Class 12 Chapter

1. The Rattrap

2. 1.What idea suddenly struck the rattrap peddler? Why did it amuse him?
• World is a rattrap
• All material things such as riches, food, shelter are baits
• Every one is in this trap
• Felt amused as he felt hat he was the only one out of this trap

3. 1. Why did the crofter invite the peddler in his house? How did he treat him?
• The crofter was a lonely person/ he needed company/ he was a kind person too
• - He regarded the peddler as welcome company and treated him quite hospitably
• - Gave him food, shelter, and the warmth of human company
• - He was a trusting human being and thus showed his savings to him.

4. 1. How was the crofter’s hospitality reciprocated?
• He was betrayed by the peddler
• The peddler stole the money that the crofter had showed him trustingly

5. 1. How did the peddler feel after stealing crofter’s money?
• He felt quite pleased
• Thought he had outsmarted the crofter
• He did not feel guilty but was certainly scared

6. 1. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
• He had to avoid the public highways for the fear of getting caught by the
police
• Took a route through a forest
• Got lost in the forest and felt that the trap had closed on him
• He had taken the bait of thirty kroner

7. Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was Nils Olof? What does it speak of him?
• - He thought that being the ironmaster’s old acquaintance might get
him a few kroners from him.
• He was a street-smart person who did not have a strong moral
compass

8. Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster?
• - He knew that if the ironmaster discovered his identity, he would hand him over to the
police.
• - He had already stolen money from the crofter and had fallen in the trap
• - going to the manor house was like walking into another trap

9. 1. Why did the peddler accept Edla’s invitation?
• - She seemed friendly and kind/ persuasive
• - Gave him the choice that he could leave their house whenever he wanted
• -This instilled confidence in him to take the risk

10. 8. Why did Edla plead with her father not to send the vagabond away?
• It was Christmas time
• They had invited the peddler themselves
• He was a poor lonely person

11. ..”Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual.” Which two reasons forced
her to behave in that manner?
• - Edla had shown kindness to the peddler even after knowing that he was not a captain
• - she came to know that the peddler whom she had sheltered was a thief
• - She felt cheated and wondered that she had placed her trust on a wrong person.

12. Why did the peddler sign as a captain?
• Was treated with dignity / like a captain
• Wanted to behave like one
• Wanted to show Edla that he had not broken her trust

13. When the ironmaster threatened to call the Sherriff. How did the peddler conduct?
• The peddler defended himself that he was a poor man. He said that the whole world is
nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to him were just baits. The baits
were set out to drag a poor man into trouble. In case the Sherriff came to lock him up, the
day was not far when the ironmaster would be trapped himself

14. 13. Who do you think was at fault-the ironmaster or the peddler? Give two reasons.
• Iron master- Invited the peddler/ forced him to come home/it was natural for the peddler to get
tempted/did not steal anything
• Peddler- should have told the truth initially/ did not disclose his identity for his own benefit

15. 13The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’
behaviour
• From the crofter
• From Edla
• From the peddler

16. Quote the instances of the chapter which highlight the man’s requirement for the warmth of
human company.
• Crofter’s welcoming the peddler
• Ironmaster’ request to the peddler
• Edla’s treatment
• Peddler

17. What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is different from
that of his daughter in many ways?
• Edla was honest/ persuasive/ kind/ compassionate/trusting/ sharp
• Ironmaster- a good friend /hospitable / not actually compassionate/ not so sharp in judging the
character

18. Attempt a character sketch of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’?
• - tall person sunken cheeks / hunger is clearly visible.
• - survives by petty thievery, begging and selling rattraps
• - cunning/alert
• -a subtle sense of humour
• - Could betray people
• - Led a miserable lonely life
• - Changed his ways after being treated kindly by Edla/ not a lost cause

19. The Rattrap’, highlights the impact of compassion and understanding on the hidden
goodness in human beings. Substantiate with evidence from the story.
What is the central idea of the story/ what is the message conveyed in the story?
• - most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefit.
• - love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human goodness.
• -peddler had been treated very cruelly by the world/ thought ill of the world
• - the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him but he betrayed his trust
• - Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding brought out a transformation in his nature.
• - felt released from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind and generous treatment of Edla
• - he had a spark of humanity in him too which was lit by Edla

20. Q.2. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
• - world tempts the human beings by various good things such as the luxuries and joys, food
and shelter, clothing, and warmth
• -They are just like the bait
• -Almost everyone is running behind these material gains.
• - Can not come out of the trap of desires.
• - the story the peddler was attracted to the three ten kronors of the crofter
• - he found himself trapped in the forest, as a result

21. The readers’ sympathy lies with the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’. Explain why?
• - because of the circumstances he was living in.
• -has been portrayed as a harmless person who is leading his lonely and miserable life
• -when he steals the money, one is bound to forgive him because this theft was not for the
lust of money but his poverty
• -He honestly and persistently refuses to accept the ironmaster’s invitation as he was not
comfortable pretending to be someone else.
• -He is too willing to leave the house after the host finds out the reality
• -His last act places him above any petty thief and leaves a good impression on the reader.

