NOTES OF LAST LESSON

No. 1) On his way to school, Franz says that he had the strength to resist and chose to hurry
off to school.
The underlined phrase suggests that Franz was
a. hesitant. b. threatened. c. tempted. d. repentant. Ans. Option (c)
Q. No. 2) Franz saw a huge crowd assembled in front of the bulletin board but did not stop.
How would you evaluate his reaction?
a. Franz was too little to care about the news of lost battles.
b. Nobody in Franz’s family was in the army, so it did not matter.
c. Bad news had become very normal, so he went about his task.
d. It was too crowded for Franz to find out what news was up on the board.Ans. Option (c)
Q. No. 3) There was usually great bustle and noise when school began, but it was all very
quiet. Which of the following describes Franz’s emotions most accurately?
a. shock and awe b. disappointment and anxiety
c. confusion and distress d. curiosity and uncertainty Ans. Option (b)
Q. No. 4) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
While I was wondering about it all, M. Hamel mounted his chair, and, in the same grave and
gentle tone which he had used to me, said, "My children, this is the last lesson I shall give
you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and
Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be
very attentive." What a thunderclap these words were to me! Oh, the wretches; that was
what they had put up at the town hall!
i. Who are 'the wretches' Franz refers to in this extract?
a. the French b. the Prussians c. the village people d. the school children Ans. Option (b)
ii. Why does M. Hamel tell everyone to be 'very attentive'?
a. He wants to quiz them on the last lesson later in the day.
b. He wants to inform them of his wish to retire as a teacher.
c. He wants to tell them about the new language they will soon learn.
d. He wants to teach them as much of their language as possible in that class.Ans. Option (d)
iii. What does the order from Berlin signify?
a. the blending of two different cultures. b. the imposition of one culture over another
c. the peaceful coexistence of multiple cultures d. the universal recognition of one culture as
superior Ans. Option (b)
iv. This line from the extract depicts Franz's __________. What a thunderclap these words
were to me!
a. confusion about the new language b. astonishment at a wasted opportunity
c. disappointment in M. Hamel's teaching d. anger towards the people of the village
Ans. Option (b)
v. Select the option that uses 'mounted' as used in the extract.
a. Salima mounted the bicycle and rode downhill. b. Peter mounted the platform to a
rousing welcome. c. Satyajeet bit his nails as the tension mounted in the game.
d. Kimpi mounted a protest by refusing to talk to her sister all day. Ans. Option (b)
Q. No. 5) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Poor man! It was in honor of this last lesson that he had put on his fine Sunday clothes, and
now I understood why the old men of the village were sitting there in the back of the room.
It was because they were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more. It was their way
 of thanking our master for his forty years of faithful service and of showing their respect for
the country that was theirs no more.
i. Why does the narrator refer to M. Hamel as ‘Poor man!’?
a. He empathizes with M. Hamel as he had to leave the village.
b. He believes that M. Hamel’s “fine Sunday clothes” clearly reflected that he was not rich.
c. He feels sorry for M. Hamel as it was his last French lesson. d. He thinks that M. Hamel’s
patriotism and sense of duty resulted in his poverty. Ans. Option (c)
ii. Which of the following idioms might describe the villagers’ act of attending the last lesson
most accurately?
a. ‘Too good to miss’ b. ‘Too little, too late' c. ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’
d. ‘Too cool for school’ Ans. Option (b)
iii. Choose the option that might raise a question about M. Hamel’s “faithful service”.
a. When Franz came late, M. Hamel told him that he was about to begin class without him.
b. Franz mentioned how cranky M. Hamel was and his “great ruler rapping on the table”.
c. M. Hamel often sent students to water his flowers and gave them a holiday when he
wanted to go fishing.
d. M. Hamel permitted villagers put their children “to work on a farm or at the mills” for
some extra money. Ans. Option (c)
iv. Choose the option that most appropriately fills in the blanks, for the following description
of the given extract.
