8/10/2019 Last Lesson & Lost Spring

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THE LAST LESSON1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that da!

Franz was expected to prepare participles for school that day, about which M. Hamel would question him. Hehad not prepared his lessons and so he was rather anxious about school that day.

". What was #n#s#al abo#t school that da!Usually when school began, there was a great noise and bustle which children repeating their lessons and theteachers ruler rapping on the table. ut that day there was no such commotion. !t was almost as still as a"unday morning. His classmates were all in their places and M. Hamel was wal#ing up and down in theclassroom.

$. What had been p#t #p on the b#lletin board that da!$here was an order from erlin that French would no longer be taught in the pro%inces of &lsace and 'orraine.From then on only (erman would be taught in all schools in those pro%inces. $his was put up on the %illagebulletin board that day.

%. How did Franz&s feelin's abo#t the school and (. Ha)el chan'e!)arlier Franz was always loo#ing for excuses to s#ip school. ut when he heard that this would be his lastFrench lesson, he immediately felt sad and also felt a great lo%e towards his mother tongue. He tried toconcentrate harder and class and later found that this was his best French lesson e%er. He immediately felt agreat lo%e towards his French teacher and lamented that he had not concentrated harder in the class.

*. How did the French lesson end that da!&s soon as the cloc# struc# *+ and the trumpets of the russian soldiers were heard, M. Hamel wound up his

lesson. He lost his %oice and ended the lesson by writing -i%a la France/ on the blac# board. $hen he saidthat school was dismissed and they could all go. $heir last French lesson had ended.

+. What was the part plaed b the ,illa'e elders in the Last Lesson!

&ll the %illage elders including the former Mayor and the former ostmaster were at the bac# of the room.$hey all had their boo#s with them and seriously repeated the lessons taught by M. Hamel. Many of themwere crying but they still put up a sincere effort to ma#e the last lesson a success.

-. What did Franz wonder if e,en the pi'eons wo#ld be )ade to sin' in er)an!$here was so much of a (erman influence e%erywhere and (erman was to be taught in schools instead ofFrench. 'oo#ing up at the pigeons, Franz wondered whether the (erman influence would go beyond humanbeings and e%en affect the animals and birds. He wondered whether they would also be made to sing in(erman.

/. Wh did (. Ha)el sa that he was also to bla)e for their poor perfor)ance in French!M. Hamel regretted that when he should ha%e been teaching lessons in the class, he sometimes went fishing.He had also as#ed the students to water his plants and do other 0obs for him $his may ha%e affected thestudies of the students.

0. What was (. Ha)el&s opinion abo#t the French lan'#a'e!M. Hamel said that French was the most beautiful language in the whole world. !t was the clearest and themost logical. $hey must hold fast to their language as their mother tongue was the #ey to their imprisonment.

1. What were the lessons (. Ha)el ta#'ht that da!$he first lesson he taught was a lesson in recitation. $he next was a grammar lesson. &fter that M. Hameltaught history and the last part comprised of pronunciation.

11. What was the difference in the teacher&s teachin' that da as co)pared to the other das!

1n most days, M. Hamel was harsh and often beat his students. ut on that day he loo#ed sad and e%en whenthe author went wrong in his pronunciation, he did not scold him. He gently corrected him and then explainedthe importance of their language. $he students also concentrated more and felt they had learnt more that daythan other days.

S2((A34 OF THE LESSON5$his lesson deals with the feelings of a young boy towards his mother tongue. $he French boy Franz, alwayshated school and learning French. He had to learn articiples that day but he had not done it. 2hen hereached school, e%erything was quiet as if on a "unday morning. $he students were in the class and there wasnone of the usual noise and bustle. 2hen he arri%ed late also M. Hamel did not scold him. He 0ust as#ed himto come in. $he author was surprised to obser%e that e%en the %illage elders including the former mayor andthe former postmaster were present at the bac# of the class. $hen M. Hamel explained that this would be their

last French lesson as an order had come from erlin to teach only (erman in the schools of 'orraine and&lsace. !mmediately Franz felt a strange lo%e for his language he had ne%er felt before. He understood that he

