CBSE Class 12 English The Rattrap Worksheet Set B

Question. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Answer: The ironmaster saw the peddler in rags, sitting close to the furnace. He mistook him for an old acquaintance and expressed his joy on meeting him after a long time. The ironmaster wanted to spend the Christmas Eve with his old friend. Moreover, seeing the man in dishevelled condition, the ironmaster felt pity for him. Therefore, he spoke to the peddler kindly and invited him to his home.

Question. What were the contents of the package left by the peddler as a Christmas gift for Edla Willmansson?
Answer: As Christmas gift, the peddler left a package for Edla Willmansson. It contained a rattrap, three ten kronor notes and a letter. In the letter, the peddler had expressed his regret for robbing the crofter and his gratitude towards Ms. Willmansson for treating him like a captain.

Question. There is a saying, ‘Kindness pays, rudeness never’. In the story, ‘The Rattrap’ Edla’s attitude towards men and matters is different from her father’s attitude. How are the values of concern and compassion brought out in the story, ‘The Rattrap’?
Answer: The peddler, who has never been treated with kindness and compassion, first comes across it when the lonely crofter welcomes him into his house. Next, it is the ironmaster and his daughter Edla, who are seen showing compassion towards the weary peddler. Although, the ironmaster expresses concern towards him only until he realises that he has mistaken the peddler for an old and close friend, Edla’s attitude towards men and matters is different from her father’s attitude. The ironmaster behaves rudely with the peddler and questions him about his dishonest behaviour, he even threatens to inform the sheriff about the peddler’s actions as he does not want the vagabond in his house anymore. However, Edla empathises with the tired and dishevelled looking peddler. She invites him to celebrate Christmas with them and enjoy the Christmas feast. She is more persuasive than her father; she seems firm yet polite in her approach when she insists that he should stay with them for as long as he wants. She asked him to keep her father’s suit, which is given to him to wear and invites him to come back next year for Christmas. The peddler used to be someone with a grudge against the world. However, compassion and understanding shown by Edla transforms this selfish thief into a man with conscience. He not only returns the crofter’s money, but also leaves a letter and a gift, a rattrap, for Edla. In the letter he thanks Edla for treating him like a true gentleman, with great honour and respect and assures her that he shall change his old ways. This shows that kindness pays, rudeness never. The peddler was not bad at heart but only a victim of his circumstances.

Question. The story, ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
Answer: The poorly dressed, starving peddler wanders from place to place, making small rattraps, which is a way to earn his living other than begging and stealing. He has never been treated with kindness because of which he has a grudge against world. To imagine others ensnared in the giant rattrap that the world is, gives the petty peddler a sense of satisfaction. However when, first the crofter and then Edla, show kindness towards him, it affects his conscience to quite an extent. The old crofter’s loneliness is clearly evident in the story. It is because of his loneliness, he invites the peddler into his house to spend the night. The peddler is amazed by the old man’s hospitality and soon starts to feel at home. The crofter too, finds a companion in the peddler; and shares his food, tobacco and some of his secrets as well. The ironmaster and his daughter bring the peddler home thinking he is an old friend. It is Christmas Eve and they don’t want him to be lonely on Christmas. So they ask him to stay for the Christmas feast. Realising the peddler’s real identity, the ironmaster threatens to inform the sheriff and also asks him to leave. However, Edla insists on him staying and treats him like a guest, like the regimental officer as initially assumed by her father. She offers him food, clothes and shelter. Being treated so, it brings about a total transformation in the peddler. He resolves to pull himself up, to live a life of respect and dignity. Ultimately, The Rattrap is a story focussing on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.

Question. Describe the events which led to the change in the peddler’s way of life.
Answer: The peddler had been living a despicable life of poverty, despair and frustration. His only aim in life was to accomplish things in life. He did not care about the means he chose to acquire the material substances in life. Be it beggary, theft or cheating someone, he did not shy away from anything. His view towards the society was in fact shaped by the apathetic and indifferent attitude of the society towards him. He was never shown any understanding, respect or kindness by anyone. He did not have any respect for any one and viewed the whole world as a rattrap. He felt that the riches and luxuries of life were baits to entice people into a vicious cycle of struggles, from which there was no escape.
Neither the crofter’s hospitality nor the ironmaster’s invitation to his house brought about any change in him. It was only when he met the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla that his outlook towards life changed. Edla’s warmth, kindness, compassion and genuineness touched him. He left a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla and enclosed a letter thanking her for her kindness. He also confessed to stealing money from the crofter and left the money to be restored to the owner. This way, he redeemed himself from his dishonest ways and emerged as an altogether transformed person. In this transformation process he behaved like a real captain, the way Edla addressed him.

