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Questions - Answers, , English, , Term - 2, , Class - 12th, (Krishna Singh), , (The Rattrap), THEME:, The Rattrap’ provides a glimpse into human nature. It emphasises the fact that everybody has, essential goodness deep inside which can be awakened through love and understanding. The, story highlights the fact that there is essential goodness in every human being. At times due to, circumstances and situation, a person kills his conscience but the same man, when bestowed with, love and affection, exhibits a totally different side of his character., Q1: The crofter can be called a “good host”. Why?, The crofter exhibits all traits of a good host. He welcomes the tramp warmly. He offers him hot, food, gives him tobacco to smoke and plays mojos with him. He talks to him in a friendly manner, and tells him about his prosperity. He even confides in him and shows him his money., , Q2:, , What was the sentiment expressed by the tramp in the letter that he left for Edla?, Why had he signed himself as Captain von Stahle?, In his letter to Edla, the tramp had expressed his gratitude to her for treating him with dignity and, respect. Her love and respect had brought out the goodness in him and saved him from being, caught in the rattrap of the world. He requested her to return the money to its rightful owner. He, signed the letter as Captain von Stahle as he had been raised to the status of a captain and had, his dignity restored by Edla., What was Edla Williamson’s assessment of the peddler? What rationale did her, father give for the coarse ways of the peddler?, Edla Williamson had her doubts about the peddler. She noticed that the peddler was very scared., She thought him to be either a thief or an escapee. She wondered how her father’s regimental, Comrade could have nothing about him to show that he had once been an educated man. But her, father said that the circumstances and his harsh experiences had made him like that. He believed, that once he was treated nicely, given a bath and a shave, he would regain his original personality., Q3:, , Q4: What were the peddler’s feelings as he drove over to the ironmaster’s house?, The peddler had evil forebodings as he drove over to the ironmaster’s house. He regretted to have, stolen crofter’s money and felt that he had been trapped and would be found out as a thief., Q5: What were the precautions that the peddler took to remain undetected as a thief?, In order to remain undetected as a thief, the peddler left the highway and took the mute of the, forest. Ms’ He lost his way in the forest and after some time realised that he was moving around, the same point. Moreover, when at the Ramsjo Ironworks, he was invited by the ironmaster to his, home. He declined the invitation due to the fear of being caught., Q6: Why did peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rat trap?, The peddler developed an idea that the world is a rat trap. It offers food, shelter, clothing and, luxuries just to entrap us in the same way in which the rattrap entrapped its victims through cheese, and pork. The idea appealed and pleased him as he was in a state of abject poverty and had, nothing and used to envy those who were in a better position than him., , Q7: Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?, No, the peddler never expected this kind of hospitality from the crofter. He was more accustomed, to sour faces greeting him and shooing him away. For the first time, he was greeted by a smiling, face when he knocked for shelter.
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Q8: What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?, After being lured by the money he saw at the crofter’s home, he stole them the next day before, leaving his place. He walked past the highway since it would increase the risk of him being caught., While passing through the woods he realized that he had fallen for the bait, the money, and hence, had fallen into the rattrap. He was hit by the same realization when the ironmaster threatened to, get him arrested after he got to know about his real identity., Q9: Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?, Edla had a kind heart. She spent most of the time alone since there was no one at home apart from, her father. She was happy to have company for Christmas eve and asked him to stay. She also felt, sad for the condition he was in and wanted to make him feel happy and comfortable for the, occasion. It provided her delight and happiness to think of the ways she could help the tramp, and, make Christmas special for him., Q10: Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?, Edla felt very dejected when she came to know about the theft of the crofter’s money by the, peddler, but the gift left behind, which consisted of a small rattrap and three wrinkled ten kronor, notes, restored her faith in him. She felt happy because her trust in him had been justified. Her, kindness had finally changed the peddler and brought out his essential goodness., Q11: “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. This was, the reason why she felt all the more dejected when she came to know that the peddler whom she, had sheltered was actually a thief, who had recently robbed a crofter. Secondly, she also felt bad, because the peddler had disproved the faith which she had shown in him., , Long Answer Type Questions, Q12: Here is a saying ‘Kindness pays, rudeness never. In the story ‘The Rattrap’ Edla’s, attitude towards men and matters from her father’s attitude, how are the values of, concern and compassion brought out in this story?, Edla’s attitude towards life is very different from that of her father. When the ironmaster came to, know that the peddler was none of his regimental acquaintances he was full of rage. He even, threatened the matter to be taken the sheriff. He ordered the peddler to leave his house at once., However, Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter is a very kind-hearted girl. Though she comes to know, the peddler’s truth she still treats him so well as if he were really a captain. She does not have any, selfish motive in serving the peddler. We can say she proves to be an angel in the peddler’s life, that he decides to give up thievery and lead a meaningful and honest life., Q13: The peddler’s instance speaks on a general level to the entire society, urging for a, different outlook towards those maligned individuals who can be redeemed by, compassion and understanding. The rehabilitation programmes at prisons follow the, same value. In the light of the instance mentions above, how do you think society can, help individuals, especially juvenile delinquents, from falling prey to petty crimes and, bad habits?, Human behaviour is in direct proportion to the emotional needs. In fact, nobody is a born criminal. It, is the circumstances and the situation which force a child into crime. Juvenile delinquents are, basically victims of emotional wreckages. They are the ones who are ignored or exploited. In order, to stop the increasing participation of juveniles in the crime, it is the society which has to play a, pivotal role. If these children are treated with compassion and love, then they can be saved.
