Flamingo study material
The Last Lesson (Alphonse Daudet)
Theme
The theme of "The Last Lesson" by Alphonse Daudet is about the loss of language
and culture due to war, and the importance of education. Set during the
FrancoPrussian War, the story shows how the people of Alsace are forced to give
up their French language and learn German. Franz, the young boy in the story,
realizes too late how much he loves his language and regrets not studying harder.
The poem highlights the emotional connection to one’s language, the impact of
war on personal lives, and the need to appreciate education and culture before it’s
lost.
Character sketch
Character Sketch of M.Hemal
• Dedicated and passionate teacher
• Devoted to his work
• Love to promote French language and culture
• Sharp sense of humour
• Patriot , Courage
Character Sketch of Franz
• Likes to play
• Love to fishing in the river, and daydreamer
• Eager to learn new things but not in learn a language
• Ignorant of the political tensions between France and Germany Emotional
Previous year extract based question
1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions :
For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was
so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the
open field back of the sawmill the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much
,more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and
hurried off to school.
(i) List two sensory details present in the extract.
Ans. Warm and bright weather
Birds chirping at the edge of the woods
(ii) Why is the narrator tempted to spend the day out of doors?
Ans. The narrator is tempted to the pleasant weather, the chirping birds, and the
sight of Prussian soldiers drilling in the open field.
(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
I hurried off to school resisting _______________.
Ans. I hurried off to school resisting the temptation to skip the day and enjoy the
outdoors.
(iv) Why does the narrator want to bunk school?
(A) He doesn’t like the teachers.
(B) He doesn’t like his classmates.
(C) He wasn’t prepared for the test on participles.
(D) He had forgotten to complete his homework.
Ans. (C) He wasn’t prepared for the test on participles.
(v) Which trait of the protagonist is revealed in the sentence ‘I had the strength to
resits’?
(A) sincerity
(B) determination
(C) bravery
(D) kindness
Ans. (B) determination
(vi) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?
(A) The Drilling of Prussian Soldiers
(B) The Rule of Participles
(C) Strength to Resist
(D) Out of Doors
Ans. (C) Strength to Resist
,2. Read the following extracts and answer the questions :
I heard M. Hamel say to me, “I won’t scold you, little Franz : you must feel bad
enough, see how it is ! Everyday we have said to ourselves. Bah! I’ve plenty of
time I’ll learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we’ve come out. Ah, that’s the
great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till tomorrow. Now those fellows
out there will have the right to say to you. ‘How is it; you pretend to be
Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But, you
are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves
with”.
(i) ‘And now you see where we’ve come out.’ The tone of M. Hamel in the above
line is that of: (A) kindness
(B) happiness
(C) regret
(D) enthusiasm
Ans. (C) regret
(ii) ‘We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.’
Select the option, which conveys the meaning of ‘reproach’ as reflected in the
above line.
(A)The player received a reprimand for breach of rules.
(B) The students approached the management with a demand for new canteen. (c)
The clerk received a letter of appreciation for his innovative ideas (D) She
could not find a way to broach the subject with her boss. Ans. (A) The player
received a reprimand for breach of rules.
(iii) State whether the following statement is true or false with reference to
the extract.
1. Hamel endorses the belief that there is plenty of time to learn their language.
2. Ans. False
(iv) Complete the sentence appropriately.
‘You must feel bad enough.’ Through these words M. Hamel urges the people
_______.
Ans. ‘You must feel bad enough.’ Through these words M. Hamel urges the people
to realize the consequences of their procrastination and neglect of their language.
, (v) Identify the line from the text that reinforces the theme of patriotism in the
story.
Ans. “How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor
write your own language?”
(vi) She puts off learning till tomorrow. The phrase ‘puts off” suggests _____. Ans.
She puts off learning till tomorrow. The phrase “puts off suggests
procrastination.
Previous year long type questions
1. We miss a thing when we are in fear of losing it. Substantiate this statement
with two examples from ‘The Last Lesson’, how the people in the story
suddenly realised how precious their language was to them. [40-50 Words]
Ans. In The Last Lesson, the villagers realize how important their language is only
when they are told it will no longer be taught. M. Hamel’s emotional farewell helps
them understand that they took their language for granted until it was too late to
save it.
2. What was more tempting for Franz than the rule for participles? Did he get
tempted? [40-50 Words]
Ans. The idea of skipping school and enjoying the beautiful weather was very
tempting. The birds were singing, and the field behind the school looked inviting.
Despite this, Franz resisted the temptation and decided to go to school instead.
3. Why were the villagers seated in the back benches? [40-50 Words]
Ans. The villagers sat at the back to show respect to M. Hamel on his last day of
teaching. They wanted to honor his dedication to teaching the village children for
forty years.
