Flamingo Chapter 1 The Last Lesson

Little Franz was expected by his teacher M.Hamel to come prepared on The topic of “Participles” for school that day. But he did not know even the first word about them. So he was under the great dread of being scolded by his teacher.

Franz noticed many unusual things at the school that day:

It was all so still, calm and quiet like Sunday morning while on other days there used to be a great hustle and bustle. The same could be heard out in the street. The opening and closing of the desks, lessons repeated in unison very loud and the teacher’s great ruler rapping on the table made a great noise. But on that the whole school looked so strange and solemn. It was quite unusual and surprising.

A bulletin board had been put up at the Town Hall for every news and the announcement. It had been a place of great importance for the last two years due to German occupations. All their bad news had come from there. The details of lost battles, the draft and the orders of the commanding officer, all were put up on the bulletin board. A huge crowd used to gather there to get any kind of new information.

The order from Berlin caused the following changes in the school that day:

(i) The school and all other things were quiet like Sunday Morning.

(ii) The whole school seemed very strange and solemn.

(iii) M. Hamel had put on his finest dress which he wore only on inspection and prize days of school.

(iv) The Village people came and sat silently on the back benches in school room to thank the teacher for his services that way.

(v) It upset all the students and their teacher. All the schools of Alsace and Lorraine would teach German and the new master would come the next day. For the students, this would be theirt last lesson.

M. Hamel on that day spoke in a gentle tone. “My children ! This is the last lesson I shall give you .... This is your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive”. These words were a great thunderclap to Franz. He hardly knew how to write. Though he was sorry for not learning his lesson. He hardly knew how to write French. Though he was sorry for not barring his lesson as a new very little about the language french. Suddenly he developed a strange fascination his language. His books which seemed a nuisance only a while ago, were his “old friends now.”

After 40 years of faithful service M. Hamel was going away. Franz felt all this must have broken his heart. He would never see him again. This idea was quite painful to Franz. He forgot all about his ruler and how cranky the teacher was.

Prussia gained victory over Alsace. It affected the life at M. Hamel’s school a great deal. Orders were sent from Berlin that the schools of the Alsace and Larraine would teach only German instead of French. There came a sudden sea-change in the minds of students who were indifferent to their own language, its grammar and literature. They developed a new profound love for French. Even M. Hamel in his last address told about the importance of French. He called French as the most beautiful, clearest and most logical language of the world. Thus M. Hamel aroused not only the patriotic feelings but also love of one’s language.

Franz was a shirker. He too became sentimental. He felt sorry for neglecting his lessons in French. He developed a craving for French. He also felt deep reverence for his teacher. M. Hamel who was leaving them the next day. M. Hamel was the worst affected. He was deeply over come by a strong patriotic emotion. With profound grief he made a gesture with his hand ‘School is dismissed – you may go’.

The districts of Alsace and Lorraine were under the regime of France. During the Franco-Prussian war (1870-1871) France was defeated and both these districts became the part of Prussia (Germany). Earlier they were reading their own language, i.e. the French.

With the new set up, an order was issued from Berlin to teach only the German in these two districts. M. Hamel was a teacher who had been teaching the French for the last 40 years.

In his last lesson, he told that from the next day the students would be learning the German from a new teacher. They won’t be learning their own most beautiful, clearest and the logical language which is quite foreign to them. In a way he told the significance of their own language and aroused their patriotic feelings. The old villagers too endorsed his views. There came a sudden changes in Franz.

He developed a sort of great disliking for German. He heard and saw the pigeons cooing on the roofs. He immediately remarked : “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons ?” It is worthnoting here that the Germans can impose German language on the people of Alsace and Lorraine powerfully but they can’t impose this language on the birds, etc. They can enslave the people but have no authority to compel the cooing pigeons. Any forceful imposition will cease their love for them.

In The Last Lesson, the teacher M. Hamel told the students about the importance of a language in the lives of the people. He implicitly stated that a language always keep the people united. He encouraged them to fight unitedly to win their freedom from slavery. In the words of M. Hamel: “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.” In stating so M. Hamel is very much right.

There are examples in history where a conquered people who had held fast their language they could win back their freedom from their ruler. The biggest example in history is that of British on India who left the impact of English on us. History is replete with such examples of the races holding fast to their languages, that proved to be their keys to their prison. That is why, M. Hamel went on to say to his enslaved people of France in the school at the district of Alsace :

“We must guard it (the language) among us and never forget it.”