The villagers and their children sat in class, forging with their old master a (i) _____
togetherness. At that moment, the classroom stood (ii) _____. It was France itself, and the
last French lesson a desperate hope to (iii) ______ to the remnants of what they had known
and taken for granted. Their own (iv) _______.
a. (i) graceful; (ii) still; (iii) hang on; (iv) country
b. (i) bygone; (ii) up; (iii) keep on; (iv) education
c. (i) beautiful; (ii) mesmerized; (iii) carry on; (iv) unity
d. (i) forgotten; (ii) transformed; (iii) hold on; (iv) identity Ans. Option (d)
Q. No. 6) “I never saw him look so tall”. Which of the following best captures M. Hamel on
the last day of school?
a. cranky, miserable, dedicated, resigned
b. patient, dignified, emotional, courageous
c. calm, nostalgic, disappointed, patriotic
d. proud, reproachful, persistent, heroic Ans. Option (b)
Column A Column B

1. M. Hamel distributed new copies that looked like little French flags and i. 'Remorse is memory awake'
ended the class with an emphatic "Vive La France!". (Emily Dickinson)

2. Hauser sat at the end of the class, thumping his primer, desperately trying ii. 'A House Called Tomorrow'
to learn with the children, even as he cried. (Alberto Rios)

3. M. Hamel shared how Alsace always put off learning, and how its people iii. 'For Whom the Bell Tolls'
always thought they had plenty of time. (John Donne)

4. Classes ended when the church clock struck twelve. And then the Angelus. iv. 'Do Not Go Gentle into that
Simultaneously, Prussian trumpets sounded under the school windows. Good Night' (Dylan Thomas)
Q. No. 7) Look at the table below. Column A provides instances from the story ‘The Last
Lesson’. Column B provides titles of some famous English language poems. Choose the
option that correctly matches items of Column A with Column B.
a. 1 – (i); 2 – (ii); 3 – (iii); 4 – (iv) b. 1 – (ii); 2 – (iii); 3 – (iv); 4 – (i)
c. 1 – (iii); 2 – (iv); 3 – (i); 4 – (ii) d. 1 – (iv); 2 – (i); 3 – (ii); 4 – (iii) Ans. Option (d)
Q. No. 8) Concluding his last lesson by writing ‘Vive la France!’ on the blackboard shows that
M. Hamel
a. was overwhelmed with emotions. b. wanted to distract all attending class that day.
c. was keen on not leaving the country. d. wanted to teach French participles through it.
Ans. Option (a)
Q. No. 9) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street,
the opening and closing of desks, lessons repeated in unison, very loud, with our hands over
our ears to understand better, and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table. But now it
was all so still! I had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen; but,
of course, that day everything had to be as quiet as Sunday morning. Through the window, I
saw my classmates, already in their places, and M. Hamel walking up and down with his
terrible iron ruler under his arm. I had to open the door and go in before everybody. You can
imagine how I blushed and how frightened I was.
i. List any two sensory details present in this extract.
Ans. Sensory details present in the extract are:
The sounds of the opening and closing of desks
The loud lessons repeated in unison
The teacher's ruler rapping on the table.
ii. Why does the protagonist feel anxious about entering the classroom on this particular
day?
a. The classmates have started the lesson b. The teacher is in a bad mood
c. The classroom is too quiet d. The protagonist is running late
Ans. Option (a) [The protagonist sees through the window that the other students are
already in their places, and this makes him feel anxious as he is trying to avoid being seen
and is worried about being scolded by the teacher and embarrassed in front of his
classmates. The fact that the other students have already started the lesson adds to his
anxiety.]
iii. Complete the sentence appropriately.
The phrase "as quiet as Sunday morning" suggests that _____.
Ans. The school was unusually quiet and still, as if it were a day of rest/holiday/school off,
rather than a bustling school day.
iv. Pick evidence from the extract that helps one infer that this was not the protagonist’s first
time being late to school.
Ans. The protagonist seems to have a plan for how to sneak into class without being noticed,
suggesting that they may have been in similar situations before. [The protagonist states: "I
had counted on the commotion to get to my desk without being seen," which implies that
they have been late before and have developed a strategy for avoiding punishment.]
v. What does the term 'terrible iron ruler' indicate about M. Hamel?
Ans. The strictness and severity of M. Hamel's discipline.
vi. Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?
a. The Fears of a Latecomer b. The Importance of Punctuality
c. The Rigidity of the School System d. The Anxiety of a Young Student
Ans. Option (b) [The extract revolves around the theme of punctuality and the consequences
of being late. The protagonist is anxious and embarrassed about being late to school,
highlighting the importance of being on time. The other options, such as A) The Fears of a
Latecomer, C) The Rigidity of the School System, and D) The Anxiety of a Young Student,
touch upon some of the themes in the extract but do not fully capture the central idea.]
