CBSE Class 12 English HOTs The Rattrap Set 04

Think as you Read 

Question. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap? or In what sense was the world a big rattrap, according to the peddler? 
Answer: The peddler was a vagabond who went around selling rattraps made by him. One day, as he was just thinking about his own rattraps, he was struck by the idea that the world was a big rattrap. Riches, food, joys and shelter served as baits to tempt people, just like a rattrap offered cheese or meat to tempt rats. As soon as one was tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap closed and everything came to an end.

Question. Why was he amused by this idea?
Answer: Wherever the peddler went, people were hostile to him and chased him away. So, he was amused by the idea of the world being a big rattrap. He was also happy that those who chased him away would also be tempted and caught up in the rattrap one day.

Question. Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter? or Why was the peddler surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage? 
Answer: No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter. Wherever the peddler went, people were hostile to him and chased him away. So the peddler was surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage and the crofter welcomed him and also gave him food and shelter.

Question. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler? 
Answer: The crofter was talkative and friendly with the peddler because he was an old man with no wife or children, living alone in his cottage. He was happy to get someone to talk to and share his feelings with. So, he welcomed the peddler, gave him food and even played a game of cards with him.

Question. Why did he show the thirty kronor to the peddler?
Answer: The crofter showed the thirty kronor to the peddler because he felt proud that he had earned this money from selling the cow's milk to the creamery. He thought that the stranger didn't believe him, so he showed him the money.

Question. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?
Answer: No, the peddler didn't respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. The crofter had showed him the thirty kronor which he had earned and where it was kept in a pouch near a window. The next day, when the crofter had gone out to deliver the cow's milk to the creamery, the peddler came back, broke the window pane, and stole the thirty kronor from the pouch where it was kept near the window.

Think as you Read 

Question. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap? or Why did the peddler keep to the woods after leaving the crofter's cottage? How did he feel? 
Answer: After stealing the crofter's money, the peddler kept to the woods because he didn't dare to walk on the public highway for fear of getting identified and caught. It was a big and confusing forest. The peddler lost his way in it. Suddenly, the truth dawned upon him. He thought that the forest was a big rattrap in which he had fallen. The thirty kronor were like a bait which had been set to tempt him, and he had allowed himself to be fooled and caught.

Question. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home? or How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace? 
Answer: The ironmaster, the owner of the Ramsjö Ironworks, spoke kindly to the peddler and invited him home because he mistook the peddler for his old regimental comrade, Nils Olof, who had, perhaps, fallen on evil days. This happened when the ironmaster came to the mill for inspection and noticed the peddler dressed in rags lying close to the furnace. Due to the dim light and the peddler's dirty appearance, he mistook him for his former colleague.

Question. Why did the peddler decline the invitation? or Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster? 
Answer: The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster because he was carrying the crofter's money which he had stolen and might have been handed over to the police when the ironmaster discovered his true identity.

Think as you Read 

Question. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson's invitation?
Answer: Edla Willmansson's kindness made the peddler feel that he could trust her and this made him accept her invitation. Edla talked to him compassionately, assuring him that no harm would come to him, and that he would be at liberty to leave whenever he wanted.

Question. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
Answer: When Edla met the peddler, he became afraid. Edla thought that either he had stolen something or he had escaped from jail. She doubted that he was her father's old regimental comrade. Later she even told her father that there was nothing about him to show that he was an educated man.

Question. When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?
Answer: The ironmaster realised his mistake the next day when he saw the peddler in broad daylight with a fine haircut and a well-shaven face. When the ironmaster had first seen the peddler in the dim light from the furnace, he had mistaken him for an old colleague. Now he realised that this man was somebody else.

Question. What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was?
Answer: The peddler said in his defence that he had never pretended that he was the ironmaster's friend. He made no further efforts to deceive the ironmaster. He said that it was not his fault, as he had begged to be allowed to stay on at the mill for the night. He had even declined the ironmaster's repeated invitation. He further said that he was ready to put on his rags again and go away.

Question. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him? or Why did Edla plead with her father not to send the vagabond away? 
Answer: Edla still entertained the peddler even after she knew the truth about him as it was Christmas eve and Edla wanted to keep the spirit of Christmas by providing him with a day of comfort and solace. She justified it, as they had invited him against his will. So she pleaded with her father not to send the vagabond away.

