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The Last Lesson
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in the school?
The order from Berlin brought a number of noticeable changes in the school. Franz’s math’s teacher, Mr. Hamel had put on his beautiful green coat, his frilled shirt and the little black silk cap, all embroidered. He used to wear this dress on special occasions. The whole school seemed so strange and solemn. On the back benches that were always empty, the elderly village people were sitting quietly like the kids.
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What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
What did Franz notice that was unusual about the school that day?
What had been put on the bulletin board?
What changes did the order from Berlin cause in school that day?
How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?
The people in this story suddenly realise how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?
Franz thinks : “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons ?” What could this mean ? (There could be more than one answer).
‘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?
What happens to a linguistic minority in a state ? How do you think they can keep their language alive?
For example:
Punjabis in Bangalore
Tamilians in Mumbai
Kannadigas in Delhi
Gujaratis in Kolkata
Is it possible to carry pride in one’s language too far? Do you know what linguistic chauvinism means?
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