THE LAST LESSON; MAIN POINTS & NOTE MAKING

MAIN POINTS

1.     Franz started for school very late.

2.     He feared a scolding from his teacher, M.Hamel. He had not prepared his lesson on participles.

3.     There was a big crowd in front of the bulletin-board near the town hall.

4.     Usually the people received all kinds of sad news from there.

5.     When he reached his school, he found it unusually quiet.

6.     The usual bustle and bustle was not there.

7.     He went inside the classroom before everybody. He was frightened.

8.     But nothing happened. M.Hamel very kindly asked him to go to his place quickly.

9.     Franz was surprised to see many village-elders sitting on desks at the back.

10.                         At last,M.Hamel broke shocking news to his students.

11.                         An order has come from Berlin,

12.                         All the schools of French districts of Alsace and Lorraine would teach German henceforth.

13.                         A new teacher would come to teach German.

14.                        M.Hamel announced that he would leave that school for good the next day.

15.                         He was delivering his last lesson in French.

16.                         M. Hamel was a transformed person.

17.                        He didn’t used his ruler when Franz got mixed up and confused.

18.                        M. Hamel regretted that the people of Alsace and Lorraine were quite indifferent to the learning of their mother tongue , French

19.                        He called upon his students and the village-elders to guard French among themselves.

20.                        He declared that French is the most beautiful language in the world.

21.                        He wanted to speak more, but emotions choked up his speech.

22.                        He took a piece of chalk and wrote on the blackboard as large as he could write: “Long Live France!”.

23.                        Then he made a gesture with his hand asking them to go out. The school was “dismissed”.

NOTE-MAKING 

THE LAST LESSON

1.      Franz’s fears while going to sch.

            (a)   Late for sch.

(b)  Afraid of scolding

        (c) Had not learnt lesson on prtcpl

        (d)Tempted to stay away from school

                (i)day outside was bright & warm.

                        (ii) Birds chirping

                        (iii drilling of Prussian soldiers

2.      Scene at the town hall

            (a) Bulletin board- a source of bad news

            (b)Crowd in front of Bulletin board

            (c)did not wait, rushed to school

3.      Usual scene at school

            (a) Hustle and bustle

            (b) Notes of opening and closing desk.

            (c)Repetition of lesson in unison

            (d) Striking of teacher’s ruler

4.      Changes in school noticed by Franz

(a)Everything was silent

(b)M. Hamel was in ceremonial dress

(c)Classmates were already in their places

(d)Kindness of M. Hamel

    (e)Serious look of the school

    (f)Village elderly people sitting on back benches.

5.      M. Hamel’s adrs to students

(a) M. Hamel demanded full attention

(b)Last lesson of French

(c)German will be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine

6.      Franz’s reaction

(a) felt sorry for ignoring his lesson

(b) Deeply pained at the thought of M. Hamel going away

7.      Presence of village elders

(a)  Repentance for not having attended school.

(b)To thank the master for 40 years’ ser.

(c) As a mark of respect for the country.

8.      Lack of learning: Hamel’s view

          (a)Parents ignorant; not anxious to have their children learn

          (b)Childrn preferred to be put to work on farms or mills.

          (c)Also blamed

 himself for

                 (i)  Sending children on errands eg. watering plants

                 (ii) Taking holidays for personal interests eg. fishing

9.      M. Hamel teaches his last lesn.

            (a)   Calls the French lang. the most beautiful lang.

            (b)Gives them their lesson in gr.

            (c) Wants to teach them everything in one go

            (d)   Gives a lesson in wrtng

            (e)  Delivers his last lesson in hist.

                (f)   Everyone gets emtnl

        (g)  M. Hamel writes “Vive la France” to dismiss the last class

Abbreviations

Chldrn: children

emtnl: emotional

lesn: lesson

adrs: address

wrtng: writing

prtcpl: participle

Questions:

1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?

Value points: lesson on participles, didn't know a word about it, expected scolding.

2. What unusual thing Franz noticed in the school?

Value points: no usual bustle listened from street, no great commotion, pin drop silent, people of city attended the class, M.Hamel dressed up ceremoniously, very calm, didn't scold Franz.

3.What had been put up on the bulletin board?

Value points:important news, public announcement, place of all bad news, new order of imposing GERMAN on Alsace and Lorraine instead of French.

4. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?

Value points: a great dismay, upset all students, M.Hamel had to leave, parents and students agitated greatly, German became the language of learning.

5. How did Franz feel about Mr. M.Hamel and the school?

Value points:views  fully changed, developed fascination for French language, books turned old friends, love for teacher.