In other example, we can see that Spanish and Portuguese have been imposed on the people of Latin American countries.

A linguistic minority in a state remains well in touch with one another. They of course have a good interaction within their community. They gather and celebrate their festivals with pomp and show with full swing. This helps them to increase their happiness and keeps them satisfied. They are never ignored by a lot of the states but they hardly develop social relations with others outside their linguistic group. They hold fast to their language. They have their minority schools to teach the language to the next generation. Through shows, celebrations, public libraries and public gatherings they keep their language alive.

Therefore, the Punjabis’ of Bangalore, Tamilians of Mumbai, Kannadigas of Delhi and Germany also imposed German in the two districts of Alsace and Lorraine after taking them under their regime. Gujaratis of Kolkata can keep their languages alive by having their minority schools, organising their individual celebrations and competitions periodically.

Yes, people do feel the way. They carry pride in their language that in democracy like the Indian, the linguistic groups even oppose the screening of films of other languages in their talkies. They even paint black the sign-boards of other languages in their states.

‘Linguistic Chauvinism’ is the unreasonable belief, especially when aggressively expressed, in the superiority of one’s own language. As the Germans and the British had the unreasonable belief in the superiority of their languages German and English respectively. People with linguistic chauvinism think their own language superior to other languages spoken in the world. In the same way German was imposed to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine and the teaching of French was stopped.

The origin of each words is given below:

A.

loud and clear

B.

are attached to their language.

C.

early enough

C.

stood on the chair

(i) Forthcoming Event

INTERNATIONAL CITIZEN SCHOOL, KANJHAWALA, DELHI

16th April, 200....

NOTICET OUR TO MUSSOORI

The students of senior classes are informed that a three day tour to Dehradun and Mussoori is being organised by the Historical Society of the school during the summer vacation as per schedule give below:

(1) Date of Departure 4th May from the school in a school bus at 4 O’clock in the evening upto the New Delhi Railway Station as the train leaves at 4.40 p.m.

(2) Means of Conveyance : Train and Buses

(3) Arrival : 10th May

(4) Charges per student : Rs. 2,500/-

Those interested deposit the above mentioned amount with a consent letter from their respective parents by 22nd April with the undersigned.

Manoj

Students’ Adviser

Or

(ii) A requirement to be fulfilled

SARDAR PATEL VIDYALAYA, KANGRA

20th February, 200...

NOTICE

All the students of X and XII standards are hereby informed to return the library books issued to them latest by 25th February otherwise they would not be issued their Admission Tickets for the Board Examination. A late fine of Rs. 5/- per day will be charged after that day.

Aman Saini

Librarian

Or

(iii) A rule to be followed

FERTILE VALLEY SCHOOL, NISHAT BAGH, JAMMU

4th November, 200...

NOTICE

In a meeting of Class Prefects and School Discipline Committee, it has been decided to improve the students discipline on all fronts. Acts of late coming, class-bunking, truancy, improper uniform and creating nuisance in school teaching block will be viewed seriously. All students are requested to note and co-operate. Sadhna Bose Chief Perfect.

Study Three Languages At School

India is a secular democracy comprising of people having faith in different religions and speaking different languages. Above all English is gaining good ground as one of the link language at national and international stage. Students of urban as well as rural areas have been going to live or travel throughout the length and breadth of the country on business, trade, tourism, education or professional requirements.

As different languages are spoken in each region, so the three language formula for school teaching, has been proving a boon. The three languages studied by students at school not only help better communication and understanding among people but also promote national integration. Therefore, the three languages study in their schools will go a long way in promoting national interests among the citizens and strengthening India.

Against :

To study Three Languages At School

“All work and no play makes Jack dull boy.” A kid at the age of three is sent to study at school. There the kid gets the lessons in English, a language mostly not spoken at home. In his high school, he is taught Sanskrit due to three language formula. This language is not spelhen publicly.

Most of the students settle in life in their native places and hardly get any chance to move out to the places where they can find the utility of the second and the third language they have studied at school. The time and labour spent by them could have been better used for imparting the know-how of one or the other professional skills. Every where one can see the school passouts, doing petty jobs for earning their livelihood. Of what use, they find having studied the two additional languages at school ? Of course it is a more wastage.

