Summary of The Last Lesson:
"The Last Lesson," by Alphonse Daudet, tells the story of Franz, a schoolboy, on the day of his final French lesson in his village of Alsace, which has recently come under Prussian control. The story takes place during the Franco-Prussian War, a period of significant political and cultural upheaval.
Franz is late to school, fearing a scolding from his teacher, M. Hamel, especially concerning his poor knowledge of participles. However, the school is unusually quiet. Instead of the usual classroom bustle, a solemn atmosphere hangs over the room. This quiet contrasts sharply with the usual sounds of the school and prompts Franz to wonder what is happening.
He finds the entire school noticeably different. M. Hamel, unusually dressed in his finest Sunday attire, signifies the momentous nature of the day. Furthermore, villagers, normally absent from school, are seated quietly in the back of the room. Their presence underscores the importance of this final French lesson and their shared concern about the loss of their language and culture.
M. Hamel, in a solemn tone, explains that the Prussian authorities have decreed German the only language to be taught in schools of Alsace-Lorraine, thus making this his last French lesson. Franz, and the other students, are stunned. The thought of losing their French language, their cultural identity, weighs heavily on them. Franz reflects on his own shortcomings, his lost opportunities to focus on his studies, and the negligence of himself and his family.
The lesson proceeds, however, with a renewed intensity. M. Hamel, as if to impart all his knowledge in one final lesson, teaches with unprecedented patience and clarity. The students, realizing the significance of the moment, respond with renewed focus and attentiveness. M. Hamel even introduces new writing copybooks featuring the words "France, Alsace, France, Alsace," in a beautiful script, as if they were flags, further emphasizing the loss and the need to remember.
The class concludes with the children's prayers and the sounds of Prussian soldiers returning from drill outside the school. M. Hamel, overcome with emotion, struggles to speak, then takes a piece of chalk, writes "Vive la France!" ("Long live France!") in large letters on the board, leans against the wall, and dismisses the class.
The story ends with Franz, and the reader, reflecting on the profound impact of cultural loss and the enduring power of language as a symbol of national identity and defiance. M. Hamel's final act, writing "Vive la France!" and the renewed appreciation for the French language, serve as a powerful statement about the importance of preserving one's cultural heritage.
Solutions for the textbook questions:
Think as you read:
1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Franz was expected to know about participles. His teacher, Mr. Hamel, had said he'd quiz them on participles, and Franz knew he wasn't ready.
2. What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
Franz noticed the school was unusually quiet. Normally, there was a lot of noise and hustle and bustle, but today it was eerily silent.
3. What had been put up on the bulletin-board?
For the past two years, the bulletin board had been the source of all the bad news, like lost battles and military orders. But this time, the bad news was different. An order from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine had been posted. The Germans had put up the notice.
4. What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
The order from Berlin caused a huge change in the school's atmosphere. It was the last French lesson, and the whole school was unusually quiet and solemn. The teacher, Mr. Hamel, was wearing his best clothes, and even the villagers were there, sitting in the back, which was very unusual. It was a final, sad farewell to the French language and culture.
5. How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
Franz's feelings about M. Hamel and school changed from a mix of annoyance and indifference to deep respect and regret. At first, he was annoyed that he was late and concerned about getting in trouble for not knowing his participles. But as the day wore on, and the significance of the last French lesson sank in, he started to feel a profound sadness for the loss of French and a real appreciation for Mr. Hamel and the education he provided. He saw Mr. Hamel in a new light, recognizing the value of the teacher's dedication and the school's importance. He regretted not valuing his education and taking his studies more seriously before.
Understanding the text:
1. The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
The story shows the people's newfound appreciation for their language through several key details:
- The villagers' presence: Villagers, normally absent from school, are seated in the back of the classroom. This signifies a collective understanding of the historical significance of the day and a shared sadness at losing their language. They've come to be present for the last French lesson.
- Mr. Hamel's attire: He's wearing his best clothes, not just for the lesson, but perhaps to honor the occasion and show how much the language means to him.
- The students' focus: The students were previously sometimes uninterested in their lessons, but they are now deeply attentive, recognizing the special significance of their last French lesson.
- Mr. Hamel's emotional delivery: His sadness and the way he teaches, emphasizing the beauty of the French language, clearly conveys the importance of the language to him.
- Franz's realization: Franz begins to understand the true value of learning French and the deep loss he and the community will experience by losing it.
- The final inscription: Mr. Hamel's act of writing "Vive la France!" on the board embodies the community's collective pride and their determination to maintain their cultural identity, even if under duress.
This realization happens because the threat of losing their language – the tools of thought, communication, and cultural expression – is suddenly very real. The order from Berlin to teach only German marks a sharp break from the past, making the value of their language painfully obvious. This loss of an essential part of their culture, now acutely felt, forces them to recognize its profound importance.
2. Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean? (There could be more than one answer.)
