THE RATTRAP

THINK AS YOU READ

1. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Answer: The peddler had been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that
the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It existed only to set baits for people. It offered riches
and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing in the same manner as the rattrap offered cheese and
pork. As soon as someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then
everything came to an end.
2. Why was he amused by this idea?
Answer: His own life was sad and monotonous. He walked laboriously from place to place. The world
had never been kind to him. So, during his gloomy plodding, this idea became his favourite pastime.
He was amused how people let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and how others were
still circling around the bait.
3. Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?
Answer: The crofter served him porridge for supper and tobacco for his pipe. He also played a game
of cards with him till bed time. This hospitality was unexpected as people usually made sour faces
when the peddler asked for shelter.
4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
Answer: The crofter’s circumstances and temperament made him so talkative and friendly with the
peddler. Since he had no wife or child, he was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness.
Secondly, he was quite generous with his confidences.
5. Why did he show the thirty kronor to the peddler?
Answer: The crofter had told the peddler that by supplying his cow’s milk to the creamery, he had
received thirty kronor in payment. The peddler seemed to doubt it. So, in order to assure his guest of
the truth he showed the thirty kronor to the peddler.
6. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?
Answer: No, the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. At the very first
opportunity that he got, he smashed the window pane, took out the money and hung the leather
pouch back in its place. Then he went away.
THINK AS YOU READ
1. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
Answer: The peddler realised that he must not walk on the public highway with the stolen money in
his pocket. He went into the woods. He kept walking without coming to the end of the wood. Then he
realised that he had fallen in the rattrap. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught
in.
2. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Answer: The ironmaster walked closely up to the peddler. In the uncertain reflection from the
furnace, he mistook the man as his old regimental comrade, Captain Von Stahle. He addressed the
stranger as Nils Olof, spoke very kindly and invited him home.
3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation?
Answer: The peddler knew that the ironmaster had mistaken him for his old regimental comrade.
Secondly, he had stolen money—thirty kronor—on him. Going to the ironmaster’s residence would be
like entering the lion’s den. So, he declined the invitation.
THINK AS YOU READ
1. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?
Answer: Miss Edla Willmansson looked at the peddler quite compassionately. She noticed that the
man was afraid. She assured him that he would be allowed to leave just as freely as he came. She
requested him to stay with them over Christmas Eve. Her friendly manner made the peddler feel
confidence in her and accept her invitation.
2. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
Answer: As Edla lifted the peddler’s hat, he jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite frightened.
Even her kind looks, disclosure of her name and purpose of visit failed to calm him. From his fear, she
thought that either he had stolen something or he had escaped from jail.
3. When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?
Answer: Next morning, the stranger was cleaned and well-dressed. The valet had bathed him, cut his
hair and shaved him. He was led to the dining room for breakfast. The ironmaster saw him in broad
daylight. It was impossible to mistake him for an old acquaintance now. Then the ironmaster realised
his mistake and threatened to call the Sheriff.
4. How did the peddler defend himself against not having revealed his true identity?
Answer: The peddler explained that he had not tried to pretend as his acquaintance. He was not at
fault. All along he had maintained that he was a poor trader. He had pleaded and begged to be
allowed to stay in the forge. No harm had been done by his stay. He was willing to put on his rags
again and go away.
5. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Answer: Edla did not think it proper on their part to chase away a human being whom they had asked
to come to their house and had promised him Christmas cheer. She understood the reality of the
peddler’s life and wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with them. Hence, she still entertained the
peddler even after knowing the truth about him.
THINK AS YOU READ
1. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Answer: As soon as Edla opened the package of the gift, the contents came into view. She found a
small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter addressed to her. The peddler wanted
to be nice in return as she had been so nice to him all day long. He did not want her to be embarrased
at the Christmas season by a thief.
[Link] did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?
Answer: The ironmaster has invited the peddler to his house mistaking him for Captain von Stahle. He
was welcomed there and looked after as captain even after the reality became known. The peddler
got a chance to redeem himself from dishonest ways by acting as an honourable Captain.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the
iron master and his daughter?
Answer: The peddler interprets the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the iron
master and his daughter differently. He cheats the crofter as he provides him company in his
loneliness and helps him pass time. He wants to get a couple of kronors from the iron master and is
surprised at the contrasting style of behaviour of father and daughter. He is touched by the kindness,
care and intervention of Edla on his behalf.
2. 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?
Answer: The ironmaster is impulsive whereas his daughter is cool, logical, kind and thoughtful. In
uncertain light he (iron master) mistakes the stranger as his old regiment comrade. He invites him
home and takes care of his feeding, clothing etc. When he sees him in broad day light, he calls the
man dishonest, demands an explanation and is ready to call in the sheriff. His daughter is more
observant. She notices the fear of the stranger and thinks that either he is a thief or a runaway
prisoner. In spite of that She is gentle, kind and friendly to him. She treats him nicely even after
knowing the mistake in identity.
3. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’ behaviour.
Pick out instances of these surprises.
Answer: The peddler is surprised at the warm welcome, generous supper, cheerful company and
intimate confidences by the crofter. The ironmaster addresses the peddler as Captain von Stahle. He is
surprised when the ironmaster calls him “Nils Olof. The ironmaster assumes his declining the
invitation a result of embarrassment caused by his miserable clothing. The peddler’s comparison of
the world to a rattrap makes the ironmaster laugh and he drops the idea of calling in the sheriff.
The peddler looks at Edla in boundless amazement when she tells him that the suit is a Christmas
present. She also invites him to spend next Christmas with them. She does all this even after knowing
the mistake about his identity. The crofter is robbed by his guest, the rattrap peddler, in return of his
hospitality.
4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Answer: Edla Willmansson treated the tramp in a friendly manner. She was nice and kind to her. She
interceded on his behalf when her father was about to turn him out. She still entertained the peddler
even after knowing the truth about him. She offered him the suit as Christmas present and invited
him to spend the next Christmas with them. Her love and understanding aroused the essential
goodness in the peddler and finally he changed his ways.
5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Answer: The world entices a person through the various good things of life such as riches and joy,
shelter and food, heat and clothing. These were just like the baits in the rattrap. Once someone is
tempted by the bait, the world closed on him. The peddler was tempted by thirty kronor of the
crofter. It makes him hide himself. He walks through the wood. He is afraid to go to the Manor house.
He gets peace only after returning the bait (money).
6. The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour. How7 does this serve in
lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
Answer: The peddler has a subtle sense of humour, which is revealed during his interactions with the
ironmaster and his daughter after the truth about him becomes known. He is neither afraid of being
turned out in cold in rags nor of being sent to prison. He makes the ironmaster laugh with his
metaphor of the rattrap. His letter with the Christmas present to Edla is a fine example of his capacity
to make others laugh at him. Thus, he lightens the seriousness of the theme of the story and also
endears himself to us.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following in groups of four. Each group can deal with one topic and present the views of
your group to the whole class.
1. The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler right from the beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is
the sympathy justified?
Answer: The peddler wins our sympathy for his way of life and how the world treats him. It is an
admitted fact that the underdog always runs away with sympathy, so does the peddler with the
rattraps. He begs the material like wire for his rattraps. His business not being specially profitable, he
resorts to begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul together.
