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English - The Last Lesson
English - The Last Lesson
BY ALPHONSE DAUDET
Alphonse Daudet
(1840- 1897)
French Novelist and Story Writer
Background
Set up in the days of Franco-Prussian
War (1870-1871).
France was Defeated by Prussia.
F ra n z e x p e c t e d h e w o u l d g e t i n s i d e t h e c l a s s
amidst commotion.
C h i l d r e n a l r e a d y a t t h e i r p l a c e s .
M . H a m e l r o a m i n g w i t h h i s t e r r i b l e r u l e r.
F ra n z a s k e d f o r p e r m i s s i o n
C o n t ra d i c t o r y t o h i s e x p e c t a t i o n h e w a s n’t
being Scold for getting late.
M . H a m e l s a i d K i n d l y – “ G O t o yo u r p l a c e l i t t l e
F r a n z , w e w e r e b e g i n n i n g w i t h o u t yo u ”
M. Hamel Dressed
differently…
Fr e n c h i s t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l l a n g u a g e i n
the wor ld.
T h e c l e a r e s t a n d t h e m o s t l o g i c a l l a n g u a g e .
W e m u s t g u a r d i t a m o n g u s a n d n e ve r f o r g e t
it.
“ Wh e n a p e op l e are e n s l aved, as l on g as
h e h ol d fas t h is l an g uag e , it is as if t h ey
h a d k e y t o t h e ir p ris on ”
Franz filled with admiration for M. Hamel
S a t i r i c a l re m a rk u p o n G e r m a n s -
Franz mocks germans can they force
animals and birds too to speak in
German???
Self Pity
Franz was pitying the state and the
condition of French people, where they
being humans were forced to change their
language and birds were still free to
converse in their language
Human Predicament
VIVA LA FRANCE
LONG LIVE FRANCE
Things to Ponder Upon
Mother Tongue, Language and Linguistic
Chauvinism?