was about to lose his mother tongue and concentrated harder in class. He was surprised how easily heunderstood e%erything. oth the teacher and students regretted ha%ing missed classes. M. Hamel said thatFrench was the most beautiful language in the world and the most logical. He dealt with grammar, history,writing and pronunciation. !t shows that when we are about to lose something we #now its %alue. ut for thestudents it was too late. "oon the russians arri%ed and the master wound up the lesson by writing -i%a 'aFrance/ on the blac#board.6(7O3TAN8E OF LAN2AE5$he lesson clearly shows how our language is of %alue to us only when we are about to lose it. M. Hamel andthe students, both show the regret at ha%ing neglected the language. Franz also realized that if he hadconcentrated harder he would ha%e understood more. He wished he could study more but it was too late asonly (erman would be taught in schools. !t also shows M. Hamels lo%e for the language as he describes it asthe most logical and beautiful. He also ad%ises the people gathered there to ne%er lea%e their language as itwas a source of comfort e%en if they were imprisoned. )%en the writing lesson signifies the importance ofFrench as all words were -&lsace/ and -French/. Franz is so %exed that he wondered whether e%en the pigeons

would be made to sing in (erman. $he masters lo%e is also shown when the lesson ended. 2ith a lot ofemotion, he writes -i%a 'a France/ on the board. $he %illage elders also show their interest as they recitetheir lesson with as much enthusiasm as the children. )%en they realize the importance of their language. $helesson clearly shows how important our language is and that we should ne%er waste any opportunity to learnit as we may regret it later.

8/10/2019 Last Lesson & Lost Spring

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LOST S736N

1. What is Saheb loo9in' for in the 'arba'e d#)ps! Where is he and where has he co)e fro)!"aheb3e3alam is a young angladeshi boy who came as a refugee and settled in the town of "eemapuri near 4elhi. Hebecame a rag pic#er and always feels that he may find a gold oin in one of the garbage dumps and become richthereby.". What explanations does the a#thor offer for the children not wearin' footwear!

$he author has seen many children wal#ing barefoot on the street. He feels that it is some sort of a tradition not towear footwear. ut he also feels that this may be a #ind of excuse to disguise their po%erty.5. 2hat do the children say about not wearing footwear61ne child says that his mother did not gi%e him chappals. ut another boy says that e%en if she had gi%en him thechappals, he would only ha%e thrown them away. 1ne boy is wearing shoes that donot match whereas yet anotherboy doesnot own any.%. What 9ind of a town in See)ap#ri!"eemapuri is a town near 4elhi. $he chief inhabitants comprise of some *7777 rag pic#ers who ha%e arri%ed fromangladesh. $hey li%e in mud structures co%ered with tarpaulin and tin and lac# sewage, drainage and running water.$hey ha%e ration cards due to which they are able to buy grain. (arbage to them is gold and it gi%es them their foodand shelter.*. Wh does Saheb not en:o his new :ob!"aheb got a 0ob to wor# in the tea shop. He is seen with a tea canister o%er his shoulder instead of his plastic bag. ut"aheb is not happy as he cannot be his own master. He has to wor# for someone else. He cannot do as he pleases,

which he li#es. $he plastic bag was his. $he tea canister belongs to the person who owns the tea shop.+. How is (#9esh different fro) other people of his area!&ll the bangle ma#ers ha%e resigned themsel%es to their fate. $hey dont #now any other profession. For ages, theyha%e been following the same profession. $hey dont want to escape also. ut Mu#esh is different. He doesnt want to

be a bangle ma#er. His aim is to become a motor mechanic.-. Wh are the o#n' )en of Firozabad not able to or'anize the)sel,es into a co;operati,e!$he young men ha%e fallen into a %icious trap of the middlemen who trapped their fathers and forefathers. $hey saythat if they react against the in0ustice they will be caught by the police and dragged to 0ail for something illegal./. What are the forces that conspire to 9eep the people of Firozabad in constant po,ert!$here is a %icious circle of middlemen, the sahu#ars, the policemen, the politicians and e%en the bureaucrats, whoha%e imposed a burden on the children year after year and decade after decade which they can ne%er put down.0. What proble) do the