His life is sad and monotonous. He plods along the road lost in his own meditation. The world has
never been very kind to him and he feels happy in calling it a rattrap. Whenever, he asks shelter for
the night, he meets sour faces. He is an unwelcome, unwanted and undesirable figure. The
blacksmiths at forge glance at him only casually and indifferently. The master blacksmith nods a
haughty consent without honouring him with a single word.
The old and lonely crofter finds him an enjoyable company. The ironmaster mistakes him for an old
regimental comrade. Only Edla Williamson behaves with him in a kind, friendly manner. Her nice
treatment arouses the tramp’s goodness. He redeems himself Hy returning the stolen money and
wins our admiration. Thus, we see that the sympathy is not only well earned but well justified too.
2. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Answer: There are at least three characters in the story who suffer from loneliness and express the
need to bond with others. They represent three strata of the human society as well. The peddler with
the rattraps, the old crofter and the ironmaster all suffer from loneliness. The peddler is called a
tramp, a vagabond and stranger at various points of the story. He moves wearily from one place to the
other. He is lost in his own thoughts. He seeks shelter for night and people look at him with sour faces.
Even the blacksmiths look haughtily at him and nod consent. The old crofter suffers from loneliness as
he has neither wife nor child with him. Hence, he feels happy when he gets the peddler to talk to in
his loneliness.
The ironmaster is also lonely in his manor house. His wife Elizabeth has died and his sons are abroad.
There is no one at home except his oldest daughter and himself. His requests to Captain von Stehle to
accompany him show his need for human bonding. He admits frankly that they didn’t have any
company for Christmas. The stranger turns down the request not because he is against bonding with
others but because he fears being caught with stolen money.
3. 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: Yes, I know how the kindness of a Bishop transformed a hard-hearted beastly convict into a
man again with faith in God and human values. The story is presented in the form of a famous play
‘The Bishop’s Candlesticks’
The Bishop provides food and shelter at midnight to a runaway convict who threatens him with a
knife. Long years of imprisonment and harsh treatment in the prison ship has transformed the man
into beast and he is devoid of all human feelings now. The convict runs away with the bishop’s silver
candlesticks, but is caught by the police.
In order to save the convict from further punishment and torture, the bishop tells the police officer
that the fellow is his friend and he had himself given him the candlesticks. This kind act of the bishop
melts the hard heart of the convict. He sobs and weeps. He promises to be a man again.
4. The story is both entertaining and philosophical. Discuss.
Answer: The story entertains us by providing glimpses into human nature and how people react to
various situations. The actions of the peddler after stealing thirty kronor are quite amusing. The
reactions of the blacksmiths to the tramp’s request for shelter show how casual and indifferent
human beings can be.
The U-turn in the ironmaster’s attitude towards the stranger reveal how selfish and ignorant human
beings can be. Mistaking the vagabond for his old regimental comrade, whom he thinks he has run
across unexpectedly, he asks the stranger to accompany him home and spend Christmas with them.
When the stranger refuses to go with him, the ironmaster sends his daughter. With her better
persuasive power she makes him follow her.
The ironmaster is annoyed on seeing the stranger in broad daylight. But instead of realising his own
mistake, he puts the blame on the man. He talks of handing him over to the sheriff. The metaphor of
the world being a rattrap saves the situation for the tramp, but the ironmaster wants to turn him out.
His daughter’s comments are quite entertaining and philosophical. She wants the tramp to enjoy a
day of peace. Secondly, she does not want to chase away a person whom they had invited home and
had promised Christmas cheer.
WORKING WITH WORDS
1. The man selling rattraps is referred to by many terms such as “peddler, stranger” etc. Pick out all
such references to him. What does each of these labels indicate of the context or the attitude of the
people around him.
Answer: Initially, the man who went around selling small rattraps of wire is called a Vagabond’ for he
plodded along the road, left to his own meditations. He is referred to as “stranger” by the narrator
while describing his meeting with the old crofter. When he leaves the next day he is described as “the
man with rattraps.’ When he returns half an hour later to steal money he is called ‘the rattrap
peddler.’
For the blacksmiths at the forge he is an intruder. The narrator now refers to him as a ‘tramp’. For the
rich ironmaster he is a “ragamuffin’. Since he had never seen the ironmaster or known his name, the
man with rattraps is called a ‘stranger’. He is described as ‘stranger* while he stretches himself out on
the floor when the ironmaster leaves. The label sticks to him during his stay at the manor house as a
guest. These descriptions also suggest the degree of social difference ^between the persons and the
peddler of rattraps and their attitude towards him.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. How did the peddler of rattraps manage in survive?
Answer: He made rattraps of wire and went around selling them. He got material for making them
by begging in the big stores or at big farms. Since his business was not quite profitable, he would beg
or steal in order to survive.
2. How did the peddler look? Was he different from people of his type?
Answer: He was a man with a long beard, dirty, ragged, and with a bunch of rattraps dangling on his
chest. His clothes were in rags, his cheeks were sunken, and hunger gleamed in his eyes. No, he
looked like the way people of his type usually did.
3. What idea. did he get about the world? What were its implications?
Answer: He got the idea that the whole world was only a big trap. It sets baits for people exactly as
the rattrap offered cheese and pork. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing as
baits. It closed on the person who let himself be tempted to touch the bait. Then everything came to
an end.
4. Why did the peddler think of the world as a rattrap? What became his cherished pastime?
Answer: The world had never been kind to the peddler. So, he got unusual joy to think ill of the world.
His pastime was to think of people he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous snare
of the world, and of others who were still circling around the bait.
5. What hospitality did the peddler with rattraps receive from the old crofter?
Answer: The old crofter served the peddler hot porridge for supper and gave him tobacco for his pipe.
He entertained his guest by playing cards with him. He also informed him about his prosperous past
life and how his cow supported him in his old age now.
6. ‘The old man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and tobacco’. What
personal information did he impart to his guest?
Answer: The old man told his guest that in his days of prosperity he had been a crofter at Ramsjo
Ironworks. Then he worked on the land. Now he was unable to do physical labour. His cow supported
him now. He supplied her milk to the creamery every day. Last month he had received thirty kronor in
payment.
7. Where had the old man put his money? Why did he hold it up before the eyes of his guest and
what did he do later on?
Answer: The man had put his money in a leather pouch which hung on a nail in the window frame. He
picked out three winded ten-kronor bills for his guest to see as he has seemed sceptical. Then he
stuffed them back into the pouch.
8. ‘The next day both men got up in good, season.’ Why? Who are the men and what did they do
after getting up?
Answer: The two men are the old crofter and his guest-the peddler with, the rattraps. The crofter was
in a hurry to milk his cow. His guest did not want to stay in bed when the host had risen. They left the
cottage at the same time. The crofter locked the door and put the key in his pocket. The peddler bade
him goodbye and thanked him. Then each went his own way.
9. Why did rattrap peddler return and how did he rob the old crofter?
Answer: The rattrap peddler was tempted by the thirty kroners he had seen in the leather pouch of
the old crofter. He returned half an hour later, smashed a window pane, stuck in his hand and got hold
of the pouch. He took out the money and thrust it into his own pocket. Thus, he robbed the old
crofter.
10. How did the peddler feel after robbing the crofter? Why did he discontinue walking on the
public highway?
Answer: At first, he felt quite pleased with his smartness. Then he realised the danger of being caught
by the police with the stolen money with him. He decided to discontinue walking on the public
highway and turn off the road, into the woods.