Question. Do you think the title ‘The Rattrap’ is appropriate? Give examples from the text in support of your view.
Answer: Selma Lagerlof gives a very apt and logical title to the story. The metaphor of the rattrap is very effectively used. The whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All riches, joys, food and shelter are just baits. These baits make people restless, helpless and powerless. The moment anyone touches the bait, the rattrap closes in on him. Then everything comes to an end. The story revolves around the vagabond, who, though philosophises about the world being a rattrap, falls into its trap. Though the crofter shows him kindness by offering him food and shelter, he robs him. His greed for money makes him fall in the rattrap. Further, when the ironmaster mistakes him to be an old friend, he does not correct him. He decides to cheat him of his money. So even though the peddler tries hard not to fall into the rattrap or worldly riches and materialistic benefits, he ultimately falls into one.

Question. Attempt a character-sketch of the peddler in the story ‘The Rattrap’.
                                                          OR
The peddler enjoys the sympathy of readers right from the beginning of the story. Draw a character sketch of the peddler justifying the sympathy he generates among the readers.
Answer: Selma Lagerlöf draws the character of the peddler with all sympathy and understanding. Selma wants to give a definite message. The peddler represents some human weaknesses. He is in fact the product of circumstances. But he is never devoid of basic human goodness. Only it lies in hibernation for some time. The essential goodness in him is awakened through love and understanding of Miss Edla Willmansson. The peddler is so many things, all rolled in one. He is a vagabond cum beggar cum a petty thief. At moments he can raise himself to a philosopher. He philosophises life and compares the world to a big rattrap. Finally, he transforms himself into a ‘gentleman’. The peddler is a pragmatist. He finds his business not quite profitable. He doesn’t mind resorting to both begging and petty thievery. Nor is he above temptations. He steals 30 kronors of his generous host, the old crofter.
The peddler raises himself above petty worldly temptations in the end. His essential human qualities raise him to heroic heights. He is witty and humorous. He knows how to deal with men and tricky situations. He thanks Miss Edla for her kindness and hospitality. She gives a little cry of joy when he decides to return 30 kronors to the rightful owner. She is requested to return the money to its rightful owner, the old crofter. The readers forgive him for his little human weaknesses. They develop sympathy and appreciation for him.

Question. Describe the peddler’s meeting with the ironmaster. Why did he decline his invitation?
Answer: It was by chance that the peddler found himself at the Ramsjö Ironworks. It was a dark evening before Christmas. The peddler opened the gate and stood close to the furnace. It was nothing unusual for poor vagabonds to have night shelter in the winter in front of the fire. The ironmaster noticed the peddler. He walked close up to him and looked him over very carefully. He mistook him for Captain Stahle, an old comrade of his regiment. He felt sorry that he had resigned from the regiment long ago. The ironmaster invited the peddler home as their special guest on Christmas. The peddler was not amused. He didn’t want to be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade. He looked quite alarmed and declined the invitation.
Going to the manor house appeared like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. He didn’t want to go there. He only wanted to spend the night in the forge. He wanted to sneak away in the morning unnoticed. Then he thought of the thirty kronors. They were a bait and he couldn’t resist the temptation. Now again the bait had been thrown at him. He had to resist the temptation and decline the invitation. The ironmaster only assumed that the peddler felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing.

Question. Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the peddler. Comment.
                                                          OR
The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla. Why?
Answer: The peddler was afraid as he was carrying stolen money with him. The peddler knew that the ironmaster had mistaken him for an old regimental comrade and feared that the ironmaster would send him to the police. He felt as if he was walking into a lion’s den. He didn’t want to go there. He only wanted to spend the night in the forge. He wanted to sneak away in the morning unnoticed. Then he thought of the thirty kronors. They were a bait and he couldn’t resist the temptation. However he accepted Edla’s invitation as she spoke kindly to him. She realised that he was afraid. Therefore, she assured him that no harm would come to him and he was at liberty to leave whenever he wanted. The compassionate manner of the daughter won the confidence of the peddler who agreed to go to her home.

Question. Why did the crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler betray that and with what consequences?
                                                          OR
How did the peddler betray the confidence reposed in him by the crofter in ‘The Rattrap’?
Answer: The peddler did betray the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter. He considered this world nothing but a big rattrap. It sets baits for people. The peddler unwillingly allowed himself to be tempted to touch the bait. Those thirty kronors which the Crofter stuffed into the pouch proved to be bait. He stole the money. By doing so he committed a breach of trust. It was nothing but simple moral degeneration. One dark evening as he was walking along the road, he saw a gray cottage by the roadside. He knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night. He was well received there. The owner was an old man (crofter) without wife or child. He was happy to find a man to talk to in his loneliness. The old crofter served him supper, gave him tobacco and played a game of cards with him. The old man went to the window and took down a leather pouch. He counted thirty kronors and put it into the pouch. It provided a big bait. The peddler was tempted to steal them. In this way, he betrayed the confidence that was reposed in him by the host.

