Q2 of 18 Page 9

Franz thinks, “Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?” What could this mean?

(There could be more than one answer.)

Franz wondered if pigeons can sing in German shows that humans can force other humans but cannot impose it on nature. It implies that human power always has limitations. They cannot control everything in this world. Similarly, Prussians can control their schools and learning pattern, but cannot kill their love for their country and language.


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2

How did Franz’s feelings about M. Hamel and school change?

 1

The people in this story suddenly realize how precious their language is to them. What shows you this? Why does this happen?

 1

“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.”

Can you think of examples in history where a conquered people had their language taken away from them or had a language imposed on them?

 2

What happens to a linguistic minority in a state? How do you think they can keep their language alive? For example:

Punjabis in Bangalore


Tamilians in Mumbai


Kannadigas in Delhi


Gujaratis in Kolkata