11. Why did Edla plead with her father not to send the vagabond away? [All India 2014]
Answer: Edla was kind and sympathetic. She was much pained by the plight of the peddler. Edla
requested her father to spend a day with them in peace as a respite from the struggle.
12. How did the peddler feel while walking through the wood? What did he realise?
Answer: During the first hours the woods caused him no difficulty. Later in the day, it became worse
as it was a big and confusing forest. The paths twisted back and forth. He kept on walking but did not
come to the end of the wood. He realised that he had been walking around in the same part of the
forest.
13. What do you learn about the Ramsjo Ironworks from ‘The Rattrap’?
Answer: The Ramsjo Ironworks used to be a large plant, with smelter, rolling mill and forge. In the
summer time long fines of heavily loaded barges and scows slid down the canal. In the winter time,
the roads near the mill were black from charcoal dust.
14. Why did the blacksmith fail to notice the entry of the peddler in the forge?
Answer: The forge was full of many sounds. The big bellows groaned and the burning coal cracked.
The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the fumance with a great deal of clatter. A water fall
roared outside. Sharp north wind made the rain strike the brick-tiled roof. Due to all this noise the
blacksmith failed to notice the peddlar’s entry.
15. ‘The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at the intruder’, What prompted them
to do so?
Answer: Usually poor vagabonds, without any better shelter for the night, felt attracted to the forge
by the glow of fight which escaped through the sooty panes. They came in to warm themselves in
front of the fire. The intruder looked like other people of his type usually did.
16. What did the tramp ask? Was his request granted? What did he do then?
Answer: The tramp asked permission to stay. The blacksmiths hardly deigned to look at him. The
master blacksmith nodded a haughty consent without uttering a word. The tramp too did not say
anything. He had come there only to warm himself and sleep. So, he eased his way close to the
furnace. ‘
17. Who was the owner of the Ramsjo Iron Mill? Why did he come to the forge that night?
Answer: The owner of that mill was a very prominent ironmaster. His greatest ambition was to ship
out good iron to the market. He insisted on quality and kept a watch on the work both night and day.
He came to the forge on one of his nightly rounds of inspection.
18. What did the ironmaster notice in the forge? How did he react then?
Answer: The ironmaster noticed a person in dirty rags lying quite close to the furnace. Steam rose
from his wet rags. The ironmaster went near him and looked at him very carefully. Then he removed
his slouch hat to get a better view of his face. He thought that he was an old acquaintance of his and
said: “But of course it is you, Nils Olof!”
19. Why did the man with the rattraps not want to undeceive the ironmaster all at once?
Answer: The peddler thought that if the fine gentleman thought he was an old acquaintance, he
might perhaps throw him a couple of kronor. So he did not want to undeceive him all at once.
20. What observation did the ironmaster make about the stranger? What did he ask him to do?
Answer: The ironmaster saw the stranger in the uncertain fight of the fumance and mistook him for
his old regimental comrade. He said that it was a mistake on his part to have resigned from the
regiment. If he had been in service at that time, it would never have happened. He asked the stranger
to go home with him.
21. What did the peddler think about going up to the manor house? How did he react to the
ironmaster’s invitation?
Answer: The peddler looked quite alarmed. He still had the stolen thirty kronor on him. Going up to
the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. He did not feel
pleased to go there and be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade. So he declined the
invitation.
22. What did the ironmaster assume to be the reason behind his old comrade s refusal? Hoiw did he
try to reassure him?
Answer: The ironmaster assumed that his old regimental comrade felt embarrassed because of his
miserable clothing. He said that his house was not so fine that he couldn’t show himself there. He
lived there only with his daughter as his wife Elizabeth was dead and his sons were abroad.
23. What reason did the ironmaster advance in support of his invitation to the stranger?
Answer: He said that they didn’t have any company for Christmas. He thought it was quite bad. He
requested the stranger to come along with him and help them make the Christmas food disappear a
little faster.
24. ‘The ironmaster saw that he must give in.’ What made him give in? What did he say? What did
the blacksmith think about the ironmaster?
Answer: The stranger declined the ironmaster’s invitation thrice. The ironmaster then told
Stjemstrom, the blacksmith that Captain von Stahle preferred to stay with him that night. He laughed
to himself as he went away. The blacksmith, who knew the ironmaster, understood very well that he
had not said his last word.
25. Who was the new guest at the forge? Why had that person come there and how did he I she
look’? Who accompanied her and why?
Answer: The new guest was the ironmaster’s daughter. She drove in there in a carriage along with a
valet who carried on his arm a big fur coat. She had been sent there by her father hoping that she had
better powers of persuasion that he himself. She was not at all pretty, but seemed modest and quite
Shy.
26. Describe the scene at the forge when Edla Willmansson came there.
Answer: The master blacksmith and his apprentice sat on a bench. Iron and charcoal glowed in the
furnace. The stranger had stretched himself out on the floor. He lay with a piece of pig iron under his
head and his hat pulled down over his eyes.
27. What did the young girl notice about the stranger? What did she conclude? How did she make
him feel confidence in her?
Answer: The stranger jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite frightened. She looked at him
sympathetically, but the man still looked afraid. She concluded that either he had stolen something or
else he had escaped from jail. She spoke to him in a very friendly manner to make him feel confidence
in her.
28. What did the peddler of rat traps think while he was riding up to the manor house?
Answer: Whfie he was riding up to the manor house he had evil forebodings. He questioned himself
why he had taken that fellow’s money. He thought that he was sitting in the trap and would never get
out of it.
29. Why did the peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap? [Delhi 2014]
Answer: The peddler was very happy with the idea of the world as a rattrap because he was never
given kindly treatment by the world. He had quite different feeling for it and loved to think ill of it by
comparing it to a rattrap.
30. How did the ironmaster try to convince his daughter about the stranger’?
Answer: He asked his daughter to have some patience. She would see something different as soon as
the stranger got clean and dressed up. Last night he was naturally embarrassed. He asserted that
tramp manners would fall away from him with tramp clothes.
31. What impression did the well-groomed guest make? How did the ironmaster react and why?
Answer: He looked truly clean and well dressed. The ironmaster did not seem pleased. He looked at
him with contracted brow. It was because he had made a mistake in identifying the person in
uncertain light at night. He demanded an explanation from the man.
32. What did the ironmaster threaten to do after knowing the mistake? How did the stranger save
himself?
Answer: The ironmaster threatened to call in the sheriff. The stranger told him that the Sheriff might
lock him up for dissembling. He reminded the ironmaster that a day might come when he might get
tempted, and then he would be caught in the big rattrap of the world. The metaphor amused the
ironmaster. He dropped the idea of sending for the sheriff, but asked the stranger to leave at once.
33. ‘The daughter stood there quite embarrassed and hardly knew what to answer.’ What
embarrassed her? Why did she intercede for the vagabond?
Answer: The daughter had drawn plans to make things homelike and typical of Christmas, for the
poor hungry wretch. She could not get away from this idea at once. She felt embarrassed when her
father asked the man to get out. She interceded for the vagabond to persuade her father to let him
stay for Christmas.
