The Last Lesson

Overall Plot Summary

The story is set in the days of the Franco-Prussian War when Alsace and Lorraine passed into Prussian hands. A young schoolboy named Franz is reluctant to go to school because his teacher, M. Hamel, had announced that he would question them on participles, which Franz does not know. On reaching school, Franz notices a crowd at the bulletin board and a strange quietness inside the school. Instead of noise, there is silence, and M. Hamel is dressed in his fine Sunday clothes. Franz is surprised to see the village elders sitting on the back benches. M. Hamel announces that this will be their last French lesson, as an order has come from Berlin to teach only German in the schools of Alsace and Lorraine. Franz suddenly realizes the importance of his language and feels guilty for neglecting his studies. M. Hamel explains that language is the key to a nation's freedom. He teaches with deep passion and writes 'Vive La France!' on the blackboard before dismissing the class.

Chapter-wise Breakdown