Think as you Read 

Question. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler? 
Answer: Edla was happy to see the gift left by the peddler because it was unexpected. Earlier Edla was shocked to learn that their guest was actually a thief. She had pleaded with her father to let the peddler stay. She held herself responsible for offering shelter to a thief. But when she found the stolen thirty kronor in a rattrap, she was overjoyed to understand that her kindness and compassion had changed the peddler and brought out his essential goodness.

Question. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle? 
Answer: The peddler signed himself as Captain von Stahle because he had been treated at the ironmaster's home like a real captain even after knowing the truth about him. He wanted to repay Edla for her kindness just as a real captain would have done. It was an indication that he wanted to retain the dignity and respect accorded to him.

Understanding the Text 

Question. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?
Answer: Initially, the peddler heartily accepts the crofter's hospitality and generosity but robs him of his hard-earned money just because it is easy to do so. When the ironmaster mistakes him to be his old regimental comrade, the peddler does not disclose his true identity in the hope of getting a few kronor. However, when the ironmaster pesters him, he again feels a sense of entrapment, having stolen the money from the crofter, and thus declines the invitation. However, on Edla's request, he goes to the ironmaster's home. Edla's warmth, sympathy and hospitality transform him in the end. When she elevates him to the status of a captain, it makes him redeem himself from being a petty thief. It stirs the innate goodness of his heart. He no more feels trapped, but regards her kindness as an act of nobility.

Question. 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? or Give examples from the story, 'The Rattrap' to show how the ironmaster is different from his daughter.
Answer: The ironmaster was a man of power and ambition and was rather arrogant. He invited the peddler home more out of his sense of pride than out of sympathy or generosity. When the ironmaster realised that he had been mistaken, he called the peddler dishonest and threatened to call the Sheriff. Later on, when he learnt that the peddler was a thief, he was worried about his own silverware. On the other hand, Edla, the ironmaster's daughter, was a kind and compassionate lady who was really sympathetic and considerate towards the peddler right from the beginning. She treated him with respect and dignity even after knowing that he was not a captain. It was her generous attitude which finally changed the peddler, bringing out the essential goodness of his nature.

Question. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others' behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
Answer: The instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others' behaviour are
(i) The old crofter welcomes the tramp for shelter and food at night. He even reposes his trust in him by showing him the money and the place where it was kept. The peddler's act of stealing the crofter's hard-earned 30 kronor is unexpected.
(ii) The peddler seeks refuge in the forge, meets the ironmaster and the latter mistakes him to be his old regimental comrade. His invitation to the tramp to come for Christmas Eve to the manor house leaves one astounded.
(iii) The peddler's act of accepting Edla's invitation, in spite of his guilt feeling about the stolen money and thoughts about entering the lion's den, is surprising.
(iv) When the peddler, left to himself in the manor house, has every opportunity to slip out with the valuables, he does not do so. Even the ironmaster expects something like this to happen. However, the peddler goes away, leaving behind a small rattrap as a Christmas gift and the thirty kronor he had stolen to be returned to the rightful owner. This is also unexpected.
(v) The peddler's letter addressed to Edla, expressing his gratitude for elevating him to the status of captain, giving him a chance to free himself from the rattrap of the world and redeeming him, also give us a pleasant surprise.
Thus, the story is replete with instances of unexpected reactions and surprises.

Question. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Answer: Edla's kindness, compassion and caring behaviour finally made the peddler change his ways. The peddler believed in giving back to the world what he received from it. He was always treated with contempt and hostility and so he never did anything good. However, as Edla had treated him with the love and respect befitting a captain when she knew that he was a poor vagabond, he decided to change his ways and live with dignity and respect.

Question. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Answer: The peddler, in the course of his wandering, suddenly thinks about the whole world as a big rattrap. Just as cheese and meal are baits in the rattrap, similarly the riches, joy, shelter and food that the world offers are baits to entrap and ensnare people.
Being an embittered man, shunned by everybody, these thoughts give 'unwonted joy' to the tramp. He thinks of all the people around him who have fallen into the trap.
The musings of the tramp do have an iota of truth in them. We are tempted by temptations, desires and needs. We go all out to satisfy them. In this desire to amass and accumulate more and more, we are entrapped by the world.
Just in case we do not get the things we want, we are plunged into despair and gloom. In this way, the metaphor of the rattrap highlights the human predicament.