34. What arguments did the young girl give in favour of the stranger’s stay there?
Answer: She said that the whole year long, the stranger walked around. He was probably not
welcome or made to feel at home even at a single place. He was chased away wherever he turned. He
was always afraid of being arrested and cross-examined. She wanted him to enjoy a day of peace with
them-just one in the whole year.
35. “He only stared at the young girl in boundless amazement.” What made the man with the
rattraps react in this manner?
Answer: The young girl told him after the Christmas dinner that the suit he wore was to be a
Christmas present from her father. He did not have to return it. If he wanted to spend next Christmas
Eve peacefully, without any evil befalling him, he would be welcomed back again. This amazed him.
36. “The young girl sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual.” What two reasons
forced her to behave in this manner?
Answer: First, she had learned at church that one of the old crofters of the ironworks had been
robbed by a man who went around selling rattraps. Second, her father taunted her and held her
responsible for letting that “fine fellow” into the house.
37. Sum up the contents of the letter addressed to Miss Willmansson.
Answer: The stranger did not want her to be embarrassed at the Christmas season with a thief. As she
had been nice to him as if he were a captain, he would be nice to her as if he were a real captain. She
asked her to return the money to the old crofter. The rattrap was a present from a rat who would have
been caught in the world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to captain. It was as captain that he got
power to clear himself.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. What is the theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’? How has this theme been developed?
Answer: The theme of the story is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material
benefit. However, every human being has an essential goodness that can be awakened through
understanding and love. A human being has the tendency to redeem himself from dishonest ways.
The theme is developed with the help of the metaphor of the rattrap. The peddler of rattraps calls the
world a big rattrap. The material benefits like riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing are
temptations that that allure a person to fall into the rattrap of the world exactly as the bait of cheese
and pork attract a rat to fall into the rattrap. Once someone takes the bait, the world closes in on him
and then everything is lost.
The peddler is tempted by the thirty kronors of the old crofter. He steals the money. Now he is afraid
of being caught and moves through the woods. It is the kind, sympathetic, loving and generous
treatment given by Edla Willmansson that helps him get himself free from the rattrap of the world.
2. Give an account of the peddler’s meeting with the old crofter. How does the peddler conduct
himself? What light does this episode throw on human nature?
Answer: One dark evening the peddler reached a little Gray cottage by the roadside. He knocked on
the door to ask shelter for the night. The owner, an old man without wife or child, welcomed him. He
was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He served him hot porridge for supper and gave
him tobacco for his pipe. Then he played cards with him till bed time.
The host told the peddler that in his days of prosperity, he worked on land at Ramsjo Ironworks. Now
his cow supported him. He sold her milk at the creamery every day. He showed the peddler the thirty
kronor notes he got as payment that month. Then he hung the leather pouch on a nail in the window
frame. Next morning the crofter went to milk the cow, and the peddler went away. However, he
returned after half an hour, broke the window pane, took the money out of the leather pouch and
hang it back on the nail. This episode shows that in loneliness, human beings crave for company, for
social bonding. Secondly, temptations can overpower the greatest philosopher. The peddler who calls
the world a rattrap is himself tempted by thirty kronor.
3. 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 highlight?
Answer: Having robbed his generous host, the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He did
not feel any qualms of conscience that he had abused the confidence reposed in him by the crofter.
The selfish wretch thought only of his own safety. He realised the danger of being caught by the police
with the stolen thirty kronor on his person. Hence, he decided to discontinue walking on the public
highway and turn off the road, into the woods.
During the first few hours the woods caused him no difficulty. Later on, it became worse as it was a
big and confusing forest. The paths twisted back and forth. He kept on walking but did not come to
the end of the wood. He realised that he had only been walking around in the same part of the forest.
The forest closed in upon him like an impenetrate prison from which he could never escape.
The reaction of the peddler highlights the predicament of human nature. Temptations lead to evil. The
fruits of evil seem pleasant at first, but they deprive man of his goodness and push him into the maze
of the world which holds a vice-like grip on him.
4. (i) ‘The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at the intruder.’ (ii)“The ironmaster
did not follow the example of the blacksmiths who had hardly deigned to look at the stranger *
What do these attitudes reveal? How does the forge-episode help to develop the story? What is its
implication?
Answer: The blacksmiths display the typical attitude of manual workers and labourers for whom work
is the first priority and parasites on human society are drags on the fruit of their labour. The master
blacksmith nods a haughty consent without honouring the intruder with a single word. Evidently, he
regards the tramp as insignificant.
The ironmaster, who is on his nightly round of inspection, behaves differently. He walks closely up to
him and looks him over carefully. Then he removes his slouch hat to get a better view of his face. In
the uncertain light of the furnace he mistakes the stranger for his old regimental comrade and
requests him to go home with him. When the stranger declines the invitation, the ironmaster sends
his daughter to persuade him to spend Christmas Eve with them. Thus the forge episode helps to
develop the story.
The episode highlights the difference in the reactions of various persons to the same set of
circumstances. This reveals the shades of human nature. It shows that even the person with best
discernment may commit an error of judgement.
5. Bring out the contrast in the ironmaster’s attitude and behaviour towards the stranger before
and after he realises his mistake.
Answer: The ironmaster is moved to see his old regimental comrade in a pitiable state. He considers it
a mistake on his part to have resigned from the regiment. He insists that his old comrade will go home
with him. As the stranger declines the invitation, he thinks that the man feels embarrassed because of
his miserable clothing. He explains that he does not have such a fine home that he cannot show
himself there. He requests the stranger to provide company to him and his daughter for Christmas.
When the stranger refuses thrice, he sends his daughter, with a big fur coat to persuade him. Just
before breakfast on Christmas Eve, he thinks of feeding him well and providing him same honourable
piece of work.
His behaviour undergoes a U-turn when he looks at the well-groomed stranger and realises his
mistake. He expresses his displeasure with a wrinkled brow and demands an explanation from the
man. Though the peddler defends himself well saying he never pretended to be someone else, the
ironmaster calls him dishonest and threatens to hand him over to the sheriff. When the metaphor of
world being a rattrap softens him a bit, he asks the peddler to quit at once.
6. What impression do you form of Edla on reading the story ‘The Raitrap’ ?
Answer: Miss Edla Willmansson is the eldest daughter of the owner of the Ramsjo Ironworks. She is
not pretty, but modest and quite shy. She is quite obedient and visits the forge at the behest of her
father. She has a wonderful power of observation and takes quick judgement. From the stranger’s
frightened looks, she concludes that he is either a thief or a runaway convict. She uses her skills of
persuasion to make the stranger agree to accompany her home. Her compassionate looks, friendly
manner and polite way of address help her. She tells her father that nothing about the man shows
that once he was an educated man.
She believes in the spirit of Christmas and intercedes on behalf of the stranger to per suade her father
to let him stay and be happy. She first makes a passionate plea and then argues that they should not
chase away a person they had invited themselves and promised him Christmas cheer.
Her dejection on learning that the peddler with rattraps was a thief reflects her sensitiveness. The gift
of the captain makes her happy. It is her noble action that helps a thief redeem himself. In short, she
is an intelligent, affectionate and kind young girl.
7. Comment on the ending of the story ‘The Rattrap’.
Answer: The story ‘The Rattrap’ has a very beautiful ending. It helps us to realise that all is not lost for
human beings who are prone to fall into the trap of material benefits. It is the protagonist of the story
—the peddler with the rattraps—who coins the metaphor of the rattrap, falls
himself in it on being tempted and ultimately redeems himself by renouncing the temptation. His
admission that he had been the thief, and the treatment he got as a captain, show how love and
understanding can transform even a depraved soul. The story thus comes a full circle with the ending.
