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The Rattrap: Redemption Through Kindness

The story is about a peddler who is treated with sympathy and kindness by a family, transforming him into a better person. He had previously stolen and taken pleasure in others' troubles, but experiencing human compassion changes his outlook. He reforms himself and strives to reciprocate the goodness shown to him.

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Antariksh Pratap Singh
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96 views2 pages

The Rattrap: Redemption Through Kindness

The story is about a peddler who is treated with sympathy and kindness by a family, transforming him into a better person. He had previously stolen and taken pleasure in others' troubles, but experiencing human compassion changes his outlook. He reforms himself and strives to reciprocate the goodness shown to him.

Uploaded by

Antariksh Pratap Singh
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

THE RATTRAP

Q.1. What is the message of the story?


Ans. Sympathy, love & affection and humanitarian treatment can purify a mans soul and transform him into
a good human being .
Q.2 What line of thought did the peddler strike one day?
Ans. The peddler struck on a line of thought one day that the whole world with its luxuries and comforts sets
bait for ever one. Whenever one tries to grab the luxuries or comforts, the trap gate closes on him and the
man gets caught in the worlds rattrap.
Q.3 Why did the peddler derive pleasure seeing one caught in the trap ?
Ans. The entire world has never treated the peddler sympathetically. Since he was treated negatively , he
developed a negative attitude towards all or derived pleasure seeing the others in trouble.
Q.4 How did the peddler pay back the goodness of the old crofter?
Ans. The peddler returned the goodness of the crofter by being a traitor . Despite the fact that he got food ,
shelter and warmth of hospitality at the old crofters house , yet he stole the thirty kronors of the old man
and fled.
Q.5 What & when did the peddler get his realization .
Ans. Having fled from the crofters house , the peddler walked along the high way and then took the path in
the jungle. Later he lost his way in the jungle and then he realized that his turn had come to be caught in the
rattrap of the world and the thirty kronors were baits for him. He realized that the jungle with its log,
branches and bushes worked as his rattrap from which he could never escape.
Q.6 What splendor was dawned on the peddler?
Ans. The peddler received permission to stay in the forge near the fire . While the peddler was asleep, the
iron master mistook him as Captain Von Stahle, an old friend of the army . The cunning peddler did not want
to tell the truth as he expected that the ironmaster might throw a couple of kronors to him seeing his
condition.
Q.7 What was the difference of understanding about the peddlers not going to the iron masters house?
Ans. The peddler thought that going with and old army man to his big villa would mean throwing himself in
front of the lions den. On the other hand, the iron master thought that the peddler did not wish to go because
of his miserable clothing.
Q.8 What did Edla understand seeing the peddler?
Ans. Edla understood that either the man had stolen something or must have escaped from jail.
Q.9 Why did Edla succeed in convincing the peddler whereas the ironmaster failed to do so?
Ans. Edlas way of speaking appeared convincing as she spoke with a humane touch. Moreover, she said
that he would be allowed to leave as happily as he would come their house. The sympathetic and
humanitarian way of speaking developed confidence in the peddler who ultimately decided to go with Edla
Wilmanson.
Q.10 When did the splendor of the peddler come to an end?
Ans. The ironmaster ordered one of the valets to shave ,bathe and dress up the peddler. After the latter was
groomed well and came before the ironmaster then the latter relised that he mistook the beggar as his old
friend. He proposed to call the sheriff and ordered the peddler to leave. At this juncture the peddler felt that
the splendor had come to an end.

Q.11 What is the turning point in the peddlers life?


Ans. The turning point in the peddlers life is when the ironmaster ordered the peddler to leave at once but
Edla did not allow him to go, defied her fathers order and took the peddler by hand and took him to the
table . Moreover, within the peddlers hearing, she also told her father that they should not drive out a man
whom they promised Christmas happiness and that they must treat him as a human being. This brought a
change in the peddlers attitude as he experienced and enjoyed the goodness of Edla.
Q.12 What does the letter of the peddler mean?
Ans. The peddler confessed that he wanted to be good to Edla as she had been good to him and treated him
as if he were a real captain ( despite understanding that he wasnt). In return he wanted to behave as manly
and gently as that supposed captain would have behaved ( this shows the sense of reciprocation in the
peddler).Unlike earlier days, he no longer enjoyed the ill of others. He returned the money of the old crofter
as this could only save Edla from the embarrassment of sheltering a thief. In fact ,the peddler reciprocated
the goodness of Edla as her goodness compelled the peddler to purify himself.
Q.13 Why did the peddler sign as Captain Von Stahle?
Ans. The peddler signed as Captain Von Stahle because he believed and wanted to behave as manly and
gently as that supposed captain would have behaved.
Q.14 The peddler got two chances to steal ,once in the crofters house and the other when Edla and her father
went to the church for service. Why did he resist the chance of stealing in Edlas house?
Ans. Undoubtedly, the crofter was generous and offered food , shelter and warmth to the peddler , but
somewhere and somehow in his speech he was boastful and talked about his own self , his cow and his
earning. On the contrary , Edla did not do so. The reality about the peddlers identity was revealed before
Edla BUT the crofter did not know who the peddler was. Hence, greatness of Edla was proved before the
peddler . Her request to peddler to visit her house again in the next Christmas if he wanted to take rest safely
left the peddler in boundless amazement. He was surprised to see the matchless hospitality , generosity ,
compassion , affection and humanitarian heart of Edla Wilmanson. Thats why, despite getting a chance to
steal , he resisted the temptation.

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