Question. The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour. How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
Answer: The peddler, with his subtle sense of humour, equates the rattraps he makes to the world, which he believes is a huge rattrap, offering baits like comfort, food, shelter and material benefits. One day the rattrap traps us and there is no way out. The peddler's insistence on staying in the warm forge and refusal to go with the ironmaster evokes pity. We know that somewhere he is feeling guilty of stealing the crofter's money.
When the ironmaster realises his mistake, the tramp's 'sermon' about the world being a rattrap, temptations and desires, is really humorous, as it seems out of context. The ironmaster's daughter's kind and sympathetic attitude changes him completely.
Even she realises his human worth and treats him with dignity. The tramp's final act of leaving a token of love, the rattrap and a letter, signing off as the captain, is also humorous.
Without the tramp's philosophising element of the rattrap and his treatment of it in a humorous way, the story would have been seeped in seriousness.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. No one can imagine how sad and monotonous life can appear to such a vagabond, who plods along the road, left to his own meditations. But one day this man had fallen into a line of thought, which really seemed to him entertaining. He had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world about him - the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages - was nothing but a big rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people.

Question. How does a Vagabound, plading along the road, find life?
(a) Exciting and adventurous
(b) Happy and wishful
(c) Sad and monotonous
(d) Painful but thrilling
Answer: (c) Sad and monotonous

Question. Why did the narrator find the whole world a rattrap?
(a) As it offered riches and joys
(b) As it brought misery and pain
(c) As caused terror and plight
(d) As it existed to set baits for people
Answer: (d) As it existed to set baits for people

Question. What was the idea that struck narrator?
(a) That world is full of misery
(b) That whole world is a rattrap
(c) That rattraps are present everywhere
(d) That it is a really big world
Answer: (b) That whole world is a rattrap

Question. What does the word 'monotonous' in the extract mean?
(a) Boring
(b) Variable
(c) Versatile
(d) Lively
Answer: (a) Boring

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. As he walked along with the money in his pocket he felt quite pleased with his smartness. He realised, of course that at first he dared not continue on the public highway, but must turn off the road, into the woods. During the first 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 and walked without coming to the end of the wood, and finally he realised 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.

Question. Why did the narrator feel quite pleased?
(a) For his smartness resulting in his favour
(b) For deceiving his ownself
(c) For befooling his friends
(d) For robbery in the supermarket
Answer: (a) For his smartness resulting in his favour

Question. What caused him no difficulty during the early hours?
(a) Carrying the money he had
(b) Looting the wealth of the rich
(c) Finding the food to eat
(d) Walking in the woods
Answer: (d) Walking in the woods

Question. How had the fallen prey to a rattrap?
(a) By stealing the wealth of the honest
(b) By entering into the forest
(c) By continuing on the highway
(d) By killing the police officer
Answer: (b) By entering into the forest

Question. He describes the whole forest as.......
(a) A round circle
(b) an endless line
(c) a lifeless planet
(d) an impenetrable prison
Answer: (d) an impenetrable prison

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. It was late in December. 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, tired to death, thinking that his last moment had come. But just as he laid his head on the ground, he heard a sound-a hard regular thumping. There was no doubt as to what that was. He raised himself. “Those are the hammer strokes from an iron mill”, he thought.

Question. What increased the danger in the forest?
(a) Entry of the peddler
(b) Descending of the darkness
(c) Presence of wild animals
(d) Absence of a water body
Answer: (b) Descending of the darkness

Question. Sinking on the ground what did the peddler think?
(a) Where to hide the stolen wealth
(b) How to find food and shelter
(c) How to protect from the wild animals
(d) That his last moment had come
Answer: (d) That his last moment had come

Question. What drew his attention?
(a) Roaring of the lion
(b) Chirping of the birds
(c) Sound of a iron mill
(d) Hissing of a snake
Answer: (c) Sound of a iron mill

Question. ............ in the extract mean ‘walk falteringly'.
(a) Staggered
(b) Thumping
(c) Summoned
(d) Descended
Answer: (b) Thumping

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. During one of the long dark evenings just before Christmas, the master smith and his helper sat in the dark forge near the furnace waiting for the pig iron, which had been put in the fire, to be ready to put on the anvil. Every now and then one of them got up to stir the glowing mass with a long iron bar, returning in a few moments dripping with perspiration, though, as was the custom, he wore nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes.