Q. No. 10) Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
M. Hamel went on to talk of the French language, saying that it was the most beautiful
language in the world — the clearest, the most logical; that we must guard it among us and
never forget it, because when a people are enslaved, as long as they hold fast to their
language it is as if they had the key to their prison. Then he opened a grammar book and
read us our lesson. I was amazed to see how well I understood it. All he said seemed so easy,
so easy!
i. Which of the following can be attributed to M. Hamel’s declaration about the French
language?
a. subject expertise b. nostalgic pride c. factual accuracy d. patriotic magnification
Ans. Option (d)
ii. Read the quotes given below. Choose the option that might best describe M. Hamel’s
viewpoint.

a. Option (i) b. Option (ii) c. Option (iii) d. Option (iv) Ans. Option (b)
iii. “I was amazed to see how well I understood it.” Select the option that does NOT explain
why Franz found the grammar lesson “easy”.
a. Franz was paying careful attention in class this time.
b. M. Hamel was being extremely patient and calm in his teaching.
c. Franz was inspired and had found a new meaning and purpose to learning.
d. Franz realized that French was the clearest and most logical language. Ans. Option (d)
iv. Franz was able to understand the grammar lesson easily because he was
a. receptive. b. appreciative. c. introspective. d. competitive. Ans. Option (a)
Q. No. 11) How and why was M. Hamel dressed differently that day?
Ans. M. Hamel was dressed differently on the day of his final lesson because he was wearing
his best clothes. He wanted to show his respect for the importance of the occasion and his
love for his country, despite the fact that it had been occupied by the Germans. As Franz
notes in the story, "M. Hamel had on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt, and the little
black silk cap, all embroidered, that he never wore except on inspection and prize days." M.
Hamel's attire reflects his sense of duty and his commitment to teaching, even in the face of
difficult circumstances. By dressing up for his final lesson, he shows his students that he
takes their education seriously and that he is proud of the work that they have done
together.
Q. No. 12) Comment on the significance of the villagers sitting at the back in M. Hamel’s
classroom.
Ans.As a sign of repentance for not attending school often.
They wanted to thank M. Hamel for his 40 years of dedicated service.
As a mark of respect for the country which was no longer theirs.
Q. No. 13) Who did M. Hamel blame when Franz was unable to answer a question on French
participles?
Ans. M. Hamel blames: People of Alsace for postponing learning.
Parents who preferred to send their children to work in fields and mills instead of sending
them to school.
Himself for not fulfilling his duty as a teacher sincerely - by sending the children to water the
plants in the garden & declaring a holiday whenever he wanted to go fishing.
Q. No. 14) “We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with,” said M.Hamel. Refer to the
context and explain what he wanted to convey to his students.
Ans.M. Hamel said it to Franz when he felt embarrassed at not being able to answer.
He consoles Franz by saying everyone in Alsace is to be blamed for not learning their mother
tongue
parents, teachers, and children all are to be blamed
Alsace puts off learning for tomorrow
Q. No. 15) “You realize the true value of a thing only on losing it.” Comment on this
statement in the light of the story, The Last Lesson.
Ans.Prussians put a ban on the French language.
People realized the importance of holding onto their mother tongue.
OR
M Hamel was considered strict and the classes/work given by him were not taken seriously.
After he was ordered to leave the country, villagers realized the importance of his
contribution to society.
Q. No. 16) If this had been M. Hamel’s first lesson, how do you think the school experience
of the students might have been impacted?
Ans. If "The Last Lesson" had been M. Hamel's first lesson, it's possible that the school
experience of the students would have been very different. M. Hamel's passionate and
dedicated teaching style may have inspired the students to take their studies more seriously
and to appreciate the value of education.
Q. No. 17) Little Franz is the narrator of the story. The name ‘Franz’ means ‘from France’. In
what way does the story being told as a first-person narrative of Franz impact your reading
and understanding of the story? Provide at least one piece of evidence from the text to
support your opinion.
Ans. The fact that "The Last Lesson" is told from the perspective of the young protagonist
Franz has a significant impact on the reader's experience of the story. Through his eyes, we
are able to see the events of the story unfold in a more immediate and personal way, and we
are able to empathize with his feelings of regret and nostalgia at the end of the lesson.
One of the ways in which Franz's perspective impacts our understanding of the story is that
it allows us to see the effects of the French language ban on a child who is just beginning to
develop his love for learning. We see how the ban has disrupted Franz's education and how
it has affected his relationship with his teacher, M. Hamel. This creates a sense of empathy in
the reader, as we understand the significance of the loss that Franz and his classmates are
experiencing.
