The Last Lesson

Summary Franz didnt want to go to school that day as his French teacher Mr. Hamel had announced that he would take a test on French Participles and Franz was not prepared for it. Franz was afraid of M Hamels ruler and being scolded. Although Franz was more interested in spending day out of school but eventually he decided to go to the school. On the way he passed through the Town Hall where he noticed a huge crowd was there around the notice board. Franz didnt stop there as he was well aware that this board had always been serving bad news about the war. Blacksmith told him no need to hurry for school but Franz thought he was making fun of him. On Reaching School he was surprised to see the sea change in daily environment. There was no noise as usual, no lesson chanting sound by students. It seemed as a Sunday morning. All students were already in their class room. M Hamel was walking with his iron ruler under his arm. Franz was frightened to enter in class as he thought that he would be scolded badly as he was very late but to his surprise, M Hamel did not say anything to him, rather welcomed him politely Go to your place quickly little Franz, we were beginning without you. After sitting on his seat Franz noticed that teacher was wearing his beautiful green coat, frilled shirt with a little black silk cap having embroidery on it, this type of dress usually he wore on functions or prize ceremonies only. Franz also noticed that the other villager including old Hauser, former Mayor and former post master were also presented in class they were in last benches. He couldnt understand until M Hamel announced the notice which was served from Berlin that now onwards no French would be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine, only German would be taught in the schools of these two French cities and he emotionally requested students to be more attentive for their last French lesson. Franz now realized that what was there on notice board in Town Hall. These words of notice fell on Franz like a thunder clap. He couldnt believe it would be his last lesson that day. He was badly repenting that why he didnt learn, never paid attention to his lessons. He hardly knew how to read and write French. He was repenting that instead of studying he would go for other pleasant activities. His book that seemed always burden to him now to same appeared to him like old friends. Even his thoughts for his teacher M. Hamel changed thinking as realized that he would never see him again as it was his last day in the school. He forgot about his cranky nature and his cruel ruler. Now he could that the teacher had wore this dress in honor of his last lesson. He also understood why older people were presented in class as they were repenting why they never worry to go to school and they were there to show their respect to their teacher, who served them for forty years. When Franzs name was called to recite the lesson, he made mistake and could even speak few words just opposite to his thinking teacher did not scold him rather he preached him that one should not waste his precious time just by live in impression that there is plenty of time and postponing the important things for next day. How would they feel when

someone will make fun of them that they were not able to speak or write the French despite of being Frenchmen? Teacher did not put all blame on him but he also blamed the parents who never bothered to send their children to school to study instead they put their children to work on farms and in mill to earn extra money. Even he blamed himself that he often would send his pupils to water his plants instead of study at school and he would declare a holiday whenever he wanted to go to fishing. Teacher further said about the French language that it was the most beautiful, clearest and most logical language of the world. People should stick with their language it will be proven as the key to their prison in case they are enslaved. A magic had happened that day in class the students understood everything very well, because they were more attentive and teacher was more patient and polite on that day. Finally with very heavy heart, M Hamel stood up, he was very sad as he walked to the black board, took a chalk and wrote on it Vive La France which means Long Live France and declared the class was dismissed. Important Question and Answers Short Questions Q1: Why Franz was afraid of going to school that day? A: The teacher M. Hamel had asked students to prepare for a test on Participles and Franz even didnt even know a single word of it so he was not feeling like to go to school that day. Also Franz was afraid of M Hamels cruel iron rule, which he usually kept under his arm and he was famous as very strict teacher. Q2: What unusual changes did Franz notice in school that day? A: 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.

Q3: What was the notice from Berlin and how did it affect class? A: The notice, which was served from Berlin, was that no French language would be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine cities only German would be taught instead. So M. Hamel, the French teacher was asked to vacate the place for a new German teacher. The notice affected everyone badly. Everybody was repenting on wasting the time and not learnt the French. Q4: Describe the impact of notice on Franz, M. Hamel and senior villagers? A: The notice affected everybody deeply. Franz thought why he wasted his time on leisure activities instead of learning his own language. The books which would seem him as a burden now those books seemed to be old friends to him. H. Hamel was feeling guilty for sending his students for his personal tasks. Villagers were feeling guilty that why they did not send their children to study instead of sending them on the farm for earning money.

