The title ‘After Twenty Years’ is quite significant because Jimmy and Bob had promised to meet after twenty years. It was a considerable long period. Yet they met on the same day at the appointed place.

Franz was not scolded for reaching the school; late on that day because everyone was very sad because of the notice. As per the notice, it was instructed that French would not be taught in the schools, instead, German would be taught from the next day onward. It was M.Hamel's last lesson in French and because of this reason, there was a sense of grief and sadness everywhere.

Answer:
When Douglas decided to overcome his childhood fear of water he preferred to go to YMCA swimming pool to learn swimming because it was safe. It was only two or three feet deep at the shallow end; and although it was nine feet at the other end, the drop was quite gradual.

What lesson did Douglas learn when he got rid of his fear of water?

Answer : After getting rid of his fear of water, Douglas realised that what one has to fear is fear itself and if he is able to overcome fear, he can achieve anything he wants.

The instructor built a swimmer out of Douglas piece by piece. For three months he held him high on a rope attached to his belt. He went back and forth across the pool. Panic seized the author every time. The instructor taught Douglas to put his face underwater and exhale and to raise his nose and inhale. Then Douglas had to kick with his legs for many weeks till these relaxed. After seven months the instructor told him to swim the length of the pool.

Answer:
Douglas first became afraid of water when he was three years old and had gone to the California beach with his father. He went under a wave for a few seconds and though he was not in any kind of danger, yet he developed a fear of water.

William Douglas developed an aversion to water when he was three or four years old. He stood at a beach with his father when a wave Swept over him and knocked him down. He was buried under water and became breathless. He was petrified and developed a permanent fear for water.

The writer comes across many barefoot rag-picker children. On asking about not wearing chappals, they offer very solid excuses. One answers that his mother has not brought them down from the shelf. Another points out that he will throw them if she brings. The third one replies that he has never owned a pair all his life. The writer concludes that walking across the country barefoot is a tradition.

Mukesh's dream is to become a motor-mechanic. It is no doubt difficult for Mukesh to achieve his dream, as he is torn between his desires and his family tradition, which he cannot escape. Besides, he has to face a number of obstacles in the form of sahukars, middlemen, bureaucrats, law makers, politicians etc.

Mukesh, who hailed from the city of Dhaka, was different from other bangle makers of Firozabad because he liked to dream, unlike others who followed the family lineage of making bangles. He wanted to be a motor mechanic and drive cars.

Saheb gets some job at a tea stall. There the owner pays him Rs. 800/- and all his meals. The narrator now finds him with a tin canister on his way to the milkbooth. But he has lost his carefree look. The canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly on his shoulder. This was his own bag but the canister belongs to his master. Thus Saheb was no longer his own master.

The author met Saheb who was a ragpicker in Seemapuri, a place on the outskirts of Delhi. Saheb was happy being a rag picker. He led a carefree life and appeared like the morning birds and disappeared during noon time. He ran around the street with his friend barefooted. Once he had told the author that there were times when he found a one rupee coin or even a ten rupee note among the heap of garbage. This gave him hope and he would dig more into the garbage to try his luck further. Later, one day when the author met Saheb carrying a steel cannister he came to know that the boy was no more a rag picker. He was working in a tea stall down the road. He was paid 800 rupees and he was given all his meals. But when the author asked whether he liked the job, Saheb's face had lost the carefree look. Though he had money, he lost the freedom that rag-picking gave him. He was no longer his own master. Saheb had traded his liberty in exchange for money. He was surely not happy with his life despite the money that he was being paid.

In other words, this change in Saheb's life was comparatively a better one, since he was now working and earning on his own, on the other side of the story, we learn that Saheb himself wasn't very happy with such a change in his life as he thought that his responsibilities as a servant have snatched away the freedom he had when he was just a ragpicker.

Answer:

Franz was prepared for the test on participles. The chirping birds and sight of the Prussian soldiers were far more interesting to him than his attending school. That is why he stayed out of the 'doors of the school to bask in nature's glory.'

Answer : M Hamel showed his love for the French language by telling the students that the French language was the most beautiful language in the world – the clearest and the most logical.

