THE LAST LESSON

1. What was Franz expected to be prepared with for school that day?
Franz was expected to prepare participles for school that day, about which M. Hamel would question him. He
had not prepared his lessons and so he was rather anxious about school that day.
2. What was unusual about school that day?
Usually when school began, there was a great noise and bustle which children repeating their lessons and the
teachers ruler rapping on the table. But that day there was no such commotion. It was almost as still as a
Sunday morning. His classmates were all in their places and M. Hamel was walking up and down in the
classroom.
3. What had been put up on the bulletin board that day?
There was an order from Berlin that French would no longer be taught in the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine.
From then on only German would be taught in all schools in those provinces. This was put up on the village
bulletin board that day.
4. How did Franzs feelings about the school and M. Hamel change?
Earlier Franz was always looking for excuses to skip school. But when he heard that this would be his last
French lesson, he immediately felt sad and also felt a great love towards his mother tongue. He tried to
concentrate harder and class and later found that this was his best French lesson ever. He immediately felt a
great love towards his French teacher and lamented that he had not concentrated harder in the class.
5. How did the French lesson end that day?
As soon as the clock struck 12 and the trumpets of the Prussian soldiers were heard, M. Hamel wound up his
lesson. He lost his voice and ended the lesson by writing Viva la France on the black board. Then he said
that school was dismissed and they could all go. Their last French lesson had ended.
6. What was the part played by the village elders in the Last Lesson?
All the village elders including the former Mayor and the former Postmaster were at the back of the room.
They all had their books with them and seriously repeated the lessons taught by M. Hamel. Many of them
were crying but they still put up a sincere effort to make the last lesson a success.
7. What did Franz wonder if even the pigeons would be made to sing in German?
There was so much of a German influence everywhere and German was to be taught in schools instead of
French. Looking up at the pigeons, Franz wondered whether the German influence would go beyond human
beings and even affect the animals and birds. He wondered whether they would also be made to sing in
German.
8. Why did M. Hamel say that he was also to blame for their poor performance in French?
M. Hamel regretted that when he should have been teaching lessons in the class, he sometimes went fishing.
He had also asked the students to water his plants and do other jobs for him This may have affected the
studies of the students.
9. What was M. Hamels opinion about the French language?
M. Hamel said that French was the most beautiful language in the whole world. It was the clearest and the
most logical. They must hold fast to their language as their mother tongue was the key to their imprisonment.
10. What were the lessons M. Hamel taught that day?
The first lesson he taught was a lesson in recitation. The next was a grammar lesson. After that M. Hamel
taught history and the last part comprised of pronunciation.
11. What was the difference in the teachers teaching that day as compared to the other days?
On most days, M. Hamel was harsh and often beat his students. But on that day he looked sad and even when
the author went wrong in his pronunciation, he did not scold him. He gently corrected him and then explained
the importance of their language. The students also concentrated more and felt they had learnt more that day
than other days.
SUMMARY OF THE LESSON:
This lesson deals with the feelings of a young boy towards his mother tongue. The French boy Franz, always
hated school and learning French. He had to learn Participles that day but he had not done it. When he
reached school, everything was quiet as if on a Sunday morning. The students were in the class and there was
none of the usual noise and bustle. When he arrived late also M. Hamel did not scold him. He just asked him
to come in. The author was surprised to observe that even the village elders including the former mayor and
the former postmaster were present at the back of the class. Then M. Hamel explained that this would be their
last French lesson as an order had come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Lorraine and
Alsace. Immediately Franz felt a strange love for his language he had never felt before. He understood that he
was about to lose his mother tongue and concentrated harder in class. He was surprised how easily he
understood everything. Both the teacher and students regretted having missed classes. M. Hamel said that
French was the most beautiful language in the world and the most logical. He dealt with grammar, history,
writing and pronunciation. It shows that when we are about to lose something we know its value. But for the
students it was too late. Soon the Prussians arrived and the master wound up the lesson by writing Viva La
France on the blackboard.
IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE:
The lesson clearly shows how our language is of value to us only when we are about to lose it. M. Hamel and
the students, both show the regret at having neglected the language. Franz also realized that if he had
concentrated harder he would have understood more. He wished he could study more but it was too late as
only German would be taught in schools. It also shows M. Hamels love for the language as he describes it as
the most logical and beautiful. He also advises the people gathered there to never leave their language as it
was a source of comfort even if they were imprisoned. Even the writing lesson signifies the importance of
French as all words were Alsace and French. Franz is so vexed that he wondered whether even the pigeons
would be made to sing in German. The masters love is also shown when the lesson ended. With a lot of
emotion, he writes Viva La France on the board. The village elders also show their interest as they recite
their lesson with as much enthusiasm as the children. Even they realize the importance of their language. The
lesson clearly shows how important our language is and that we should never waste any opportunity to learn
it as we may regret it later.