Franz’s dislike for his teacher M. Hamel is nine out of ten opinions formed about people initially and change gradually in many cases. But same is very little true in case of opinion of likes changing to dislikes. But in case of majority of the students of my school it happened so. One always has a room for second opinion.

Next day after the summer vacation at school, we got a new teacher of History. He almost regularly spoke on typical events in the assembly. Not only I but many others also developed liking for him. But the time was not far off when we were astonished to hear him always boast of himself and his family and a foreign land all the time.

Soon all were taken aback to hear him uttering filthy words and abusive language all the time, for anyone whosoever and on every matter whatsoever. We even overheard other teacher¹s talk about his uncultured habits and uncivilized behaviour most of the time. Such persons betray others from their path of goodness and themselves would never shun their hypocrisy.

I changed my first opinion about him and now dislike him like most others because such persons incur more harm to students community than any benefit of their teaching. But like the village people the old Hauser, the former Mayor, the former postmaster and others, can anyone expect us, to thank and respect such a person truly. Of course, not.

Students’ exploratory activity: Do it yourself.

Students’ exploratory activity: Do it yourself.

When M. Hamel gave his last French lesson in the classroom, there was no commotion. There was pin-drop silence. He was politely and dedicatedly talking with the students. There was no strictness, looked solemn, serious and deeply grieved. Whenever he spoke, his throat choked. He felt as if his bodily parts were being pierced.

Franz started late for school because he had no mind to go. In addition to this, his teacher, M. Hamel had asked Franz to question him on “Participles.” Franz did not know even the first word about them. So he feared scolding from his teacher. For a moment he thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. He wanted to enjoy the bright day, the chirping of the birds and the drill of the Prussian soldiers. He was tempted to run away from school.

The little Franz was studying in some school where grammar, history and other subjects were taught. Being late for school he was fearing lest the teacher should scold him. On the other hand, the boy was to recite on “Participles” but he did not know even the first word of “Participles.” Naturally, Franz was in great fear.

A bullets-board had been put up at the Town Hall two years ago for every news and the announcement. All their bad news came from German occupations. The details of lost battles, the draft and the orders of the commanding officer put up on the bulletin-board. The huge crowd got new information from there.

Franz entered the school. He noticed many unusual things in the school. It was all so still, calm and quiet like Sunday morning. The whole school looked strange and solemn. There was no hustle and bustle. The rapping of the teacher’s ruler on the table was not heard. The voice of the students repeating the lessons and the opening and closing of the desks was not heard. It was quite unusual and surprising.

There was a pindrop silence in the school. When Franz entered the classroom, M. Hamel asked him politely to take his seat. He was in his prized dress. Franz was utmost astonished to see the village old people sitting on the back benches. They seemed shocked, sad and troubled. There were the former Mayor, the former postmaster and several others. They were pained to know about teaching the German in the French districts of Alsace and Lorraine.

Mr. Hamel had been teaching in that school for the last forty years. His dedication, devotion, discipline and strong inclination towards the students community had become a commendable record in the area. In order to pay their respect and heart-felt emotions, the old men and other high dignitaries had come to school.

When Franz entered the classroom, he was surprised to see the old villagers sitting on the back benches of the classroom. He took his seat and his teacher, M. Hamel mounted on his chair. He looked solemn, serious and grave. He spoke in a very gentle tone stating that it was his last lesson in French. He disclosed that an order from Berlin had come not to teach French in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new teacher would come the next day. He even told the significance of learning their own language. This sad and shocking news troubled all.

It was the last day of Mr. Hamel in school. The school looked quiet solemn and strange. The teacher was in his fine dress. The villagers had come there to pay their last respects. Mr. Hamel taught his lesson on French so decently that the students realised French as an easy language. Whenever he spoke, his

throat choked. He felt as if his bodily parts were being pierced. After the last lesson, the teacher dismissed the school with a writing on the black board. ‘Vive La France’.

After explaining the importance of one’s own language, Mr. Hamel taught the grammar lesson in such a dedicated manner that Franz followed it word by word. Never in his student’s life, Franz had ever learned with rapt attention. The teacher taught with great patience and used a specific technique. It seemed as if the teacher wanted to pour everything in the minds of his students.

In the last lecture, M. Hamel told the importance of learning their own language. He pointed out that most of the people of Alsace pretended to be Frenchmen but they were illiterate about the language. Even the parents were indifferent towards its learning and they would prefer their sons to learn a little instead of learning the language. Blaming himself as well, he told that he himself had often sent the students to water his plants. He gave them a holiday because he wanted to go for fishing.

