Question

What was the ‘thunderclap’ the narrator received as M. Hamel began the lesson?

Hint:

Focus on the emotional and historical context of M. Hamel’s last French lesson, emphasizing the loss of linguistic and cultural identity.

Answer 1

The ‘thunderclap’ was the shocking news that this was M. Hamel’s last French lesson. The school and teaching of the French language were being banned as a result of Prussian rule in Alsace and Lorraine.