LOST SPRING
1. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
Saheb-e-alam is a young Bangladeshi boy who came as a refugee and settled in the town of Seemapuri near Delhi. He
became a rag picker and always feels that he may find a gold oin in one of the garbage dumps and become rich
thereby.
2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
The author has seen many children walking barefoot on the street. He feels that it is some sort of a tradition not to
wear footwear. But he also feels that this may be a kind of excuse to disguise their poverty.
3. What do the children say about not wearing footwear?
One child says that his mother did not give him chappals. But another boy says that even if she had given him the
chappals, he would only have thrown them away. One boy is wearing shoes that donot match whereas yet another
boy doesnot own any.
4. What kind of a town in Seemapuri?
Seemapuri is a town near Delhi. The chief inhabitants comprise of some 10000 rag pickers who have arrived from
Bangladesh. They live in mud structures covered with tarpaulin and tin and lack sewage, drainage and running water.
They have ration cards due to which they are able to buy grain. Garbage to them is gold and it gives them their food
and shelter.
5. Why does Saheb not enjoy his new job?
Saheb got a job to work in the tea shop. He is seen with a tea canister over his shoulder instead of his plastic bag. But
Saheb is not happy as he cannot be his own master. He has to work for someone else. He cannot do as he pleases,
which he likes. The plastic bag was his. The tea canister belongs to the person who owns the tea shop.
6. How is Mukesh different from other people of his area?
All the bangle makers have resigned themselves to their fate. They dont know any other profession. For ages, they
have been following the same profession. They dont want to escape also. But Mukesh is different. He doesnt want to
be a bangle maker. His aim is to become a motor mechanic.
7. Why are the young men of Firozabad not able to organize themselves into a co-operative?
The young men have fallen into a vicious trap of the middlemen who trapped their fathers and forefathers. They say
that if they react against the injustice they will be caught by the police and dragged to jail for something illegal.
8. What are the forces that conspire to keep the people of Firozabad in constant poverty?
There is a vicious circle of middlemen, the sahukars, the policemen, the politicians and even the bureaucrats, who
have imposed a burden on the children year after year and decade after decade which they can never put down.
9. What problem do the Bangle makers of Firozabad face?
The bangle makers live in unhygienic and dirty neighbourhoods. There are no proper drainage or sewage canals. After
working in the furnaces for so long the eyes of the people become accustomed to the darkness and they feel
uncomfortable in bright light. In the end they lose their eyesight.
10. What is the situation at Mukeshs home?
Mukeshs house is a half built shack. His grandfather and grandmother are both blind. His elder brothers wife cooks
for all of them. All the family members are ready to accept their fate and dont want to change their profession. They
believe that they can never escape from their bangle making profession.
11. Why does the author feel embarrassed at sahebs question?
The author jokingly asks saheb whether he would come to the school that he would start. Saheb agrees. But later
when they meet again Saheb asks him if he has started the school. So the author feels embarrassed and ashamed.
LIFE OF RAG PICKERS:
Both stories are about the exploitation of children and keeping them enslaved to child labour. The children have a
desire for education as is evident from the talks of Saheb with the author but there is no school in the area. He is
forced to become a rag picker. However he enjoys his life because he is free. They live in Seemapuri near New Delhi,
in tin roofed mud walled structures. To them garbage is gold because is gives them their daily bread and a roof over
their heads. All of sahebs friends are also like him. Some wear no shoes. It may be a tradition to walk barefeet but
again it may also be due to his poverty. The children are losing their opportunity to be educated and live a different
life but they dont get the chance. When the narrator meets him last, he is working in a tea shop with a tea canister
over his shoulder instead of a plastic bag. He is no longer is own master. But he still gets a salary and can support his
people. However he is still under the clutches of child labour.
LIFE OF BANGLE SELLERS:
The life of people in Firozabad is clearly reflected in this account. The story revolves around Mukesh, a young boy who
wants to become a motor mechanic. His family is resigned to their fate and dont have the courage to change their
profession. Both his grandmother and grandfather are blind as their eyes could not adjust to the brightness after
working for long hours in the dark. Even the young men cannot organize themselves into a co-operative as they feel
they will be caught by the police for illegal activities. They have been trapped into poverty for generations by the
sahukars, the middlemen, the politicians, the bureaucrats and even the policemen. They feel that it is their and their
families fate to suffer. They talk only about poverty, apathy and injustice. Howvere none of them dare to take
leadership to free them However the author feels that there is some hope with Mukesh as he is prepared to change his
profession and try to become a motor mechanic.