Question. The story ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
                                                          OR
The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Answer: In this story, the author tells us that as normal human beings, we always like to share something with others, be it joy or sorrow. It means that humans do not want to be lonely and they want company of others. In this story, first the peddler is lonely and to overcome this, he sells rattraps. The crofter is lonely, so he welcomes the peddler to have a conversation with him. The ironmaster and his daughter are also lonely. They are rich and have a big house, but they do not have anybody to give them company. Hence, they request the peddler to spend Christmas eve with them. The author has very subtly focused on the loneliness of humans and how they strive hard to get a good companion.

Question. How can we transform and clean an evil doing person? Give example from the story.
                                                          OR
Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an act of kindness has changed a person’s view of the world?
Answer: The writer has highlighted a universal theme in this story. It is that we can arouse the goodness in the life of a man by love, understanding, sympathy and respect. Once upon a time, there was a man who went around selling self-made small rattraps of wire. His condition was too miserable to beg and do petty thefts. He was in rags with sunken cheeks and hungry eyes. One day an idea flashed into his mind. He thought that the whole world around him was a big rattrap. It offered riches, joys, food, shelter, clothing like a bait offering cheese and pork in a rattrap for the rats. Those who were tempted to touch the bait, fell, it closed on them bringing an end to everything. One dark evening while staying at the crofter’s cottage, he was given food and lodging. But the next morning the tramp stole his thirty kronor. He kept on walking the same path in the forest. On hearing the sound of hammer strokes, he reached the iron mill and lay near the furnace.
The ironmaster mistook him to be his old acquaintance and invited him for Christmas cheer but he refused. He sent his daughter Edla, who persuaded him to their house. After having him well dressed, the ironmaster found that he mistook him as Captain ‘Nils Olof.’ So he ordered him to get out at once. The young girl interceded for him and said that she wanted him to stay as they promised him Christmas cheer. He was treated like a real captain with food. In their absence, when they were at church, he left. In the church they learnt that the rattrap seller had robbed the old crofter. So they became worried. When they returned, the valet told that he had taken nothing with him and had rather left behind a Christmas gift for Miss Willmansson. She found a small rattrap, thirty kronor and a letter in it. The letter stated that she had taken him as if he were a captain, so he would be nice to her as a captain. It had given him power to cleanse himself.

Question. Greed is the greatest evil force that has tempted man into doing a lot of misdeeds. It is greed that has led to so much corruption, violence and mayhem in the world. The peddler in ‘The Rattrap’ is not conscientious nor does he think twice before robbing a crofter. Bearing these thoughts in mind, write an article discussing the qualities that are required for overcoming the Evil of Greed in 100 words.
Answer: Value Points:
Greed is the greatest evil that paralyses the goodness of man.
It spreads like wildfire and makes a man immune to goodness and kindness.
Money, fame, power and property acquired by unfair means is like a vicious cycle—never lets anyone rest in peace.
The consequences of greed are deep and never-ending.
Meditation, consultations, keeping the company of good and honest people can keep the bridle on such men.
It is most important that the desire to overcome greed should come from within.

               Very Short Answer

Q.1)        Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to him and invite him home?

Q.2)        What conclusion did the ironmaster reach when he heard that the crofter had been rubbed by the peddler?

Q.3)        Did the peddler respect the confidence respond in him by the crofter?

Q.4)        In what sense was the world a big rattrap, according to the peddler?

Q.5)        Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster?

               Short Answer

Q.6)        What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?

Q.7)        Answer the following questions:-

(1)          What do you think about the peddler’s act of stealing the crofter’s money?

(2)          Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?

Q.8)        Why did the Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?

Q.9)        There is a saying, ‘Kindness pays rudeness never’. In this story, ‘The Rattrap’ Edla’s attitude towards men and matters is different from her father’s attitude. How are the values of concern and compassion brought out in the story, ‘The Rattrap’?

Q.10)      Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?

               Long Answer

Q.11)      Who was Edla? How did she change the Peddler’s behavior?

Q.12)      The peddler believed that the whole world is a rat trap. How did he himself get caught in the same?

Q.13)      How did the Rattrap peddler lead his life and why did the peddler sign herself as Captain Von Stahle in the end?

Q.14)      How did the peddler feel after robbing the crofter? What course did he adopt and how did he react to the new situation? What does his reaction reveal?

Q.15)   Given his temperament, Edla’s father would have failed in reforming the peddler. How did Edla succeed?

Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 12 English The Rattrap Worksheet Set B