The order from Berlin brought all the routine hustle-bustle of the school life to a stand- still. The teacher, M. Hamel, became more sympathetic to his students and taught his lessons with more patience. The students became more attentive in their classes. The villagers, who were sitting at the usually empty back benches and had come to show their respect and gratitude to M. Hamel, regretted not going to school more than they did. The order also brought about a great change in the feelings of the people towards their country and their native language. There was a general sadness about not being able to utilise the opportunities of learning French when it was easily accessible.

The mood in the classroom when M.Hamel gave his last lesson was silent all in class ,every single student was quite and giving attention to Mr.Hamel's lecture even  everyone was sitting at there own place without making any kind of fuss . Everyone was present that day and also Mr.Hamel was also quite lost in his thoughts. There came an order from Berhin banning the teaching of French. In his last lesson Hamel taught so well that all the students understood word by word. It looked as if he wanted to pour everything in the minds of his students just in one stroke.

When M. Hamel gave his last French lesson in the classroom, there was no commotion. There was pin-drop silence. He was politely and dedicatedly talking with the students. There was no strictness, looked solemn, serious and deeply grieved. Whenever he spoke, his throat choked. He felt as if his bodily parts were being pierced.

M. Hamel was a true French man. Teaching at Alsace for forty years, he had become a part of its people. He was an honest teacher. He did not blame his students alone for poor learning. He also held himself responsible for the same. He was very patriotic as he appealed to his countrymen to hold fast to their mother tongue to be free from the Prussians. According to him the French language was the most beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world. He appealed to his countrymen to guard it and never forget it. He was emotionally attached to the school and all his students. However, he was very brave and strong. He was really sorry for not making sincere efforts to teach French to his countrymen. At the end, he became so emotional that he could not speak.

There used to be great hustle and bustle in the school on normal days but that day there was silence all about the school. No noise of the opening and closing of desks and of lessons being repeated loudly in unison could be heard.

M. Hamel was a true French man. Teaching at Alsace for forty years, he had become a part of its people. He was an honest teacher. He did not blame his students alone for poor learning. He also held himself responsible for the same. He was very patriotic as he appealed to his countrymen to hold fast to their mother tongue to be free from the Prussians. According to him the French language was the most beautiful, the clearest and the most logical language in the world. He urged on his countrymen to guard it and never forget it. He was deeply attached to the school and all his students. However, he was very brave and strong. He was really regretful for not making sincere efforts to teach French to his countrymen. At the end, he became so emotional that he could not speak.

The story portrays a lively depiction of Franz. He loved to spend his day out of doors rather in the classroom because the brightness of the sunshine, the chirping of the birds and the liveliness of the nature fascinated him. He was not much in interested in studies. However, he got saddened when he came to know of the order from Berlin that French would no more be taught in school. Suddenly, he realised what he was going to lose. To lose one's language is nothing less than losing oneself. He knew he had not yet learnt even the participles clearly. His power of self analysis led him to conclude that the lessons of French were never difficult. It was he who never paid attention. Now, when he understood the language, the authorities restrained this learning. He got disturbed to see the exploitation of one human race by another. This made him ask "Will they make them sing in German, even the pigeons?”. Franz turns out to be a character that grows mature in the course of the story. From a negligent school boy he finally becomes a self analysing citizen.

M.Hamel had been a devoted French teacher for 40 years. He was a strict disciplinarian and his students were terrified of him and his 'great ruler'. However, he was a respectable man. On the last day of school, many villagers, who had been taught by him at some point of time, had come to attend his lecture and pay homage to him. He give great importance to learning. French and considered it to be the most beautiful language of the world. However, he was melancholy and depressed that French had been banned from being taught, after France was overtaken by Prussia. His sorrow was evident in the gloomy way he sat in the class while his students were completing their writing assignment. He became nostalgic looking at the classroom and the adjoining garden. Before leaving the class, he broke down and so, could not speak any parting words.

The young trees are personified in the poem. They seem to be running in the opposite direction when seen through the window of the moving car. The movement is juxtaposed with the expression on the mother’s face i.e. ashen like a corpse. The movement of the children and the trees is in stark contrast with the stillness associated with the mother.

The dewan was convinced that if the Maharaja did not find the tiger soon, the results would be catastrophic for the kingdom and himself. However, upon seeing the tiger which had been brought from the People's Park in Madras and kept hidden at his house, he felt a sense of relief. The dewan and his wife dragged the tiger to the car and shoved it into the seat. He drove the car straight to the forest where the Maharaja was hunting on his own