By Alphonse Daudet
A. Answer the following in 30-40 words each.
Ans: Franz was afraid of going to school that day because his teacher, M. Hamel, had given them homework to prepare for participles. He would question them on participles. But Franz did not prepare the topic and was totally ignorant about participles. Secondly, he had started for school very late that morning.
Ans: Franz liked the weather that day. He found that it was a very warm and bright. The birds were chirping at the edge of woods. The Prussian soldiers were drilling in the open field at the back of sawmill. He thought all these were much more tempting that going to school. However, he resisted the temptation and hurried off to school.
Ans: While going to school Franz found a crowd at the bulletin-board near the town-hall. He did not stop to look at it because for the last two years all the bad news had come from it—the lost battle, conscription and the orders of the commanding officer. He later learns that the news today was an order from Berlin which said that from the next day only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher would join the school from the following day.
Ans: Usually, when school began, there was a great bustle, which could be heard out in the street. But it was all very still that day. Everything was as quiet as Sunday morning. There was no opening or closing of desks. His classmates were already in their places. The teacher’s great ruler instead of rapping on the table, was under M. Hamel’s arm.
Ans: Franz had thought to get to seat without being noticed. But he found that all his classmates had arrived, and it was all very quiet. M. Hamel also instead of scolding him for being late told him to take a seat. After some time, he noticed that M. Hamel had put on his fine Sunday clothes. The village people were sitting quietly like school children on the back benches that usually remained empty.
Ans: M. Hamel told the children in a solemn and gentle tone that it was their last French lesson. Henceforth, only German would be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master would come the next day. As that was their last French lesson, he wanted them to be very attentive. This news, the teacher’s kind gesture and his use of soft words shocked and surprised Franz.
Ans: The villagers knew that it was the last lesson of French and by M. Hamel in their district. They had come to the last class to attend it. It was their way to pay respect to M. Hamel’s forty years of service and to their own language.
Ans: Franz came to know that it was the last lesson in French that M. Hamel would give them. From the next day they will be taught only German. Then he felt sorry for not learning his lessons properly. His books, which seemed a nuisance and a burden earlier were now old friends. His feelings about M. Hamel also changed. He forgot all about his ruler and how cranky he was.
Ans: M. Hamel feels sorry as the students do not learn their mother tongue. They would put off learning till tomorrow. He parents responsible for this state because they are not quite anxious to have their children learn. They put them to work on a farm or at the mills to have a little more money. He blames himself also as he many times got his flowers watered or gave them a holiday.
Ans: M. Hamel told them that French was the most beautiful language in the world. It was the clearest and the most logical language. He asked them to guard it among them and never forget it. He gave a reason also. When a people were enslaved, if they held fast to their language, they had the key to their prison.
Ans: M. Hamel stood up in his chair. He looked very pale and tall. He wanted to say some parting words, but something choked him. Then he wrote “Vive La France!” on the blackboard with a piece of chalk. Then he stopped. He leaned his head against the wall. Without a word, he made a gesture to the students with his hand to permit them to go as the school was over.
Franz was amazed at how well he understood in the last class. Whatever M. Hamel taught that day seemed to him very easy. He understood every word his teacher said. Franz thinks either he had never listened to him so attentively or his teacher had never taught them so patiently. That day, it seemed, M. Hamel wanted to teach them everything he knew before going.
B. Answer the following in 150 words each.
M. Hamel was every patient that day. He did not scold Franz for coming late and not answering about the participles. He blamed parents and himself for their not knowing the mother tongue. He said French is the most beautiful and logical language in the world. He advised people to hold on to their mother tongue because it was their key to prison.
He then took a lesson on grammar and then writing. That day M. Hamel had new copies for them. The words “France, Alsace, France, Alsace” were written on them in a beautiful round hand. The boys set to work quietly. The only sound was the scratching of the pens over the paper. Nobody paid any attention to the beetles who flew in. In the last, there was History lesson. After the lesson in history was over, the babies chanted their ba, be, bi, bo, bu. Old Hauser, who was sitting at the back of the room, had put on his spectacles. He was holding his primer in both hands. He was spelling the letters with the babies. He too was crying. His voice trembled with emotion.
Suddenly the church clock struck twelve. M. Hamel stood up in his chair. He looked very pale and tall. He wanted to say some parting words, but something choked him. Then he wrote “Vive La France!” on the blackboard with a piece of chalk. Then he stopped. He leaned his head against the wall. Without a word, he made a gesture to the students with his hand to permit them to go as the school was over.