All questions are answered and no loose tags remain hanging.
The ending also pays tribute to the goodness of humanity here exhibited through Miss Edla
Willmansson. The happy ending also arouses our optimism and belief in the essential goodness of
man and other human virtues. Thus, it serves to inspire the readers to do noble acts.
8. Do you think the title of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is appropriate? Give reasons to support your
answer.
Answer: The story has an appropriate and suggestive title. It at once draws our attention to the
central theme—the whole world is a big rattrap. This metaphor helps us to understand the human
predicament. All the good things of the world are nothing but baits to tempt a person to fall into the
rattrap. Through the character of the peddler, the writer drives home the idea that most human
beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefits.
The story begins with rattraps and ends with a rattrap as a present for someone who has helped a rat
to get free from the rattrap. Even the middle of the story revolves round the rattrap. The actions of
the peddler after he steals thirty kronor of the old crofter reveal the inner conflicts, tensions and lack
of peace of a person who touches the bait of temptation. Renunciation of the temptation helps in
redemption. Thus, we conclude that the title is apt and significant.
VALUE-BASED QUESTIONS
1. Honesty is considered the best policy for earning one’s bread and butter. Stealing is a sin and a
punishable act. Vagabonds tend to forget this essential goodness. Elucidate the dictum in the light
of the following lines: “He made them himself at odd moments, from the material he got by
begging in the stores or at the big farms. But even so, the business was not especially profitable, so
he had to resort to both begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul together. ”
Answer: Honest Means of Livelihood
Every human being has to earn his bread and butter. Means vary from person to person, but one has
to face many obstacles and odd situations in life. These means can be fair or foul, honest or dishonest.
Unfortunately, the modem man hankers after money and has become commercial-minded. People
are not afraid of the Almighty. They wish to accumulate riches by hook or by crook. They have no
respect for humanity and moral values. The social norms and time-tested principles bemoan
somewhere in a comer. The mortals of this computer age focus only on pecuniary gains. They are
desirous of becoming rich overnight. And it is sure that no one can make easy money without
resorting to corruption. One should always remember that those who are honest get respect in
society and feel themselves satisfied. They don’t have to feel guilty. But those who are corrupt hide
themselves behind the veils when caught. A person should always be honest and sincere. The factory
workers, farmers, teachers and poor artisans live an honest life and are appreciated everywhere.
Freud rightly proclaimed in his letter to Wilhelm Fliess that ‘Being entirely honest with oneself is a
good exercise’. A few honest men are better than numerous bad ones.
2. It is rightly said that the crown and glory of life is character. Alphonse Karr, a French journalist,
said, “Every man has three characters: that which he shows, that which he has, and that which he
thinks he has”. Substantiate the saying taking ideas from the following expressions:“…It was quite
honest, either. You must admit that, and I should not be surprised if the sheriff would like to have
something to say in the matter.”
Answer: “The crown and glory of life is character
When wealth is lost, nothing is lost;
When health is lost, something is lost;
When character is lost, everything is lost”.
Charming said that the great hope of society is individual character. Character plays a pivotal role in
the life of a human being. It is as significant for a man as a crown for a king. It is the glory of a man’s
life. Character reflects the traits and personality of a person. A man of character retains moral
strength and faces the music of life bravely. A man is judged by his character. A person who has good
character is respected and honoured in society. It is often said that our lot depends on our character.
One rises in life in proportion to the strength of one’s character. Character gives self-satisfaction to a
person. He can lead a happy and contended life. He accumulates wealth in heaven instead of building
treasures on the earth. It is only character that distinguishes man from beasts. Goethe remarked that
“Talent is nurtured in solitude; character is formed in the stormy billows of the world.
“Not in the clamor of the crowded street,
Not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng,
But is ourselves, are triumph and defeat. —Longfellow
3. Man is a gregarious animal. Aristotle wrote in Politics, “He who is unable to live in society, or who
has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god”. Lonliness gnaws a
man from within. Write an article on the topic mentioned above in your own words. You can take
ideas from the following lines: “…he knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night. Nor was he
refused. Instead of the sour faces which ordinarily met him, the owner, who was an old man.
without wife or child, was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness.”
Answer: Loneliness: A Terrible Moment
Enduring loneliness requires perseverance and strength of mind. The state of alienation may depress
a person. He may become insane. Everybody cannot bear the pangs of leading a lonely life. Seclusion
irritates a mortal as it is known to us that man is a gregarious animal. He needs company to share his
views and thoughts. It is also said that solitude is the playfield of satan. Man gets diverted and takes
recourse to illegal ways. The Bible says that ‘woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not
another to help him up’. An alienated person leads a miserable and pitiable life. Survival at a deserted
place becomes next to impossible for a human being. Solitude gives vent to the feelings of enmity
against mankind. A depressed person may go to any extent to avenge his seclusion. Solitude and
melancholy are synonymous of each other. Mother Teresa has described loneliness in a fitting manner.
She said, “Lonliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty”. Each individual
needs love, affection and company. The victims of solitude and lonliness never feel themselves
gratified. They never feel themselves the part of the main stream. It breeds negativity and animosity.
They become hostile towards the fellow human beings. The repercussions of loneliness are
catastrophic and disastrous.
4. Voltaire has rightly remarked that ‘Love truth, but pardon error’. It is by forgiving that one is
forgiven. Sympathy is a divine virtue. It is indispensable for a philanthropist. Elucidate the dictum
taking ideas from the following expressions.
“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 on the roadside…”
Answer: The Bible proclaims that ‘Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy5. Love begets
love and hatred begets hatred. People in this world have a reciprocal relationship. They reciprocate
the thing they receive. It is a universally accepted aphorism that ‘To err is human, to forgive, divine’.
Sympathy has a great power. A sympathetic person receives the blessings of the destitute whom he
helps or forgives. People can’t imagine the incredible power of sympathy. A person’s kind acts and
words may save many precious fives. One must not forget that those who sympathise with others get
inner satisfaction. It awakens the affection of a human heart. It leaves an indelible impression even on
the most rugged’ nature. Its results are better than a king’s power. It helps a man in his endeavour to
elevate his fellow human beings from a state of poverty and distress. Dr. Samuel Johnson averred that
the wretched have no compassion. When a man suffers himself, it is called misery; when he suffers in
the suffering of another, it is called pity. Forgiveness is, undoubtedly, a divine quality. The
philanthropists should inculcate the habit of forgiving others in their character.
“Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge—Shakespeare
EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS
A. 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 on the roadside, who has the
money pouch hanging on the window frame as a bait for poor wanderers.
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. “Written with
friendship and high regard, Captain von Stahle.” (CBSE QB, 2021)
1. Which of the following CANNOT be attributed to the peddler, according to the above extract?
A) indebtedness B) reform C) self-pity ✔ D) self-awareness
2. Why did the peddler gift a rattrap as a Christmas present?
A) It was all the peddler had that he could give away, and represented his turn to honesty. ✔
B) It symbolized his successful escape from entrapment as he returned the stolen money.
C) It served as a reminder for Edla to be wary of the dangerous temptations of the world.