M. Hamel was a very dedicated and learned teacher of French language. While delivering his lesson, he touched upon many aspects of French. He called it the most clear and logical language in the world. He urged all to guard it and never to forget it. In case they hold fast in their language, they had the key to their prison.

Franz was shocked when he came to know that Mr. Hamel was leaving school for ever. He was sorry for not learning his lessons. His feeling had given a sea-change. He forgot all about Mr. Hamel’s ruler and hard discipline. Now he thought the books as his old friends whom he could not give up. He regretted and realised his foolishness.

While teaching grammar, M. Hamel taught it so dedicatedly and patiently that everything came in the mind of Franz. What- ever he said, it seemed very easy and interesting. Franz understood it so well. He had never listened to his teacher with so much rapt attention. It seemed as if the poor man wanted to give his students all he knew in one stroke.

The Church bell struck twelve. Mr. Hamel stood up from his chair. His face looked pale and troubled. His voice choked when he tried to utter ‘My friends’. On his failure to speak he wrote with a piece of chalk ‘Viva La France’-‘Long Live France’. Then he leaned against the wall and made his last announcement by making a gesture ‘School is dismissed–you may go’.

M. Hamel was the most dedicated, hard working and a learned teacher of French. He served the society in the same school for about 40 years towards the cause of education. He had specific regard for his own language and told upon the students about the importance of learning their own language. He felt sorry for the villagers for showing indifference towards the learning of French. He was deeply grieved to leave the place since he had been deeply attached and mixed with the soil of that place.

Linguistic chauvinism is having an absurdly extravagant pride in one’s language. M. Hamel was deeply in love with French language but his love does not amount to linguistic chauvinism. Though he reveals the importance of learning one’s own language. On the other hand the people of Alsace and Lorraine were made victims of learning German.

While the writing lesson was going on, M. Hamel was sitting in his chair motionless. He was seen gazing at one thing or the other as it to fix them in his mind since he had spent with them forty years. The love of garden, Walnut trees and hopvine creepers were piercing his body. His heart was broken and he was deeply overwhelmed with departing motion since he had to leave on the next day.

The village people - old Hauser, the former Mayor, the former postmaster and several others were present in the school room for thanking their master for his forty years of faithful service. Thus they were showing their respect for the country that was theirs no more. They were sorry, too, that they had not gone to school more.

After questioning on Participles, from their habit of putting off learning till tomorrow, he talked of French, calling it to be the most beautiful, clearest and logical language. After grammar, they had a lesson in writing; he heard every lesson to the last. Then they had a lesson in history before the babies chanted ba, be, bi, bo, bu.

M. Hamel in the last French lesson told his students–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. So the people must guard their language among themselves and never forget it.

The teacher M. Hamel could not speak because something choked him. He wrote on the blackboard in very large letters:

‘Vive La France’

With a gesture to the students with his hand, he hinted : “School is dismissed, you may go.”

Mr. Hamel was deeply pained at the order from Berlin. It stated the ban of teaching French. He loved France and French language from the innermost core of his heart. He was overwhelmed with deep emotions and looked different on the day of his last lesson. He wore the ceremonial dress. He addressed all as his children. He lost his usual courage and leaned against the wall when the wrote ‘school is closed, you may go.’

Mr. Hamel was unusally dressed in a beautiful green coat, a frilled shirt and a little black cap on his head. He taught grammar very dedicately. Mr. Hamel was seen sitting motionless in his chair during the lesson on writing. His voice get choked. With a gesture he declared that the school was dismissed. Hie was deeply overcome by a strong emotion.

Mr. Hamel taught the grammar lesson

in a dedicated manner. Then he made the announcement that the school was dismissed and he was leaving school for ever. This announcement stunned Franz. He felt sorry for not learning the lessons seriously. He forgot all about Mr. Hamel’s ruler and hard discipline. He regretted and realized his foolishness.

Mr. Hamel declared ‘This is your last French lesson’. These words were a great thunderclap to Franz. He felt guilty for not learning his lessons. He also knew very little about the French language. Suddenly he developed a strange fascination for his language. His books were an old friend now.’ He felt deeply pained about the future of Mr. Hamel. He forgot all about his ruler.

The following words of Mr. Hamel shocked and surprised little Franz. They were thunderclap to him. “My children, this is the last lesson I shall give you. The order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow. This is your last French lesson. I want you to be very attentive.”