Q5: Why did the feelings for M. Hamel were changed in Franzs mind? A: The impact of notice and fact that the teacher would be going away forever and he will never be able to see him again in class made Franzs feeling soften fo r him. Earlier Franz would feel fear from his teacher because of his cranky nature and his iron ruler but now all those feelings were totally vanished up for him. Q6: Why older villagers were presented in the class that day? A: The older villagers were presented in class as they were feeling sorry for not sending their children to study in school instead they sent them to the farms and mills to earn extra money. One more reason for their presence was that they wanted to pay their respect to the teacher who served them for forty years. Q7: How did Mr. M Hamel describe the French language? A: M. Hamel described French language as worlds most beautiful, clearest and logical language. He also told that the love with ones own language can be proven as the key to the prison for the people who live in enslaved country. Q8: Write a brief character sketch of M. Hamel? A: M. Hamel was taken as a strict teacher. Students were afraid of his iron ruler. He was very sincere and dedicated teacher who served for forty long years in his service as a teacher to the village in Alsace City. When he got the notice to vacant his place to make the space for new German teacher. He was totally broken. He remained sad during his final class. 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 about the relevancy of learning the mother tongue. He preached everyone presented in the class about that important things should never been postponed. Time flies very fast.

My Mother At Sixty Six Summary:The poem entitled My Mother at sixty six has been authored by Kamala Das. The poetess portrays a sensational separation of a mother and a daughter. She has been able to capture almost all the emotions which a daughter is filled with, on bidding farewell to her beloved mother. In the commencing verses, the poetess says that one Friday while traveling to Cochin Airport from her parents home, she suddenly has a look at her mother sitting beside her in the car. The look of her mothers face makes her dumbfounded and she painfully concludes that her mother has attained a ripe age of sixty six, and is thus approaching her death. She finds her mother gloomy, worn out and aged. She is often dozing and remains unconscious about herself like a dead body because of the increasing age. This thought haunts her and she tries to put it off by looking out of the car window. There she finds young, blossoming trees passing by the fast moving car and merry children playing gaily and energetically. The poetess uses a device of contrast to depict that human being experiences childhood when he is carefree and blithe; then youth, when he is full of dreams and wishes and ultimately old age when he becomes gloomy, inactive and dozing. The poetess further says that she enters the airport and passes through the security check up for frisking and again gazes at her mother. Her mother seems pale and charm-less to her like the dull moon in the late winter season. At that time, she feels a pain which is usually felt by a child due to the fear of separation from his mother. She seems to be bound to leave her mother in order to earn her livelihood or some other reason. Ultimately, she bids good bye to her mother with a hope to see her again. She keeps on smiling continuously in order to conceal her emotions and to give her mother hope to see her daughter again.

(Q.) Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding goodbye to her mother? (1 Mark) (Ans) The poet smiles in order to put up a brave front so that her mother may not observe her pained and frightened look. She smiles in order to reassure her mother and says that she would soon see her again. (Q.) What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels? (2 Marks) (Ans) The emotional pain and ache that the poet feels is due to the realization that her mother has gone old and has become frail and pale like a corpse. She is dependent on her children. The ache also refers to the old familiar ache of the childhood that revisits the poet due to the mothers old age and her approaching end. (Q.) Why are the young trees described as sprinting? (2 Marks) (Ans) The young trees are personified in the poem. They seem to be running in the opposite direction when seen through the window of the moving car. The movement is juxtaposed with the expression on the mothers face i.e. ashen like a corpse. The movement of the children and the trees is in stark contrast with the stillness associated with the mother. (Q.) Why has the poet bought in the image of the merry children spilling out of their homes? (2 Marks)

(Ans) The poet highlights the helplessness and frailty of old age with the help of contrasts. The mother dozes off mouth open, whereas the children spilling out of their homes signify movement and energy, enthusiasm and vivacity, which the old people are bereft off. (Q.) Why has the mother been compared to late winters moon? (2 Marks) (Ans) The mother has been compared to the late winters moon which is dull and shrouded. It symbolizes the ebbing of life. The moon brings to the poets mind night or the approaching end of life. The mother like the late winters moon is dull, dim and dismal. (Q.) What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify? (2 Marks) (Ans) The parting words see you soon Amma are used by the poet to reassure the mother and to infuse optimism in the poet herself. The poet accepts the reality yet keeps up the faade of smiling in order to put up a brave front. It requires a lot of effort and hence the poet has used the poetic device of repetition (Q.) What does the poet mean by all I did was smile and smile and smile? (2 Marks) (Ans) The poet realizes the pain and ache she would get at separating from her mother. It was her childhood fear that she experienced again. She was trying to hide her true emotions by smiling and smiling. The smile here is the forced smile and not the natural one (Q.) What childhood fears do you think the poet is referring to in the poem My Mother at Sixty Six? (2 Marks) (Ans) The poet refers to the fears of a child has of losing a parent or getting lost somewhere and thus getting separated from them. The poet felt this kind of fear while looking at her mothers aged and pale face. She was afraid that she might never see her again. However the fear is also symbolic of the strong filial bond that the poet has not yet overgrown. (Q.) What does the poet mean by she looked? (Ans) The poet felt that perhaps her mother too would be feeling insecure about her future. She saw these expressions on her mothers face as well. (Q.) What does the poets mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her ageing decay? (Ans) The poets mother at sixty-six, is sitting beside the poet and is dozing off with her mouth open. This is a sign of old age. Her face was pale like a corpses. Imagery of death has been created by the poet in this comparison. (Q.) What were the activities that the poet saw outside the car window? (2 Marks) (Ans) The poet saw young trees speeding past and it seemed as if they were sprinting or running fast. Happy, enthusiastic and energetic children could be seen running out of their