4. What was the ‘thunderclap’ the narrator received as Hamel began the lesson?
[40-50 Words]
The Last Lesson (Alphonse Daudet)
Theme
The theme of "The Last Lesson" by Alphonse Daudet is about the loss of language
and culture due to war, and the importance of education. Set during the
FrancoPrussian War, the story shows how the people of Alsace are forced to give
up their French language and learn German. Franz, the young boy in the story,
realizes too late how much he loves his language and regrets not studying harder.
The poem highlights the emotional connection to one’s language, the impact of
war on personal lives, and the need to appreciate education and culture before it’s
lost.
Character sketch
Character Sketch of M.Hemal
• Dedicated and passionate teacher
• Devoted to his work
• Love to promote French language and culture
• Sharp sense of humour
• Patriot , Courage
Character Sketch of Franz
• Likes to play
• Love to fishing in the river, and daydreamer
• Eager to learn new things but not in learn a language
• Ignorant of the political tensions between France and Germany Emotional
Previous year extract based question
1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions :
For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was
so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods; and in the
open field back of the sawmill the Prussian soldiers were drilling. It was all much
,more tempting than the rule for participles, but I had the strength to resist, and
hurried off to school.
(i) List two sensory details present in the extract.
Ans. Warm and bright weather
Birds chirping at the edge of the woods
(ii) Why is the narrator tempted to spend the day out of doors?
Ans. The narrator is tempted to the pleasant weather, the chirping birds, and the
sight of Prussian soldiers drilling in the open field.
(iii) Complete the sentence appropriately.
I hurried off to school resisting _______________.
Ans. I hurried off to school resisting the temptation to skip the day and enjoy the
outdoors.
(iv) Why does the narrator want to bunk school?
(A) He doesn’t like the teachers.
(B) He doesn’t like his classmates.
(C) He wasn’t prepared for the test on participles.
(D) He had forgotten to complete his homework.
Ans. (C) He wasn’t prepared for the test on participles.
(v) Which trait of the protagonist is revealed in the sentence ‘I had the strength to
resits’?
(A) sincerity
(B) determination
(C) bravery
(D) kindness
Ans. (B) determination
(vi) Which of the following headlines best suggests the central idea of the extract?
(A) The Drilling of Prussian Soldiers
(B) The Rule of Participles
(C) Strength to Resist
(D) Out of Doors
Ans. (C) Strength to Resist
,2. Read the following extracts and answer the questions :
I heard M. Hamel say to me, “I won’t scold you, little Franz : you must feel bad
enough, see how it is ! Everyday we have said to ourselves. Bah! I’ve plenty of
time I’ll learn it tomorrow. And now you see where we’ve come out. Ah, that’s the
great trouble with Alsace; she puts off learning till tomorrow. Now those fellows
out there will have the right to say to you. ‘How is it; you pretend to be
Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’ But, you
are not the worst, poor little Franz. We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves
with”.
(i) ‘And now you see where we’ve come out.’ The tone of M. Hamel in the above
line is that of: (A) kindness
(B) happiness
(C) regret
(D) enthusiasm
Ans. (C) regret
(ii) ‘We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.’
Select the option, which conveys the meaning of ‘reproach’ as reflected in the
above line.
(A)The player received a reprimand for breach of rules.
(B) The students approached the management with a demand for new canteen. (c)
The clerk received a letter of appreciation for his innovative ideas (D) She
could not find a way to broach the subject with her boss. Ans. (A) The player
received a reprimand for breach of rules.
(iii) State whether the following statement is true or false with reference to
the extract.
1. Hamel endorses the belief that there is plenty of time to learn their language.
2. Ans. False
(iv) Complete the sentence appropriately.
‘You must feel bad enough.’ Through these words M. Hamel urges the people
_______.
Ans. ‘You must feel bad enough.’ Through these words M. Hamel urges the people
to realize the consequences of their procrastination and neglect of their language.
, (v) Identify the line from the text that reinforces the theme of patriotism in the
story.
Ans. “How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor
write your own language?”
(vi) She puts off learning till tomorrow. The phrase ‘puts off” suggests _____. Ans.
She puts off learning till tomorrow. The phrase “puts off suggests
procrastination.
Previous year long type questions
1. We miss a thing when we are in fear of losing it. Substantiate this statement
with two examples from ‘The Last Lesson’, how the people in the story
suddenly realised how precious their language was to them. [40-50 Words]
Ans. In The Last Lesson, the villagers realize how important their language is only
when they are told it will no longer be taught. M. Hamel’s emotional farewell helps
them understand that they took their language for granted until it was too late to
save it.
2. What was more tempting for Franz than the rule for participles? Did he get
tempted? [40-50 Words]
Ans. The idea of skipping school and enjoying the beautiful weather was very
tempting. The birds were singing, and the field behind the school looked inviting.
Despite this, Franz resisted the temptation and decided to go to school instead.
3. Why were the villagers seated in the back benches? [40-50 Words]
Ans. The villagers sat at the back to show respect to M. Hamel on his last day of
teaching. They wanted to honor his dedication to teaching the village children for
forty years.
4. What was the ‘thunderclap’ the narrator received as Hamel began the lesson?
[40-50 Words]
