The last lesson

• Franz was running late for school one day and was worried about punishment from his french teacher m hamel
• he had not learn the rules for participles which was the task given by the teacher
• He was attracted by the bright Sunshine the birds chipping in the woods and the prussian soldiers drilling. but he could resist all this temptation
• As he hurry to school he found a crowd in front of bulletin board at the town hall. being late for the school he did not read the news on bulletin board
• When he reached the school Fraz could not hear usual buzzling sounds everything was as quiet as Sunday morning
• The stillness worried him even more as he had hope to sleep in a noticed in the commotion
• Franz entered the classroom embarrassed and afraid but was surprised when m hamel kindly asked him to take his seat
• It was only after he said down that he noticed m hamel dressed in clothes that he wore only on inspection days and price days
• There was a strange solomnness in the air of classroom. Franz was even more surprised to see the villages occupy the back benches of the classroom that would otherwise be empty
• M hamel inform them in a grave tone as per an order received from Berlin it would be the last French lesson. the new master would come the next day to teach German
• Franz was shocked by this announcement and realise that it was the news on the bulletin board
• He was filled with regret in not learning his mother tongue in time. his book no longer seemed a nuisance and he forgot all about hamels Iron rulers and cranky nature
• He heard his name called out for reciting the rules of participles. completely unprepared he made several errors as soon as he began and stood their feeling terribly ashamed
• Instead of scolding Franz the teacher m hamel spoke about the general tendency of people of alsace to postpone learning. the Prussian could now mock them for not knowing to speak and write their own mother tongue French
• M hamle blame the students, parents and himself too for not learning French. parents preferred to send their children to work on farms or at the Mills m hamle acted irresponsibly when he made the students to water his flowers and gave holidays so that he himself could go for fishing
• M hamle spoke about French as the most beautiful the most clear and logical language in the world. they must guard their mother tongue to retain their freedom. mother tongue is the key to ones prison
• While they continued with the lesson for the day franz found himself paying much attention to the class. the teacher also explain everything with so much patience. he taught grammar, writing, history and reading lessons
• Franz wonders sarcastically if prussians would make the pigeon coo in German
• M hamel was gazing at everything in the class as if he wanted to fix it in his mind just how everything look in the classroom. it was a deeply emotional moment for him to leave behind 40 years of his service
• Villages seem to be overcome with emotions. there was an air of sadness they felt regret in not learning their own language
• When the church clocks struck 12 for angelus, m hamels stood up to speak but words were struck in his throat
• He wrote "Viva La France!" on the board and dismiss the class with a wave of his hands