Question. What was the master Smith waiting for?
(a) Pig iron to be ready to put on anvil
(b) Christmas to arrive
(c) Fire to catch on
(d) Furnace to cool down
Answer: (a) Pig iron to be ready to put on anvil

Question. How were they stirring the glowing mass?
(a) By shovelling the charcoal
(b) By heating the furnace
(c) By using a long iron bar
(d) By blowing the fire hard
Answer: (c) By using a long iron bar

Question. What was the custom?
(a) To sit with the helper in the dark forge
(b) To wear nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes
(c) Shovelling the charcoal into the maw of the furnace
(d) Dripping with perspiration
Answer: (b) To wear nothing but a long shirt and a pair of wooden shoes

Question. ............ in the extract means 'a heavy ron block with a smooth face.
(a) Maw
(b) Shovell
(c) Bellows
(d) Anvil
Answer: (d) Anvil

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. As soon as they got up from the table he went around to each one present and said thank you and good night, but when he came to the young girl she gave him to understand that it was her father’s intention that the suit which he wore was to be a Christmas present-he did not have to return it; and if he wanted to spend next Christmas Eve in a place where he could rest in peace, and be sure that no evil would befall him, he would be welcomed back again.

Question. What dis the girl want to convey to the guest?
(a) That his father wanted him to wear the suit
(b) That she liked him
(c) That she did exactly what he wanted
(d) That she wanted to thank him
Answer: (a) That his father wanted him to wear the suit

Question. What was the Christmas present for the guest?
(a) The rat-traps
(b) The daughter herself
(c) The suit worn by him
(d) The food he got
Answer: (c) The suit worn by him

Question. What had the guest not to do?
(a) To wash the suit he was wearing
(b) To return it
(c) To pay for it
(d) To donate it to someone else
Answer: (b) To return it

Question. 'Befall' in the extract means ......... .
(a) tiny
(b) finite
(c) limited
(d) overtake
Answer: (d) overtake

Read the extract given below and choose the correct option. “Honoured and noble Miss, “Since you have been so nice to me all day long, as if I was a captain, I want to be nice to you in return, as if I was a real captain - for I do not want you to be embarrassed at this Christmas season by a thief; but you can give back the money to the old man of the roadside, who has the money pouch hanging on the window frame as a bait for poor wanderers. “The rattrap is 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.

Question. How nice had to old man's daughter been to the peddler?
(a) As if he was a superstar
(b) As if the was a government authority
(c) As if he was a real captain
(d) As if the was a boxer
Answer: (c) As if he was a real captain

Question. Where is the money pouch?
(a) Hanging on a window frame
(b) Hanging on the branch of a tree
(c) Tucked into the mattress
(d) Tucked into shoes of the old
Answer: (a) Hanging on a window frame

Question. How did the peddler get power to clear himself?
(a) By selling the rattraps
(b) By walking on the roadside
(c) By returning the money stolen
(d) By being raised to the status of a captain
Answer: (d) By being raised to the status of a captain

Question. What Christmas present does the peddler leave for the old man's daughter?
(a) A necklace
(b) A beautiful dress
(c) A wedding ring
(d) A rat-trap
Answer: (d) A rattrap

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question. Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap? 
Answer: People had never been kind to the poor peddler. Therefore, he envied those whose lot was better than his, and was rather amused to think that some day they too would be tempted by the bait, and be caught in the rattrap.

Question. Why did the peddler knock on the cottage by the roadside? How was he treated by the owner of the cottage? 
Answer: The peddler knocked on the cottage by the roadside to seek shelter for the night. The owner of the cottage, a crofter, treated the peddler as a guest, giving him food, playing cards with him and putting him up for the night.

Question. What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter? 
Answer: Unlike the indifferent attitude of the others towards him, the peddler was wholeheartedly welcomed by the crofter in his cottage. The crofter at once put the porridge pot on the fire and gave him supper. He gave him a roll of tobacco for his pipe. He also played a game of cards with him.

Question. What do we learn about the crofter's nature from the story, ’The Rattrap?
Answer: The crofter was a lonely person without wife or child. He was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He was also generous and trusting person because he hosted the peddler for a night and even showed him where he had kept his money.