The Last Lesson Summary Class 12 pdf | Short & Long | Point Wise | From book Flamingo

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Short Summary of the Chapter The Last Lesson- 100 Words 

“The Last Lesson” is about a French village in 1870 that loses its right to teach French because of new rules by the Prussian government. The story takes place on the last day of French class taught by M. Hamel, who has to leave his job.

A young boy named Franz, who usually skips class, decides to go on this important day. He expects to be in trouble for not knowing his lessons but finds a sad and serious classroom instead.

Everyone realizes how important their language is to them, especially now that they’re losing it. M. Hamel’s final class teaches everyone about the value of their language and culture, showing how losing them is like losing part of themselves.

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Detailed Summary with Headings

A Surprising School Day

Franz, a young boy, doesn’t want to go to school because he hasn’t prepared for his French lesson on participles. He’s afraid of being scolded by his teacher, M. Hamel. But today is different because it’s the last day they will learn French due to new rules from the people in charge.

Going to an Unusual Classroom

When Franz gets to school, he’s surprised. The classroom is not like usual days. M. Hamel, who is normally strict, is dressed very nicely, and even people from the village are there, sitting quietly. This makes Franz realize today is not a normal school day.

The Last French Lesson

M. Hamel tells everyone that this will be their last French lesson because the new rulers want only German to be taught. This makes Franz and everyone else very sad. They all realize how important their language is to them, something they hadn’t thought much about before.

Lessons Beyond Language

M. Hamel talks about how the French language is a part of them and how important it is to keep it alive, even if they can’t learn it in school anymore. Franz feels sorry for not paying attention in class before and understands how precious his lessons were.

A Farewell to French

In the end, M. Hamel writes “Vive La France!” on the board, showing his love for the country and its language. Everyone is very emotional, and Franz learns a big lesson about not taking things for granted, especially something as important as his own language.

Point Wise Summary- The Last Lesson 

1. Franz was worried about going to school because he didn’t prepare for his French lesson on participles.
2. He noticed the village and school were very quiet and serious, which was not normal.
3. M. Hamel, the teacher, wore his best clothes, showing it was an important day.
4. The classroom had more people than usual, with many villagers coming to watch the lesson.
5. M. Hamel told everyone that this would be their last French lesson because of new rules.
6. After hearing this, everyone in the village started to see how special their language and culture were.
7. Franz felt sorry for not caring more about his lessons and the French language before this day.
8. M. Hamel also shared his regrets and talked about how important French was.
9. The lesson ended with a strong feeling as M. Hamel wrote “Vive La France!” on the board.
10. The story shows us how important our language and learning are, and how big changes can affect our culture.

The Last Lesson Summary in English

The prose The Last Lesson’, written by Alphonse Daudet describes the year 1870 when the Prussian forces under Bismarck attacked and captured France. The French districts of Alsace and Lorraine went into Prussian hands. The new Prussian rulers discontinued the teaching of French in the schools of these two districts. The French teachers were asked to leave. The story describes the last day of one such French class under M. Hamel. M. Hamel could no longer remain in his old school. He gave his last lesson with utmost devotion.
One of his students, Franz, who played truant with French class and feared M. Hamel’s iron rod, came to the school that day thinking he would be punished as he had not learnt his lesson on participles. On reaching school, he found M. Hamel dressed in Sunday clothes and all the old people of the village sitting there. (He later learned that it was due to an order on the bulletin board.) That was when he realized for the first time how important French was for him, that it was his Last Lesson in French.

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The story ‘The Last Lesson’ highlights the human tendency to procrastinate and put away things for tomorrow; hence, the man keeps postponing the lessons of life, oblivious to the fact that life is subject to change. The people of Alsace always thought they had plenty of time to learn the lessons; therefore, they did not give much importance to the school. They preferred sending their children to work on the farms and mills instead of having them learn the lessons. Even Franz, the narrator, always looked for opportunities to skip the school and collect birds’ eggs. However, the unexpected happens and an order is received from Berlin regarding the compulsory teaching of German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. It is then that they realize that they would be deprived of what they had been evading all this while.
The last French lesson taught by It Hamel symbolizes the loss of language and the loss of freedom for France. It becomes an emotional lesson rendered by M. Hamel to the villagers, signifying the changing order of life and its impact on the sensibilities and emotions of people. The marching soldiers under the windows represent the dawn of Prussia in France, the defeat of the French people and the resultant threat to their language and culture.

The Last Lesson Summary in English (2) :

The story ‘The Last Lesson’ is set in the days of the Franco-Prussian war. France was defeated by Prussia and districts of Alsace and Lorraine had passed into Prussian hands. The orders came from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. The story tells the effect of this transition on the people through the eyes of a young boy, Franz.
The story describes what is just another ordinary day for Franz who started very late for school that morning. In fact, he was reluctant to go to school as he had not prepared his French lesson on participles and his teacher, M. Hamel, was going to conduct an oral test on the topic in the class. Initially, he thought of spending the bright warm day outdoors enjoying the chirping of birds and drilling of Prussian soldiers at the back of the sawmill. But finally, he decided to go to school.
On the way, Franz passed the town hall, where he saw a large crowd reading the bulletin board which had been a source of all bad news. Franz didn’t stop there and rushed to the school.
When Franz arrived at the school, he found a strange quietness there. He found that his classmates were already seated in their places and the teacher had already started teaching. The back benches were occupied by the village elders who were grim and solemn. To his surprise, M. Hamel was in the formal dress that hewed to wear only on the inspection or prize distribution days. Franz found M. Hamel to be kinder than usual. He didn’tscold Franz for being late and allowed him to take his seat. Franz was shocked to get the news that it 105 w scold last lesson in French and the new German teacher would take charge on the following day.
 He was full of regret for not learning his mother tongue and felt a sudden love for French. He even started liking M. Hamel and forgot all about his ruler and crankiness. When M. Hamel asked Franz to answer a question ac participle, he was not able to answer. Even then, M. Hamel didn’t scold him and remarked that the only trouble with people of Alsace was of putting off learning till the next day. He blamed parents for sending their children to earn money rather than to school. He also blamed himself for sending students to water his plants or to give them a holiday when he wanted to go fishing.
Hamel then talked of the French language, calling it the most beautiful language in the world. He told the class la to keep their language close to their hearts to feel free and happy. As long as an enslaved people held fast to their language, it was as if they had the key to their prison. Their language could liberate them forever. As the church clock struck twelve, M. Hamel with a choked throat wrote on the blackboard Vive La France!, ie. Long Live France and dismissed the class.
The story, written in historical background, is a beautiful depiction of the emotional bond of people with their mother tongue. It depicts the pathos of the situation that in order to conquer the minds of the people, it is not enough to win a country physically by force. In order to enslave a people completely, a conqueror needs to enslave their thoughts and make them devoid of their own mother tongue.

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