Franz did not wish to go to school that morning because his teacher M. Hamel was to question them on ‘Participles’. He did not know a word about participles. He was frightened and was to get a scolding for not learning his lesson. So he started very late for school that morning.

While Franz was on his way to school for a moment he thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was pleasant, warm and so bright that day, he thought of enjoying the chirping birds of the nearby edge of the forest. He thought of enjoying the drill of the Prussian soldiers at the back of the sawmill.

All these were a great allurement to his. But he was a child of good basic qualities so he resisted that temptation and hurried off to school.

At the town-hall bulletin-board a blacksmith from the crowd called after him and told him not to go so fast as he would get to his school in plenty of time. But Franz thought the blacksmith was making fun of him so hurried off to his school.

On arriving at school, Franz noted an unusual silence. His teacher M.Hamel was dressed nicely and asked Franz to sit so that he could start his lesson. The teacher made a startling announcement that this would be their last lesson in French as the new teacher would be arriving the following day. He reiterated about an order from Berlin that German was to be taught in schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Franz was overcome with a feeling of remorse and regretted for wasting his time in trivial pursuits. He decided to pay attention to the lesson since school had become very important for him.

Asking Franz about reciting the rules of participles, the teacher told that the villagers had not been able to study and kept their children away from school. There came a sudden change in Franz. He began to realise the real worth of his school as well as of the teacher whom they had all taken for granted all these years. Now M. Hamel became a good teacher for him rather than a boring one. For him, the teacher seemed to be a good gentleman who was leaving the village on that day. Thus, there developed a specific liking to study history and grammar in Franz since on that day M. Hamel put all this heart and soul in teaching.

Hamel was a very dedicated French Teacher in one of the schools of Alsace. He was a man of perfect discipline. There came an order from Berhin banning the teaching of French. In his last lesson Hamel taught so well that all the students understood word by word. It looked as if he wanted to pour everything in the minds of his students just in one stroke. Then M. Hamel talked that the French language was the most beautiful, clearest and logical language in the world. They must guard it among themselves and never forget it. So enslaved people holding fast to their language works the key to their prison. The village elders who have come to pay their last reverence to the teacher seem to endorse M. Hamel’s views. They feel that they must guard it among themselves and never forget it. They must hold fast to their language, thus the old men of the village, sitting on the back benches, showed their respect for their country and language that more theirs no more. Hence their order of imposing German will not be able to contain their love for their beautiful language.

C-4 Alsace

Prussia

20th Jaunary, 200....

Dear Sunita William,

You are well aware of the current happenings that are taking place here after we have lost the war. But the worst thing that happened is that an order has come from Berlin ‘to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The new master comes tomorrow’. So our French teacher, M. Hamel had his Last French Lesson today because he must leave the country tomorrow. I was totally surprised of ignoring how to write and learn French. It is horrible. From tomorrow we will have to learn German. I was sorry for all that suddenly there came a change in me. The books of grammar and history, that had seemed a great nuisance till today, are my good old friends. M. Hamel points. “If a people are enslaved, holding fast to their language for long, serve them as the key to their prison.”

Oh! you can’t believe how lost I fell for M. Hamel today. I salute him. He is a great patriot who really loves not only French language but France also. Vive La France ! Yours sincerely Franz

Being late for school, Franz was much scared of scolding by his teacher M. Hamel. When he was entering school, he noticed that there was no commotion rather M. Hamel asked the boy politely to go to his place quickly. He was surprised to see his teacher beautifully dressed. But he was all the more astonished on seeing several other dignified people of the village. In a very gentle, generous, grace and sweet voice M. Hamel said : “My children ! This is the last lesson in French, I shall give you. I want you to be attentive” These words had a soothing effect on the boy. The idea of never seeing him again forgot all about his ruler and other facts.

Then Franz was called to recite participles but he got confused. M. Hamel told that he won’t scold him. The students of Alsace had the trouble of putting off learning. So they should reproach themselves about not knowing their language. He even blamed himself as well as the parents for not learning participles. Then M. Hamel taught grammar with rapt attention and all followed him very decently. In between Franz noticed piercing pain on Hamel’s face as if he wanted to fit everything in his mind before leaving. All these facts changed Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school.