22. ‘The Rattrap’ is an entertaining and philosophical story. Comment.
Philosophical
• Philosophical
• -reveals the theme of the human tendency to redeem oneself
• -The tramp’s view of the world was a cynical one
• -He believed the world to be like a rattrap
• - the story to shows that innate goodness exists in all human beings
• Entertaining
• -Behaviour and character of the peddler
• -His follies as a person
• - his sharp but cunning thought process
• - humour

23. The readers’ sympathy lies with the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’. Explain why?
• - because of the circumstances he was living in.
• -has been portrayed as a harmless person who is leading his lonely and miserable life
• -when he steals the money, one is bound to forgive him because this theft was not for the
lust of money but his poverty
• -He honestly and persistently refuses to accept the ironmaster’s invitation as he was not
comfortable pretending to be someone else.
• -He is too willing to leave the house after the host finds out the reality
• -His last act places him above any petty thief and leaves a good impression on the reader.

24. • The world had, of course, never been very kind to him, so it gave him unwonted joy to think
ill of it in this way. It became a cherished pastime of his, during many dreary ploddings, to
think of people he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare, and of
others who were still circling around the bait.
•
• Who is ‘he’ in the passage?
• Which dangerous snare is the person talking about?
• Why did he think ill of the world?
• What became his cherished pastime?
•

25. • The whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its thickets and fallen logs, closed in upon
him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never escape.
• Whom are we talking about?
• What caused the person to go into the forest?
• Why did he think that the forest was an impenetrable prison?
•

26. • “The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in this world’s
rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to clear
himself.
• Who has written these lines?
• To whom have they been addressed to?
• Why does the person call himself a rat?
• How was he raised to captain?

27. • “He walks and walks the whole year long, and there is probably not a single place in the
whole country where he is welcome and can feel at home. Wherever he turns he is chased
away. Always he is afraid of being arrested and cross-examined. I should like to have him
enjoy a day of peace with us here — just one in the whole year.”
•
• Who is speaking these lines?
• About whom is the person speaking?
• What does the speaker want?
• Name of the author and the Chapter.
•

28. • he said. “This whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to
you are nothing but cheese rinds and bits of pork, set out to drag a poor fellow into trouble.
And if the sheriff comes now and locks me up for this, then you, Mr Ironmaster, must
remember that a day may come when you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork, and
then you will get caught in the trap.”
• Who is he here?
• What makes him speak these words?
• Why would he be arrested by the sheriff?

29. • Darkness was already descending over the forest. This increased the danger, and increased
also his gloom and despair. Finally he saw no way out, and he sank down on the ground,
tried to death, thinking that his last moment had come.
• Who is ‘he’ in this passage?
• What is the danger he is talking about?
• Why is the person in forest?

30. • The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco.
• Who is the ‘old man’ here?
• Why does the author say that he was generous with his confidence?
• How was his trust and confidence reciprocated?

31. • To go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den.
He only wanted a chance to sleep here in the forge and then sneak away as inconspicuously
as possible.
• Why did the person did not want to go the manor house?
• Which mistake had he already committed earlier?
• What was he offered by the owner and why?

32. • That morning she had felt so happy when she thought how homelike and Christmassy she was
going to make things for the poor hungry wretch. She could not get away from the idea all at once,
and that was why she had interceded for the vagabond
• “It is queer that things have gone downhill with him as badly as that,” said the daughter. “Last night I
did not think there was anything about him to show that he had once been an educated man.”
• She looked at him compassionately, with her heavy eyes, and then she noticed that the man was
afraid. ‘‘Either he has stolen something or else he has escaped from, jail’’, she thought

33. • “It is queer that things have gone downhill with him as badly as that,” said the daughter. “Last night I
did not think there was anything about him to show that he had once been an educated man.” “You
must have patience, my little girl,” said the father. “As soon as he gets clean and dressed up, you
will see something different. Last night he was naturally embarrassed. The tramp manners will fall
away from him with the tramp clothes.”
• ‘Yes, God knows things have gone downhill with me’’, he said.
‘‘You should not have resigned from the regiment’’, said the ironmaster. ‘‘That was the mistake. If
only I had still been in the service at the time, it never would have happened.
Well, now of course you will come home with me.’’
• “This whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to you are nothing
but cheese rinds and bits of pork, set out to drag a poor fellow into trouble. And if the sheriff comes
now and locks me up for this, then you, Mr. Ironmaster, must remember that a day may come when
you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork, and then you will get caught in the trap.”