Franz's thought, "Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?" is a powerful image highlighting the pervasive nature of the cultural shift and the attempt to control every aspect of life under the new German regime. It suggests a complete takeover, not just of the schools, but of the very essence of the community's identity. The pigeons, symbolic of the natural world and a part of the village's everyday life, are being brought under the power of the new order. It's a feeling that the new rule will change everything, even the most natural, familiar aspects of their lives. It's a small, symbolic act of defiance in a way as well, showing how deeply Franz feels about the loss of French.
Talking about the text:
1. "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."
Can you think of examples in history where a conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?
There are numerous historical examples where a conquered people's language was either taken away or replaced by an imposed language. Some examples include:
- The Roman Empire: While not a complete eradication, the Roman Empire's imposition of Latin significantly impacted many conquered regions' native languages. Latin became the language of administration, law, and culture, gradually marginalizing and sometimes supplanting existing languages.
- The Mongol Empire: The vast Mongol Empire, while not always directly suppressing languages, facilitated the spread of the Mongolian language, which became an important administrative tool. This led to the adoption or assimilation of Mongolian vocabulary and grammatical structures into various regional languages.
- The Ottoman Empire: The Ottoman Empire, which controlled significant parts of the Middle East and the Balkans, imposed Turkish as the official language of administration. While other languages persisted, Turkish became crucial for upward mobility and economic advancement.
- Nazi Germany: A very brutal example of language suppression. Nazi Germany actively suppressed languages other than German, particularly in occupied territories. German was forced on the conquered peoples, and the cultural and linguistic heritage of those communities was suppressed and sometimes destroyed.
- Colonized nations in Africa and the Americas: Colonial powers imposed their languages (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese) on colonized populations in Africa and the Americas. These imposed languages became the language of education, government, and commerce, often marginalizing and diminishing the use of indigenous languages. These imposed languages have long-lasting effects on their linguistic identity.
- Soviet Union: The Soviet Union's policy of Russification saw the deliberate imposition of Russian in many of its republics, often at the expense of other local languages. Russian was used for government, education, and media, leading to the gradual decline or suppression of local languages.
These are just a few examples. The act of suppressing or imposing a language often goes hand-in-hand with attempts at cultural and political control. The loss of language can be a significant blow to cultural identity and memory.
2. What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:
(a) Punjabis in Bangalore
(b) Tamilians in Mumbai
(c) Kannadigas in Delhi
(d) Gujaratis in Kolkata
A linguistic minority in a state often faces a complex set of challenges in maintaining their language. They may experience:
- Language Shift: Minority language speakers may switch to the dominant language of the area for practical reasons like education, employment, and social interaction. This can lead to a gradual decline in the use of the minority language within the community.
- Limited Educational Opportunities: Schools and educational materials might not be readily available in their language, making it harder for the next generation to maintain fluency. This limits access to better jobs and further perpetuates the language shift.
- Social and Cultural Marginalization: If the dominant language is strongly associated with status and power, the minority language can become stigmatized, affecting the speakers' sense of self-worth. There can be social pressure to speak the dominant language, which can further lead to a decline in the use of the minority language.
- Limited Economic Opportunities: Businesses might prefer to use the dominant language for communication, leading to fewer opportunities for those who speak only or primarily the minority language.
For minority language groups in these situations, maintaining their language involves a multifaceted approach:
- Community-Based Initiatives: Supporting community organizations and groups that promote and preserve the language through storytelling, workshops, and cultural events can provide vital support. These groups can cultivate pride in the language.
- Language Revitalization Programs: These programs aim to reclaim, restore, and revitalize threatened languages. They often involve teaching the language to children, creating language learning materials, and promoting the language in media.
- Multilingual Education: Instituting multilingual education programs in schools, where both the dominant and minority languages are used, can help maintain fluency and preserve the minority language.
- Digital Resources: Creating digital resources like dictionaries, language learning apps, and online communities can provide access to the language and foster a sense of community.
- Promoting the Language in Media: Encouraging local media use of the minority language can make the language more visible and accessible and thereby lessen any social stigma associated with it.
- Government Support: Government policies that actively support and promote minority languages can be crucial. This can include funding for language programs, recognition of the minority language in official settings, and promoting multilingualism.
- Family and Community Support: Encouraging families to use the minority language at home and involving the community in language preservation activities is essential for sustained language use.
It's crucial to understand that these strategies require sustained effort, community participation, and cooperation across various levels of society. The goal is not just to preserve a language, but to ensure that it can continue to thrive in the modern world.
Conclusion:
"The Last Lesson" clearly portrays that we don't pay much attention to stuff that we have; like in the story, people only started to feel the beauty of their language until it was taken from them. Not only that, the story also shows how an oppressing country tries to change the culture and language of the oppressed country in order to prevent them from revolting, as once they no longer have access to their own language and their culture, there will be nothing connecting them to their past, and slowly and steadily they will start to accept the foreign power, as evidenced by numerous historical data.