M. Hamel was teaching French in one of the schools of Alsace. He had asked the class to come prepared with ‘participles’ but Franz did not know even the first word about it. He started late for school that morning. Moving speedily, he reached M. Hamel’s garden all out of breath but he noticed complete silence there in school. There was no hustle and bustle like the previous days. Everything seemed calm like Sunday morning. The sound of closing and opening the desk was missing. Even the quick short tapping of teacher’s ruler was also absent.

Through the window he saw M. Hamel pacing with an iron ruler under his arm. While entering, the teacher spoke gently to have his seat. Franz got over his fear but was surprised to see his teacher wearing beautiful green coat, frilled shirt and the silk-cap was all embroidered. On viewing the village gentry and other people of high strata of life, Franz was deeply astonished. Thus he noticed a sort of strange unusualness and solemnity in school. It looked as if school had been completely surrounded by Sunday morning.

M. Hamel was a very devoted, dedicated and a strict man of discipline in his school. He kept the “terrible” ruler under his arm and one could hear its rapping in the street. He always maintained decorum and discipline in the class. On the last day he came out by wearing his fine Sunday dress that he used to wear on specific ceremonial occasions. That day school looked quite solemn and strange and there was no commotion of any sort. Even the distinguished personalities had assembled there to pay their deepest reverence to the teacher for his forty years of meritorious service. While addressing all he spoke: “My children, this is the last lesson of French”. He was deeply pained at the order from Berlin which stated the ban of teaching French. In this respect he detailed the importance and love of one’s own language. He was highly respected by all. He loved France and French language from the inner most core of his heart.

Being a dedicated and a patriot, he taught the grammar lesson with complete depth that was followed by all. He had the courage to hear every lesson to the last. But he pointed out that he was sorry that the people of Alsace had never been serious about learning. He was overwhelmed with deep emotions and looked at everything keenly so as to fix them in his mind. The hall, garden and the love of area was breathing his heart heavily. While speaking his voice choked and he wrote in a chalk, ‘Viva La France’. With the gesture of his hands he dismissed the school.

Franz was a student in one of the schools in the districts of Alsace. Having a poor family set up, the boy was often asked to work in some mill for earning some money. But the family could not pay due attention towards his education, so the boy loved outside environment and wanted to enjoy it. In the school too, he often loved to work in the garden. He became fond of shirking from work and used to put off his learning as well as home task. But he was much scared of his teacher M. Hamel.

In addition to this, the boy had an acute sense of understanding, feeling, recognition and respect. Entering the school, he sensed unusualness and calmness there. He was much surprised at this and was rather troubled to know that his teacher was leaving them because of an order from Berlin had banned the teaching of French. During the writing period, he noticed sad expressions over the face of M. Hamel. When the teacher taught a lesson in grammar, it left an indelible impression on the boy. He felt that the teacher was going to pour everything in their minds. Then the teacher wrote on the blackboard ‘Long Live France’. The boy was deeply moved and he recognised his teacher for his worth. Thus Franz had all the senses of head and heart.

Alphonse Daudet has given a very suitable, balanced and the most appropriate title to this story. It is a self-revealing title. He gives a good account of M. Hamel’s last lesson in the class while he was departing from that place. The story presents a heartful as well as a tearful departure of M. Hamel. Prior to Franco-Prussian War, French was taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Consequently, France was defeated and an order was issued from Berlin about the banning of the French language. Addressing the students, he said: “My children, this is my last lesson in French. Tomorrow a new teacher will come to teach them German”.

On the last day of his lesson, he was beautifully dressed. People from high strata had come to pay their respect for his dedicated services. After pointing out the importance of

one’s own language, M. Hamel embarked upon the teaching of grammar. On his last day he taught the topic so dedicatedly and amazingly that all followed it to the last. He had explained everything in details which attracted everyone’s attention. It looked as if he wanted to pour everything in their minds just in one stroke. Then the church bell struck twelve and he rose to say something but his voice choked. He leaned against the wall and made a gesture. “School is closed, you may go”. Thus the title is well-suited and justified in context of the complete story.

A Heartful Departure

Alsace : 10th October, 1872, 5.00 pm

Due to Franco-Prussian war, France was defeated by Prussia and consequently an order was issued from Berlin banning the teaching of French in schools of Alsace and Lorraine districts. At that time I was teaching French in one of the schools. This order added a salt on my wounds since I had to leave that place after completing the commendable services of forty years. I had much got inclination to its soil, garden, buildings, area, students and parents’ community. So the departure was all the more sad, tearful, tense and troublesome.

