Lesson 05 Analysis : The Last Lesson 12th April 2020
1. Linguistic Chauvinism
Theme of linguistic chauvinism brought out in the story. The Last Lesson is a story that speaks of importance of our own language and how closely one’s language is linked to one’s identity. Theme of linguistic chauvinism brought out in the story. The story demonstrates how the linguistic chauvinism of one race can lead to the enslavement of another and what we as individuals can do to overcome such a challenge.
2. Pain That Is Inflicted Upon The People Of Alsace
The story also depicts the pain that is inflicted upon the people of Alsace by taking away their right to study their own language. One’s language is considered as one’s identity and originality, therefore it is an assault(attack) on their existence itself.
3. Realisation, Remorse and Regret
The deep connection between identity and language becomes stronger when the Prussians impose their language on French. M. Hamel suggests that by neglecting the language, the residents of Alsace have given up their identity :
Now those fellows out there will have the right to say to you, ‘How is it; you pretend to be Frenchmen, and yet you can neither speak nor write your own language?’
Suddenly people of Alsace realizes how precious one’s language is to them. They regret that they did not learn it seriously and put the learning in protestations. The villagers have come to the class with premiers and crying while reading it.
4. Introspection : A Great Deal to reproach
‘Bah! I’ve plenty of time. I’ll learn it tomorrow.’ And now you see where we’ve come out
M Hamel further stated that it was not just Franz, but theyg all - students, parents, villagers, and he himself had to blame for this devastating situation. They all had the same approach of negligence and procastination about their learning of language. Students bunked their classes and went to forest for seeking eggs and to the Saar to play. Parents took their children to farms and mills instead of sending them to school. The teachers like him had aslo ginen them off wheneverf they wanted to for fishing and other works, many a time they had also engaged their students for their personal work like watering the garden suspending the classes. So he said - We’ve all a great deal to reproach ourselves with.
5. M Hamel Arouses Patriotism & love for Language
…because 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.
M Hamel arouses patriotism & love for language. He stated that the French is the most beautiful, most logical language in the world and that the people must always be able to guard the language and never forget it.
In the lesson of writing he had new copies for all written in a beautiful round hand — France, Alsace, France, Alsace, France, Alsace. At the end of the class he wrote as large as he could — “Vive La France!” This strengthens the patriotic feeling of Alsace people.
6. Franze, The Narratory ; Spoke Person Of The Author
I thought to myself, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”
This seems quiet innocent and simple line but actually a very sharp criticism over the linguistic chauvinism of the Prussians and its repressive nature. It also suggests that by such force of cultural hegemony, the native languages(mother tongue) can never be unlearned, as pigeons can never unlearn their cooing, the mother tongues are so natural to their speakers.
The story is narrated from the perspective of a little boy instead of an adult figure, the story becomes all the powerful in showing the damage done through neglecting one’s language. This becomes very effective as the most serious matters expressed in the most innocent manner. Furthermore, the character of Franz arouse sympathy and the sincere representation of his joys, fears, understanding and embarrassment.
7. Contrast : Angelus, The Prayer & The Trumpets
The literary device of contrast is employed at the end of the lesson when the striking of the church clock is followed by the recital of the Angelus, a Catholic prayer. Simultaneously, the Prussians sound their trumpet and the two contrasting worlds of peace(prayer) and violence(trumpets), faith(prayer) and force(trumpets) meet at one moment. And it is in this moment that the last lesson comes to an end.
8. Exile/Expel of Teachers/Writers/philosopher/rebels
It is very often seen in the modern policy of Colonialism, teachers, Writers, philosophers, rebels are evicted(exiled/expelled) as they could be harmful for the rulers. Here M. Hamel is also evicted from the place after forty years of service to the very place. His emotional suffering is brought about by the lines :
Fancy! For forty years he had been there in the same place, with his garden outside the window and his class in front of him, just like that… …How it must have broken his heart to leave it all, poor man
Note that M. Hamel wasn’t just a teacher but also a politically dangerous element in the eyes of the Prussian regime. His eviction is not only a linguistic change but careful political decision.
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