Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

For a moment I thought of running away and spending the day out of doors. It was so warm, so bright! The birds were chirping at the edge of the woods, and in the open field, back of the saw-mill the Prussian soldiers were drilling.

1. What does ‘running away’ signify in the context of the story? What does this expression convey about the narrator Franz? (Understanding and Analysis)
2. What did Franz crave for? (Understanding)
3. Comment on the line ‘It was so warm, so bright’. (Analysis)
4. What is the significance of the reference to the drills by the alien soldiers in France? (Analysis)
5. What temptations did the narrator overcome? Where was he going? (Understanding)

Answer 1

1. ‘Running away’ means avoiding school and spending the day outdoors. It shows that Franz was initially reluctant to attend school and was more attracted to outdoor activities than his studies.
2. Franz craved the freedom and pleasure of being outdoors. He wanted to enjoy the warm sunshine, fresh air, chirping birds and open fields.
3. The line describes the pleasant and attractive morning that tempted Franz to stay outdoors. It also contrasts with the serious and gloomy atmosphere of the last lesson.
4. The Prussian soldiers represent the foreign occupation of Alsace and Lorraine. Their presence reminds the reader that France has been defeated and that the people are now under Prussian control.
5. Franz overcame the temptation to stay outdoors, enjoy nature and watch the birds and soldiers. He was going to school to attend M. Hamel’s French lesson.