D) It was a practical and convenient present that the lady of the house could effectively use.
3. The word ‘frame’ has been used to indicate a rigid structure that surrounds something such as a
picture, door, or windowpane. There are other meanings of ‘frame’ too.
Choose the option that DOES NOT list the meaning of ‘frame’

A) Option (1) B) Option (2) C) Option (3) D) Option (4) ✔

4. This communication includes: 1) a promise 2) regret 3) an apology 4) shame
A) only 4 B) only 1 C) 1 & 3 ✔ D) 2 & 4
B. …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 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 in upon him like an
impenetrable prison from which he could never escape. (CBSE QB,2021)
1 How would you characterize the mood of the above extract?
A) mysterious, restful B) ominous, despairing ✔ C) thoughtful, whimsical
D) philosophical, anguished
2. By what bait had the peddler been fooled?
A) He had chosen to take the ‘safe’ forest route. B) He had decided to avoid the public highway.
C) He had stolen money from the trusting crofter. ✔
D) He didn’t realize the power of his rattrap analogy.
3. The consequence of ‘his own turn’ having come was that the peddler had ___________
A) got irreversibly lost in the thick, warped forest. ✔
B) been fooled and imprisoned in a hopeless prison.
C) been walking around the same part of the forest.
D) walked the whole forest without finding the end.
4. The above extract richly employs literary devices. Look at the table below. Choose the option that
correctly matches the instances/ examples in Column A with the literary devices in Column B:

A) 1 – (i) ; 2 – (ii) ; 3 – (iii) ; 4 – (iv) B) 1 – (iv) ; 2 – (i) ; 3 – (ii) ; 4 – (iii) ✔

C) 1 – (iii) ; 2 – (iv) ; 3 – (i) ; 4 – (ii) D) 1 – (ii) ; 2 – (iii) ; 3 – (iv) ; 4 – (i)
C. Now that he was no longer able to do day labor, it was his cow which supported him. Yes, that
boss was extraordinary. She could give milk for the creamery every day, and last month he had
received all of thirty kronor in payment. The stranger must have seemed incredulous, for the old
man got up and went to the window, took down a leather pouch which hung on a nail in the very
window frame, and picked out three wrinkled ten-kronor bills. These he held up before the eyes of
his guest, nodding knowingly, and then stuffed them back into the pouch.
1 Who is ‘He’ in the first line?
A. Peddler B. Ironmaster C. Crofter ✔ D. Blacksmith
2. What does the crofter do with the milk?
A. Consumed himself B. Supplied to dairy ✔ C. Sold it to the people nearby
D. Stored it for cheese
3. Kronor is a currency of……..
A. Venice B. Sweden✔ C. Australia D. Zimbabwe
4 What is the antonym of the word ‘Incredulous’?
A. Unbelievable ✔ B. Believable C. Ridiculous D. Ravishing
D. He realized, 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 realized that he had only been
walking around in the same part of the forest.
1 Why did the peddler choose woods instead of public highways?
A. For he was afraid of police B. For he was afraid of being caught by sheriffs
C. For he was scared of being arrested D. All of these ✔
2 What did he realize after walking for so long?
A. That he was smart B. That he was ensnared ✔
C. That he would go through the forest after sometime D. All of these
3. What kind of forest was that?
A. Perplexing B. Orienting C. Straight-forward D. None of these ✔
4. How many kroners had he stolen from the crofter’s home?
A. 30✔ B. 40 C. 50 D. 35
E. “Those are the hammer strokes from an iron mill”, he thought. “There must be people nearby”.
He summoned all his strength, got up, and staggered in the direction of the sound. The Ramsjo
Ironworks, which are now closed down, were, not so long ago, a large plant, with smelter, rolling
mill, and forge. In the summertime long lines of heavily loaded barges and scows slid down the
canal, which led to a large inland lake, and in the wintertime the roads near the mill were black
from all the coal dust which sifted down from the big charcoal crates.
1. Which of the following is incorrect?
A. Peddler was dead tired ✔ B. Peddler was looking for a shelter
C. Peddler was ensnared D. Peddle was rejoicing there
2 What does ‘Barges and scows’ mean?
A. Types of vehicles B. Types of boats ✔ C. Types of ships D. Types of cars
3 The phrasal verb ‘Sifted down’ means….
A. Moved down ✔ B. Raised up C. Called forth D. None of these
4 Smelter is used to……
A. Extract metals by heating ✔ B. Harden metals by cooling C. Both i and ii D. Neither i and ii
F. 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.
1. According to the extract, which of these words best describes the man?
A. reflective ✔ B. impulsive C. indifferent D. simpleminded
2. Rewrite the given sentence after replacing the underlined phrase with its synonym.
It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people.
Answer: It had never existed for any other purpose than to trap people.
3. On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given
below. (1) The world offers living beings a life full of pleasure.
(2) However, only compassionate people can enjoy those pleasures.
A. (2) has been caused by (1) B. (2) is a hypothesis based on (1)
C. (1) cannot be inferred from the extract but (2) can be
D. (1) can be inferred from the extract but (2) cannot be ✔
4 In one sentence, rationalise the given statement.
It is challenging for others to be able to understand the despair of a vagabond’s life.
Answer: No one can imagine how sad and monotonous life can be for a homeless person
5. Replace the underlined word with its antonym from the extract.
The man who thought that the world was a rattrap lived a life that was interesting.
Answer: sad
6. The mood of the extract can be best described as melancholic.
A. cautious B. malicious C. melancholic ✔ D. apprehensive
1. Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap? (All India 2009)
Answer: The peddler was a very poor man who made his living by selling rat traps he fashioned out of
materials he obtained by begging. As a result, his thoughts were constantly preoccupied with rat
traps. One day, he had the sudden realization that the entire world was a giant rattrap. He believed
that the world’s shelter, food, clothing, riches, and joys were all traps set to entrap man, just as a
rattrap offered cheese or meat to entrap rats. Everything came to an end as soon as one was trapped.
2. Why did the peddler knock on the cottage by the roadside? How was he treated by the owner of
the cottage? (Compartment 2014)
Answer: The peddler knocked on the roadside cottage for shelter for the night. The cottage’s owner
was a crofter who lived alone in it. He considered the peddler to be welcome company and treated
him warmly. He not only gave him a place to stay for the night, but also fed him and played cards with
him.
3. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Answer: Edla had always assumed that the peddler was a poor, homeless tramp. As a result, when his
true identity was revealed, she did not feel cheated. Instead, she felt terrible for him and his plight,
and she pleaded on his behalf. She and her father had promised him Christmas cheer, and it seemed
wrong to send him away.
4. What was the content of the letter written by the peddler to Edla?
Answer: The peddler had written that he wanted to be nice to Edla because she had treated him like a
captain. He didn’t want a thief to embarrass her at Christmas. He had asked for the return of the
crofter’s money, which he had stolen. He went on to say that the rattrap was a Christmas present from
a rat who would have been caught in the world’s rattrap if he hadn’t been promoted to captain, which
motivated him to change his ways.
5. Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster? (Delhi 2012)
Answer: The ironmaster mistook the peddler for an old regimental comrade and invited him to his
home. Because he was carrying the money he had stolen from the crofter, the peddler declined the
invitation. He was well aware that if the ironmaster learned of his identity, he would turn him over to
the police. As a result, going to the manor house was like walking into a lion’s den for him.
