it of its identity. The natives of the
country do not enjoy any kind of freedom, physical or mental. The ruling government dictates its own
terms and compels them to abide by these rules. The enslaved natives become victims of a confined life
with no hope of ever being free in their motherland. At such times of enslavement, it is their language
which keeps their identity alive. It unites them against the foreigners who have invaded their motherland.
Their language is the key to their prison as it binds them together. It constantly reminds them of their
enslavement and thus urges them to fight for the liberation of their motherland. Here M.Hamel reminds
his countrymen to safeguard their language after they’ve received orders from Berlin. He knew that his
countrymen could liberate themselves only if they recognized and maintained their identity through their
mother tongue. Thus even though it was their last lesson, M.Hamel wanted them to be proud of the
beautiful French language.

16. What did the French teacher tell his students in his last French lesson? What impact did it have on
them? Why?
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.
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Everyone from the village assembled in the class to thank Mr. Hamel for his forty years of faithful
service to the community.

17. How different from usual was the atmosphere at school on the day of the last lesson?
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.

18. Everybody during the last lesson is filled with regret. Comment.
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.

19. 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?
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
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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

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