Note making and summary of chapter 1

Answer: The story "The Last Lesson" has been set in the backdrop of the Franco-Prussian war. The story starts with little Franz, the narrator of the story explaining his  dread for school. As a young boy, he is interested in playing outside. He hates the idea of attending school as on that particular day M.Hamel has scheduled a test on participle. But when Franz reaches school, he is surprised to see the otherwise empty back benches occupied by the villagers. He can notice a sombre expression on the faces of  the people present in the room. He notices M.Hamel dressed in the outfit which is reserved only for special occasions. Franz is quite taken aback when he gets to know that M.Hamel is going to teach them the last French lesson. An order has been passed to teach German language in the German occupied places. When M.Hamel starts the lesson, Franz regrets his lack of attention in the French classes. Franz suddenly develops an interest for the French language. He is full of respect for his teacher M.Hamel for his sincerity in teaching the language. Franz is full of regret for not paying attention to the lessons. 
M.Hamel is heartbroken and according to him, a person's language is the key to his prison. Even if a person is enslaved, the only thing that is his own is the language. Language cannot be taken away and as long as a person guards it, he or she has the key to their freedom. M.Hamel describes the French language as the most beautiful language in the world and makes an appeal to the people to love their language and learn it properly. M.Hamel ends the lesson by writing in the blackboard, "VIVE LA FRANCE!".