6. Who was the owner of Ramsjo iron mills? Why did he visit the mills at night?
Answer: The Ramsjo iron mills were owned by an ex-army man who was an ambitious and well-
known ironmaster. He was very concerned about the quality of his products and would visit the mills
even at night to ensure that good iron was shipped out of his mills.
7. How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace? (All India 2012)
Answer: When the ironmaster noticed a stranger in rags lying near the furnace, he approached him
and removed his slouch hat to get a better look at his face. He mistook the peddler for Nils Olof, an
old acquaintance of his regiment, due to the dim light in the forge and the peddler’s filthy
appearance. He was overjoyed to see him and invited him to spend Christmas with him.
8. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler? (Delhi 2011)
Answer: The crofter was depressed. He lived in his cottage alone, without a wife, child, or other
companion. He was overjoyed to have the peddler’s company because he suffered from severe
loneliness. That explains his chattiness and friendliness with the peddler.
9. Did the stranger agree to go to the ironmaster’s house? Why or why not?
Answer: The stranger initially declined the ironmaster’s invitation. He had the stolen thirty kronors on
him and imagined himself in the lion’s den. But he accepted the ironmaster’s invitation because Edla’s
sympathy and compassion calmed his fears and her friendly demeanour made him trust her.
10. What brought about a change in the life of the peddler?
Answer: The peddler’s life was changed by Edla’s warmth, sympathy, and compassion. Despite being
aware of his true identity, he is moved by Edla’s kindness. His heart’s latent goodness is awakened,
and he behaves like a true Captain.
11. If the Christmas spirit is about selflessness, forgiveness and becoming ‘better’ versions of
ourselves amongst other things, Edla Williamson is the epitome of this spirit. Justify with two points
of evidence from The Rattrap. (CBSE Sample Paper 2022)
Answer: Edla demonstrates great selflessness by inviting the rattrap seller into her home and caring
for him while he is there. Despite his initial suspicious behaviour, she shows kindness and generosity
to a stranger, even giving him money to start a new life. This selfless act is in keeping with the
Christmas spirit, which encourages people to be kind and compassionate to others.
12. A mistaken identity led to a discovery of a new one for the rattrap peddler. How did this impact
him? (CBSE Sample Paper 2020)
Answer: The rattrap peddler suffered greatly as a result of the mistaken identity. The iron master
misidentifies him as an old comrade. Even after discovering he was a fraud, the ironmaster’s daughter,
Edla Willmanson, showed him that love and compassion have the power to change the world.
13. Explain the metaphor of the rattrap in context of the story by Selma Lagerlöf.
Answer: According to the rattrap metaphor, the universe exists solely to entice people into it by
baiting them. When a person is drawn to the finer things in life, he falls into a terrible trap.
As a result, the author passes harsh judgement on those who seek worldly pleasures.
The story emphasises the importance of kindness and goodness in general.
Only when the peddler recognises Edla’s goodwill will he be able to escape the vast rattrap known as
the world. As a result, the metaphor states that the world is a rattrap that traps people with worldly
pleasures.
14. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler? (CBSE Sample Paper 2018)
Answer: Edla demonstrated great faith in him by allowing him to stay at their manor on Christmas
Eve. But the news of the robbery had depressed her. So she was overjoyed to find the package and
letter left by the peddler when she arrived home. The peddler’s expression of gratitude made her
happy.

1. Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’ shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by
understanding and love. (Delhi 2006)
Answer: The theme of ‘The Rattrap’ is that most people are prone to falling into the trap of material
gain. However, love and understanding have the power to transform a person and bring out his or her
inherent human goodness. The world had been very cruel to the peddler. So, despite the old crofter’s
kindness and hospitality, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. The ironmaster’s
invitation did not impress him either. However, Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
caused him to change. Her human qualities aided in his development as a gentleman. He was easily
able to resist minor temptations.
The peddler, who had always considered the entire world to be a rattrap, was finally freed from it
thanks to Edla Williamson’s sympathetic, kind, loving, and generous treatment, which was able to
bring out his basic human goodness.
2. Give examples from the story, “The Rattrap” to show how the iron master is different from his
daughter. (Delhi 2006)
Answer: The characters of Edla Willmansson and the iron master are diametrically opposed. Despite
her youth, the daughter demonstrates greater maturity than her father, who acts impulsively and
casually. He makes snap judgements without thinking. First, he misidentifies the peddler as an old
regimental comrade and invites him to the manor house without first confirming his identity. When
he realizes his error, he casually refers the matter to the sheriff. Edla, on the other hand, exhibits an
acute sense of observation. She correctly determines that her visitor is a tramp and has a sympathetic
attitude towards him.
She convinces her father to let the visitor stay, leads him politely to the dining table, and forces him to
eat despite her father’s protests. Because of her compassion and generosity, the peddler has a change
of heart and repents of his dishonesty. He leaves thirty kronors for the old crofter, as well as a
Christmas present for Edla.
3. The story ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
OR
How does the story, ‘Rattrap’ highlight the importance of community over isolation? Support your
rationale with textual evidence. (CBSE Sample Paper 2020)
Answer: The story ‘The Rattrap’ is primarily concerned with human loneliness. All of the characters,
whether they are the peddler, the crofter, the ironmaster, or his daughter, are lonely. The peddler is a
lonely man who has been shunned by society’s cold and unkind words his entire life. He does not
expect hospitality when he knocks on the door of the old crofter’s cottage, but the crofter welcomes
him because he is overjoyed to have someone to talk to after being alone for so long. The crofter
serves himself by serving the peddler. He feeds the peddler, gives him tobacco, and plays’mjolis’ with
him. He’s an excellent host. The ironmaster and his daughter, too, are lonely, which makes the holiday
season even more difficult. So, mistaking the peddler for an old regimental comrade, the ironmaster
invites him to his manor house for Christmas. Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter, extends the invitation
once more, telling the peddler he can leave whenever he wants after Christmas. As a result, the story
‘The Rattrap’ is centred on the need to bond.
4. Describe the peddler’s interaction with the ironmaster’s daughter. To what extent was he
influenced by her?
Answer: The peddler first meets Edla Wilmansson, the ironmaster’s daughter, when she comes to
invite him to their manor house for Christmas at her father’s request. He couldn’t refuse her invitation
because the sincerity in her voice moved him. Later, she discovers the peddler’s true identity, but this
does not alter her warmth, friendliness, or hospitality towards him. She continues to treat him like a
Captain, and the peddler, quite unexpectedly, begins to act like a real Captain. He leaves a rattrap for
Edla as a Christmas gift, along with a letter of thanks and a note of confession.
He leaves a rattrap for Edla as a Christmas gift, along with a letter of thanks and a note of confession.
He leaves the stolen money behind to be returned to its rightful owner, the crofter, thus atoning for
his dishonesty. Edla Wilmansson’s sympathy, compassion, and understanding provide an opportunity
for the peddler to redeem and reform himself.