For example, in the story, Franz describes the moment when he realizes that it is his last
French lesson with M. Hamel: "It was at that moment that I realized how much I had to
regret, for it was the last French lesson I was ever to have" (from "The Last Lesson" by
Alphonse Daudet). This quote shows how Franz's personal experience of the events of the
story shapes his perspective and emotions, and it allows the reader to feel a similar sense of
regret and loss.
Q. No. 18) At the end of his last lesson, M. Hamel decides to leave a little note for each of his
students for them to find the next day at their desks. Based on your reading of the story,
what might his note to Franz read?
You may begin like this:
Dear Franz,
I know you have always preferred to run in the open fields …
Ans. Dear Franz,
I know you have always preferred to run in the open fields, but I hope that today's lesson has
shown you the value of exploring new ideas and perspectives. Remember to keep your
curiosity alive and to seek out knowledge wherever you can find it. The world is full of
wonders, and I have no doubt that you will continue to discover new joys and insights
wherever your path may lead.
With warmest regards,
M. Hamel
Q. No. 19) Though tempted by the bright day, Franz stated that he had “the strength to
resist, and hurried off to school.” As the story progresses, the reader realizes that Franz, M.
Hamel, and the villagers would perhaps need “the strength to resist” much larger forces.
Discuss how the story provides strategies for resistance and protection of one’s identity and
community through its events and characters. Provide relevant textual details to support
your argument.
Ans. "The Last Lesson" provides several strategies for resistance and protection of one's
identity and community through its events and characters. These strategies include valuing
one's cultural heritage, standing up for what one believes in, and cherishing the
relationships that connect us to our community.
Firstly, the story emphasizes the importance of valuing one's cultural heritage. M. Hamel's
dedication to teaching French to his students, despite the ban on the language,
demonstrates the power of preserving one's language and culture. He encourages his
students to appreciate the beauty and history of the French language, and in doing so, he
helps them to connect with their cultural heritage. This is reflected in the passage where M.
Hamel declares, "It is our language, our soul."
Secondly, the story emphasizes the importance of standing up for what one believes in, even
in the face of adversity. M. Hamel's decision to hold his last French lesson, despite the
looming threat of German occupation, demonstrates his courage and conviction. He refuses
to let external forces dictate his actions and instead chooses to act on his own beliefs and
values. This is reflected in the passage where M. Hamel declares, "We must always keep
learning."
Finally, the story emphasizes the importance of cherishing the relationships that connect us
to our community. Franz's love and respect for his teacher, M. Hamel, is a testament to the
deep connections that can form between individuals in a community. When M. Hamel gives
his final speech to the students, he emphasizes the importance of these connections, saying,
"We must love our country, and cherish it always."
Q. No. 20) Franz from The Last Lesson and the peddler from The Rattrap demonstrate the
importance of learning from our mistakes to evolve into better people. Imagine that
Shubhangi, your friend, feels as if she has made a mistake by not taking her academics
seriously. Write an essay to Shubhangi in 120–150 words discussing instances from the two
texts to give her an insight into the human tendency to make mistakes and learn from them.
You may begin like this:
Shubhangi, all of us have made mistakes at one point or another in our lives. After all, to err
is human...........
Ans. Mistakes are common - all of us, whether old or young, may make numerous mistakes.
For example, little Franz is careless, indisciplined, and unpunctual while the vagabond, who
is much older than Franz, remains greedy and chooses to engage in petty thievery.
If not corrected in time, our mistakes bring our growth to a standstill. As in the case of Franz,
since he does not take Mr. Hamel’s classes seriously, he is unable to learn French despite
being present in the classroom. The man with the rattrap, on the other hand, is not satisfied
by people’s kindness to him. Instead, he steals from compassionate people like the old
crofter who shared his meal with him and gave him a place to rest, without any remorse. He
also greedily pretends to be the master blacksmith’s long-lost acquaintance, hoping for
money from the blacksmith.
However, when they are confronted with their respective situations, they realize their
mistakes. Franz attends the last lesson only to realize that he had lost the only opportunity
to learn his mother tongue while the vagabond who pretended to be Captain Von Stahle was
taken aback by the goodness of Edla.
Upon this realization, Franz is filled with remorse and tries his best to recite the lesson. He is
unable to do so and feels guilty, so he listens to the remaining part of the lesson with rapt
attention. Similarly, inspired by Edla’s kindness to him, the rattrap man returns the stolen
money.
Both of these characters thus realize their mistakes and take initiative to fix them. They
make the choice to evolve into better people by learning from their mistakes, something
that makes a difference in their lives.