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The society needs to develop an understanding of human nature that it is only due to the lack of, the fulfilment of the emotional needs of a person, that he/she gets attracted to bad habits or crimes., We have to be empathetic and show our concern for our fellow beings with a sympathetic attitude, for those who have deviated from the right path. With positivity and love, people, especially juvenile, delinquents, can be saved from falling prey to petty crimes and bad habits., Q14: How Does the Metaphor of the Rattrap Serve to Highlight the Human Predicament?, The peddler used the metaphor of rattrap throughout the story. It signified that the world is a rattrap, and we as mice, are provided with the baits of wealth, emotions, and other human pleasures, (symbolic of cheese). The ones who get lured by this greed end up being captured in the shackles, of the world and cannot escape it forever. The entire world runs blindly behind the pursuits of these, pleasures and forgets to enjoy what life can offer them. The writer focuses on making the reader, realize that material purists are not the only things we should run after. Sometimes we should just, slow down to enjoy the small gifts that life presents us that can leave a deep impact on us. The, peddler, despite his negative outlook towards the world, is moved by the kindness of Edla., Q15: How does the story, ‘Rattrap’ highlight the importance of community over isolation?, Support your rationale with textual evidence., Man is a social animal. He cannot live alone. In every field of life, he needs the help of someone or, the other. However, there are a few people who do not live to socialize with others. They stay away, from their fellow beings. They shirk the company of their friends and become recluses. They are, overpowered by negative feelings. The themes of human loneliness and the need to have, someone to share one’s joys and sorrows with, runs throughout the story. To begin with, the, reader’s attention is drawn to the peddler who is lonely and in his loneliness he makes rattraps and, is left to his own meditation. When he knocks at the cottage, the crofter welcomes him and, entertains him. It is because the crofter is lonely. He wants someone to talk to. He finds in peddler, a good companion and tells him a lot about himself and his cow, even though the peddler is a, complete stranger to him. Then, we find that the ironmaster and his daughter are also lonely. They, live in a big house and have nobody else for company. Therefore, they insisted that the peddler, should spend the Christmas Eve with them., Q16: Why did the Crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler feel after, betraying the crofter?, The peddler was ungrateful for the hospitality shown by the crofter. The crofter reposed confidence, in the peddler because he was lonely and wanted someone with whom he could share his feeling., He welcomed the peddler in his house when he had asked for the shelter. He took good care of, him. He immediately put the porridge pot on the fire and gave him supper; then, he carved off a big, slice from his tobacco roll and gave it to him. Finally, he brought out an old pack of cards and, played ‘mjolis’ with him until bedtime. Not only this, the old man was just as generous with his, ‘confidence’ as with his porridge and tobacco. He told him at once that in his days of prosperity, his, host had been a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks and had worked on the land, and now he had thirty, kroner, which he had earned by selling the milk of his cow., Q17: What made the peddler finally change his ways?, The world had never been kind to the peddler. It made the peddler a petty thief. However, the, Ironmaster’s daughter proved to be an angel in his life. When her father came to know that the, peddler was not one of his regimental acquaintances, he ordered him to leave his house, immediately. Now, his daughter came to his rescue. She said that it was none of the peddler’s, mistake. As a result, her father gave in. She treated the peddler as if he were a real captain. Her, kindness and sympathy completely transformed the peddler. While leaving the Ironmaster’s house,, he left a small packet having a small rattrap, three wrinkled ten-kroner notes and a letter. In his, letter he wrote, “Since you have been nice to me all day long, I want to be nice to you, in return., You can give the money to the old man on the roadside. The rattrap is a Christmas present from a, rat who would have been caught in the world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to a captain.”