Addressing the students : ‘My children! this is my last lesson in French, I told them the importance of one’s language. Then I taught them grammar in such a dignified way that all forgot about the bell. Even the villagers had thronged to pay me their last respect. They were laden with gifts and other items. I was viewing everything so as to set everything in my mind. When I rose to say something, my voice choked, and I wrote on a blackboard ‘Long Live France’. With a gesture I pointed out about the school closing. I will never forget this tearful, sympathetic, revered and sincere farewell till there are breaths in my body.

M. Hamel

Everything was unusual about the day when an order was released from Berlin instructing that only German was supposed to be taught in all schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This news caused great disappointment to M. Hamel, his students and the villagers. That day, the villagers, as well as the students, realized the importance of their national language. For the first time, they felt sorry for taking Hamel’s classes leniently.
The villagers had ignored the classes because they had been engrossed in their professional lives and in making a living Before the declaration of the order, the children and the adults had not taken the French lessons seriously because they thought they had a lot of time to learn the language. However, today during the last French lesson they realised their mistake and regretted what they had done. They felt shameful realising that they were not well versed in their own native language. Accordingly, everybody attended the last lesson with full sincerity and earnestness to pay tribute to their own language which, unfortunately, was no longer theirs.

The elders of the village were sitting in the classroom to attend the last French lesson by M. Hamel. They realised the worth of their native language when they came to know that they had lost it. They were there to pay their tribute to the language and respect to M. Hamel.

(i) The unlucky heir is the boy with deformed body.
(ii) He will inherit a disability of twisted bones from his father.
(iii) A sweet-looking, yet unnoticeable boy is sitting at the back of the dim class.

The order from Berlin was that only German was to be taught to students in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine.
The order brought the routine hustle-bustle of the school to a stand-still. The teacher became more patient and the students more attentive.

Douglas appointed an instructor who successfully built a swimmer out of him. After this, he swam alone in the pool and later went to Lake Wentworth to dive. Finally, in his diving expedition in the Warm Lake, he made sure that he conquered his old terror completely.

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.

According to the order from Berlin, only German was to be taught in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. This order left Mr. Hamel, the village people and the Mr. Hamel's students in deep regret. The villagers regretted not having made utmost use of the French lessons that they had been given by Mr Hamel. They had engaged themselves in their profession to earn a living and had not taken their French lessons seriously. The children and the villagers sitting in the class had always thought that they had enough time to learn the language. But now, during the last French lesson, everybody realized their mistake. They realized how little they knew their native language. They all attended the last lesson to show their respect to their teacher and their country, which was no longer theirs. 

Little Franz was expected by his teacher M Hamel to come prepared on the topic of ‘Participles’ for a school that day. But he did not know even the first word about them. So he was under the great dread of being scolded by his teacher.

(a) Franz did not want to go to school that day because not only he was late for the school but also because he had not even prepared his lesson on participles.

(b) Sophie wishes to rise above her middle class status and to obtain sophistication. She aspires to open a boutique or become an actress or fashion designer. Though she belongs to a middle class society, she never misses in taking a plunge because she is not the type who would accept regrets in life. Her dreams were sometimes proved unachievable to Sophie but she took the support of her dreams to fulfill her desires. She gracefully maintained the balance between reality and dreams and in this way, lived her unachievable dreams.

(c) When the poet looked at her mother’s face she found that it had become pale and withered. She realized that her mother was at the edge of her life and her end was near. The thought that her mother would be soon separated from her and that she would never see her again caused unbearable pain and ache in the poets’ heart.

(d) The glory of death lies in the promise of an eternal sleep which continues undisturbed without the usual earthly concerns and strife that plagues us daily. The dead also have a power over us, they do not leave us free but imprint themselves in our memory. The death live on in those who are alive.

(e) The Maharaja had not allowed the British officer to hunt tigers in his kingdom and so he had a fear of losing his own kingdom to the British. So, the King thought of a plan to lure the officer and his wife by extending some really expensive gift. So he ordered few rings worth three lakh of rupees from a jeweler and sent them to duraisani. The bill raised was the price of those rings.

(f) The basic plot of all the stories told by Jack dwelt with the idea that whether parents should always decide what their children should do or give the children the freedom to make their own choices or decision. It is visible from the clear contrast between the adults’ perspective of live and a childs own world view.