5. Describe the crofter’s interaction with the peddler. How did the latter get tempted?
Answer: When the peddler knocked on the crofter’s door, he was greeted by a lonely old man who
was overjoyed to have someone to talk to. He was extremely gracious to the peddler and even played
cards with him. He also told the peddler that he had been a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks during his
prosperous days and that his cow now supported him. He received thirty kroners in payment for the
cow milk he sold last month. He even showed the peddler the leather pouch on the window where he
had kept the thirty kronors, enticing him. The next day, after leaving the crofter’s cottage, the peddler
returned, smashed the window pane, stuck it in his hand, and took hold of the pouch containing the
thirty kronors. He then carefully hung the leather pouch back up and left.
6. The story, ‘The Rattrap’ is both entertaining and philosophical. Do you agree with this statement?
Why/Why not? (Foreign 2011)
Answer: ‘The Rattrap,’ the story, is both entertaining and philosophical. The fast-paced narrative in
the third person, the author’s generous use of dialogue, and the various characters from various
mindsets and locales make the story interesting and entertaining. Furthermore, the author has
managed to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
The events in the forge, particularly the arrival of the ironmaster at midnight, keep our attention. The
peddler’s repeated refusals to accompany him, but his acceptance of Edla’s invitation in one go, the
ironmaster’s realization of his error, and Edla’s sympathy and generosity all contribute to the story’s
suspense. While the events described above make the story interesting, there is also an element of
philosophy in it.
The peddler’s theory of the world being a rattrap is correct somewhere. One feels trapped in the
trappings of the world, like a rat. Some people fall into this trap and never get out. The story teaches
us that as humans, we are not immune to temptation.
7. The Rattrap is a story where a good deed or an act of kindness changes a person’s view of the
world. Discuss with reference to the theme.
Answer: ‘The Rattrap’ is an entertaining and philosophical story that explores the human proclivity to
redeem oneself from dishonesty. The tramp demonstrates that understanding and love can awaken
human beings’ inherent goodness. Circumstances had forced the peddler to commit minor offenses.
Despite the fact that he used to sell scrap metal rat traps, his poverty had brought out the worst in
him, turning him bitter and killing his conscience.
The tramp’s worldview was cynical: he envied those who had it better than him. He saw the world as
a rat trap that offered temptations like shelter and food to entrap victims. Even though he appreciated
the crofter’s hospitality and warm welcome, the peddler did not hesitate to steal money from him.
When he got lost in the forest, he was plagued by feelings of guilt. When he met the ironmaster and
his daughter, his bitter and hardened temperament was given a chance to repent.
The author uses an effective twist in the story to demonstrate that all humans have inherent
goodness. It takes a little love, understanding, and a friendly act to bring it to the forefront. The iron
master’s daughter showed him sympathy, honor, and respect, as well as dignity. This struck a chord in
the peddler’s heart, and he realized that he was no longer the nameless tramp he had been his entire
life, but rather someone with an identity. He atoned for his actions by returning the stolen money,
motivated by Edla’s kindness.
8. The peddler believed that the whole world is a rat trap. How did he himself get caught in the
same? Answer in about 120-150 words.
Answer: The peddler’s sad and poor life makes him bitter. One day, while thinking about his rat traps,
he had the epiphany that the entire world is nothing more than a giant rat trap. It only serves as a lure
for people. The world provides wealth, joy, shelter, food, and clothing. They are merely lures. The
rattrap closes in on anyone who touches the bait. Everything then comes to an end. The peddler,
ironically, becomes the rat. The peddler can’t resist the temptation of stealing the hospitable crofter’s
bait of 30 kronor. When the ironmaster invites him to his manor house, the metaphor of the rattrap
returns to him.
The peddler is unwilling to go there. It entails willingly throwing himself into the lion’s den. When
Miss Williamson persuades him to go there, he surrenders.
Finally, the peddler is free of the rat trap. It is because of Miss Williamson’s deep sympathy, kindness,
love, and understanding for him. He rises above trivial temptations. If he hadn’t been promoted to
captain, he would have been trapped in the world’s rattrap. That gave him the courage to break free
from the trap.
9. The story ‘The Rattrap’ exemplifies the notion that the emotional needs of human beings have a
direct bearing on their behaviour. Elucidate.
Ans. Without a doubt, human beings’ emotional needs have a direct impact on their behaviour.
Indeed, our emotions drive our actions and behaviours. All of the characters in the story portray the
same thing. The peddler’s actions are all the result of the atrocities he has witnessed in his life. He is
mistreated. Being hungry and cold, with no food or shelter, has left him emotionally weak and
negative. As a result, when the tramp saw the crofter’s money, he stole it. Similarly, the crofter, who
was lonely because he had no wife or children, welcomed the peddler and became overly friendly
with him, and as a result, he was duped. Even the ironmaster had a lonely existence.
His wife is no longer alive, and his sons are away. He has no family other than his daughter and a few
friends. As a result, he invited the peddler to his home, mistaking hull for an old friend. Finally, Edla’s
emotional need to serve and make someone happy on Christmas comes into play. Her empathy and
kindness caused her to treat the tramp with respect and kindness, bringing out the goodness in the
peddler.
10. The people we meet in life leave an impression on us. How is the rattrap peddler affected by
meeting the crofter and Edla?
Answer: Sometimes the good people we meet leave an impression on us. Compassion and
understanding have the power to transform a person and bring out his or her inherent human
goodness. As is the case with the rattrap peddler, whose meeting with the crofter and Edla results in a
positive change in his character. The peddler was treated extremely well by the lonely old crofter.
Despite his hospitality, the peddler stole his money and violated his trust. Edla, too, treated him well,
even after she discovered his true identity. Because of the crofter’s and Edla’s kind, generous, and
sympathetic treatment, the peddler, who had always considered the world to be a rattrap that
enclosed people, finally felt released from this rattrap.
He leaves Edla a letter of thanks, a Christmas gift, and the money he stole from the crofter, which will
be returned to its rightful owner.
[Link] from The Last Lesson and the peddler from The Rattrap demonstrate the importance of
learning from our mistakes to evolve into better people. Imagine that Shubhangi, your friend, feels
as if she has made a mistake by not taking her academics seriously.
Write an essay to Shubhangi in 120–150 words discussing instances from the two texts to give her
an insight into the human tendency to make mistakes and learn from them. You may begin like this:
Shubhangi, all of us have made mistakes at one point or another in our lives. After all, to err is
human………... (CBSE Sample Paper 2022)
Answer: “Failure is a necessary step towards success.”
Everyone makes mistakes. We are human, and we are prone to making mistakes. Mistakes teach us
what we did wrong and how we can improve as a result of them. We saw in Alphonse Daudet’s
Chapter “The Last Lesson” how Franz, who hated school, M Hamel, and his studies, was suddenly able
to learn and understand everything M Hamel taught on the day of the last lesson. He preferred to run
in the open fields rather than study. When M Hamel told the students that it was their last lesson, it
hit Franz like a thunderclap. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He felt bad every time he
didn’t study.
Books that were once a source of irritation for him became old friends. He felt sorry for M Hamel,
whom he used to dislike. On the day of the last lesson, he felt inspired and understood everything.
Selma Lagerlof’s chapter The Rattrap demonstrates how people can learn and grow from their
mistakes. After stealing thirty kronors, the peddler became trapped in the rat trap. Elma’s kindness
and good nature made him realise his error. Even though she knew the peddler had stolen something
or escaped from prison, she invited him to his house and treated him like the Captain.
Thus, it is acceptable to make mistakes as long as we are willing to work and change to become a
better version of ourselves.