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Q18: How did the crofter tempt the peddler to steal his money? How did it change the, peddler’s life?, The crofter was a lonely man. He was more than happy when the peddler knocked at his door. He, shared his confidence with him and told him that he had thirty kroner in a leather pouch. The, peddler stole thirty kronors from the crofter’s house, but he realized that he could dare not continue, on the public highway, and must turn off the road into the woods. During the first few hours, this, caused him no difficulty. Later in the day, it became worse, for it was a big and confusing forest, which he had gotten into. He tried to be sure to walk in a definite direction, but the paths twisted, back and forth so strangely that he walked on, without coming to the end of the forest and realised, that he had been caught in a rattrap. He was no more a free person. He had to be cautious. On, hearing the sound of the hammer, he moved towards it and reached an iron mill. The master’s, daughter Edla took him home for Christmas Eve. She showed kindness and humane feelings, towards him, which changed him, altogether. He returned the thirty kroners to Edla and became a, reformed man as he had been risen to the status of a captain., , Q19: How did the seller of rattraps realize that he himself was caught up in a rattrap after, he left the crofter’s cottage?, OR, Very soon after stealing the crofter’s money, how did the peddler realise that he was, himself caught in a rattrap?, After the peddler stole thirty kronors from the crofter’s house, he realized that he could not continue, on the public highway, but must turn off the road into the woods. During the first few hours, this, caused him no difficulty. Later in the day, it became worse, for it was a big and confusing forest, which he had gotten into. He tried to be sure to walk in a definite direction, but the paths twisted, back and forth so strangely. He walked on, without coming to the end of the wood and finally, he, realized that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest. All at once, he, recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap. Now his own turn had come. He had let, himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught. The whole forest, with its trunks and branches, its, thickets and fallen logs, closed on him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never, escape., , Q20: The peddler thinks that the whole world is a rattrap. This view of life is true only of, himself and of no one else in the story. Comment., This view of life was true for the peddler because when he was offered food and shelter at the, crofter’s house, which is like ‘bait’ for a rat, he took it, and stole the crofter’s money. He then tried to, run away from being caught, but got lost in the forest as it was big and confusing. Thus, he, considered the world as a big rattrap in which he had fallen and the crofter’s money was the bait., Now his own turn had come as he had let himself befooled by the bait and had been caught in the, trap. He knew that ironmaster had mistaken him for someone else, yet he went with him. The, peddler was thus deprived of shelter, and got easily trapped by the temptations., The other characters in the story, the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter have human values, of love, compassion, and understanding of love, and for them, the world is not a rattrap. They, looked upon the world as a happy place to live and share the happiness with others. Thus, the, Peddler’s view about the world as a rattrap is true for him only as he got caught into the traps for, food, shelter, and money whereas, the others were not tempted.
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Q21: The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught, in the same?, The rattrap peddler came up with a theory that the whole world is a rattrap and that all the luxuries, are merely baits. It gave him great pleasure to think of the world this way. One night, he took, shelter in the house of an old and lonely crofter who was very generous. He gave the peddler a, meal, talked to him and even showed him the thirty kroners, he had earned because of his cow., Tempted by the money, the peddler stole the money from the crofter and headed towards a forest., The dense forest was like a maze and he soon got lost, realising that the money was a bait and, now he himself was trapped in a rattrap. The peddler soon found refuge at an iron mill, where he, was mistaken by the ironmaster for an old friend. Even though, he refused to come to the, ironmaster’s house, for fear of being caught, he was ultimately persuaded by Edla, the ironmaster’s, daughter., Once again, he regretted being caught, in a trap and wished he hadn’t stolen the money. By not, trying to clear his identity, in hope of some more money, he was further trapped when his identity, was uncovered the next day; he was still allowed to stay because of Edla’s intervention. Her, kindness and faith in him ultimately allowed him to free himself from the trap in which he had been, caught. Unlike the other characters in the story, the peddler is the only one who succumbed to, loneliness and is far away from the human bonds of love and sympathy that made him a cynic and, consider the world as a rattrap.