homes. They represent an image of life, youth and energy in comparison to the poets mother who is described as a corpse, devoid of any energy and is an antithesis of children who are in the full swing of life. (Q.) Why does the poet look outside? What does she perceive? (Ans) The very thought of separation from her mother upsets and depresses the poet. She experiences the fear that she may never meet her mother again. In order to drive away such negative thoughts, she looks out of the window and her mind gets diverted when she sees trees moving rapidly and children playing merrily. (Q.) What is the poets familiar ache and why does it return? (Ans) The poet is pained to see her mother old and suffering. The sight of her mothers pale and weak face looks like that of a corpse, which arouses her childhoods familiar ache in her heart. The old familiar ache refers to the childhood premo nition of losing or being separated from the parents (mother), the fear returns due the old age of the mother signifying her approaching end. (Q.) What does Kamala Das do after the security check-up? What does she notice? (2 Marks) (Ans) Immediately after the security check-up at the airport, and standing a few yards away from her mother, the poet observes her mother once again and compares her to the pale, colourless winters moon, marking the last phase of her life i.e. her old age. She is pained to see her and the fear of separation returns in her, once again. (Q.) What poetic devices has the poet used in My Mother at Sixty -six? (2 Marks) (Ans) The poem is rich in imagery. Devices of comparisons and contrasts are also used by the poet to draw out the differences in young age and old age. She describes her mothers age as ashen like a corpse, using simile and compares her to late winters moon, using a simile again. The merry children playing happily are contrasted with the old, weak, frail, feeble and pale mother of the poet. (Q.) Driving morning, beside doze, ashen of a that she thought a) b) c) d) i) ii) from I open corpse was my parentshome saw to Cochin my last Friday mother, me, face that pain and away

as

mouthed, her like and realized with old as she looked

Where was the poet driving to? Who was sitting beside her? What did the poet notice about her mother? Why did her mothers face look like that of a corpse? Find words from the passage which mean Sleep lightly Dead body

Ans) (a) The poet was driving to the airport in Cochin. Her mother was sitting beside her. (b) The poet noticed that her mother was looking old, pale and weak. She had dozed off. (c) She was old, pale and ashen. Since she had dozed off, with mouth open the poet felt she looked like a corpse in that condition. (d) i) Dozed; ii) Corpse

(Q.) put looked trees out

.andlooked that out sprinting, of the merry their thought at

but away, children

soon and young spilling homes

a) What did the poet realize? How did she feel? b) What did she do then? c) What did she see outside? d) Find words from the passage which mean i) Running fast ii) Happy (Ans) (a) The poet realized that her mother too, was lost in some distant thoughts. It pained her to see in that condition resembling a corpse. (b) She started looking out in order to divert her own attention to something else as she wanted to dispel the sad and gloomy thoughts of her mother (c) She saw young trees moving fast as if they were sprinting and also saw young children happily running out of their homes to play. (d) i) Sprinting; ii) Merry

(Q.) but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,all I did was smile and smile and smile a) Why did the poet say see you soon, Amma? b) Why did the poet smile and smile? c) Smile and smile and smile is a poetic device. Identify it.d) Amma is the fond way of addressing someone. Who is being addressed here? (Ans) (a) The poet says this to reassure her mother that she would see her soon. After the pain, there is a mood of acceptance of reality. (b) The poet tries to put up a brave front in order to hide her true feelings of pain at seeing the old and weak mother. (c) It is repetition and is used to emphasize the tone of acceptance of the poet and the brave front she puts up. (d) The poets mother. She addresses her as Amma and reassures her that she would meet her again.