The Rattrap Questions and Answers for Class 12 are available in this post. Read them carefully and take notes in your notebook for better understanding and revision.
Table of Contents
The Rattrap Questions And Answers
The Rattrap NCERT Solution
Q.1 From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Answer: The peddler used to sell rattraps. One day he was thinking of his rattraps. Suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world about him was nothing but a rattrap. It offers riches, joys, shelter, and food as bait like a rattrap’s cheese rinds.
Q.2 Why was the peddler amused by his idea?
Answer: The peddler was a poor person and led a very hard life. People were not kind to him and he was chased away wherever he went. So he also had evil thoughts about the world. That is why he was amused by the idea.
Q.3 Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?
Answer:- No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he got from the crofter. Ordinarily, he met sour faces. He was not welcomed anywhere. But the crofter not only welcomed him but also served him supper.
Q.4 Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
Answer: The crofter was an old man and lived all alone. In his loneliness he wanted someone to talk to. That is why he was so talkative and friendly with the peddler.
Q.5 Why did the crofter show the thirty kronor to the peddler?
Answer: He showed the thirty kroner to the peddler because his guest seemed incredulous when he told his guest about his earning from his bossy cow. So, in order to make his guest believe he had to show his thirty kroner.
Q.6 Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?
Answer: No, He did not show any respect to the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. Besides that, he deceived his host by stealing his thirty kronor from the leather pouch hanging on a nail in the window frame.
Q.7 What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
Answer: The peddler stole the crofter’s thirty kroner. In order to save himself from being caught, he entered a wood. He walked and walked but was not able to come out of it. This made him think that he had indeed gotten into a rattrap as a bait of thirty kroner had lured him like a rat.
Q.8 Why did the iron master speak kindly to the peddler and invite him to his home?
Answer: The ironmaster found the peddler lying near a furnace. He mistook the peddler for an old regimental comrade in the poor light of the furnace. He invited the peddler to go home because he wanted to serve him as an old acquaintance.
Q.9 Why did the peddler decline the invitation?
Answer: The peddler declined the invitation because firstly, he did not like the idea of going to the manor home as an old regimental comrade. Secondly, he had stolen money with him he did not want to be suspected and caught.
Q.10 What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?
Answer: Edla Willmansson, the Ironmaster’s daughter, came to the forge to persuade him. She looked at him compassionately. She requested to stay with them over Christmas Eve. She assured him that he would be allowed to leave them just as freely as he came. Her friendly manner made him accept her invitation.
Q.11 What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
Answer: She saw the peddler carefully. She noticed that the peddler was afraid. It seemed that he had either stolen something or he had escaped from jail. He didn’t look like an educated man from his behavior.
Q.12 When did the iron master realize his mistake?
Answer: The iron ironmaster mistook the peddler for an old regimental comrade in the uncertain light of the furnace. But when he saw the peddler well-dressed in broad daylight, he realized that he made a mistake.
Q.13 What did the peddler say in his defense when it was clear that he was not the person the iron master had thought he was?
Answer: The peddler did not make any attempt to dissimulate. He said that it was not his fault because he never pretended to be anything but a poor trader. He only begged to be allowed to stay in the Forge. He could put on his rags again and go away.
Q.14 Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Answer: Edla was a kind-hearted girl. She wanted to feed a poor hungry man on Christmas and make him feel homelike. He should enjoy at least a day of peace with them. They had invited and promised him Christmas cheer.
Q.15 Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Answer: Edla was happy to see the gift left by the peddler because the peddler had repented over his mistake. He requested Edla to return that thirty kroner to the crofter. He was not a thief now. He showed his friendship and high regard for Edla.
Q.16 Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahale?
Answer: Edla showed her kindness and hospitality towards the peddler. It moved him completely and changed his mind. He wanted to prove himself true self by behaving like a captain. That is why he signed himself as captain Von Stahle.
The Rattrap Textual Questions
Q.1 How does the peddler interpret the act of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the iron master, and his daughter?
Answer:- The peddler thought that the act of kindness and hospitality was nothing but bait to trap him. The old crofter was kind enough with his supper and tobacco role. He gave the peddler shelter and played “majolis” with him. But the thirty kronor was bait for the peddler as he took and found himself caught.
The ironmaster mistook him for an old regimental comrade. He invited the peddler to his home to enjoy Christmas Eve. But he refused to accept the invitation. He considered going to the manor’s house just like entering a lion’s den.
Finally, he accepted Edla’s invitation because of her kind nature. Her kindness dispelled the malice that he had for the people around him.
Q.2 What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the iron master is different from that of his daughter in many ways?
Answer:
1. Persuasive power:- Ironmaster’s daughter has more persuasive power than his own. When the iron master wants to invite the peddler to his home on Christmas Eve. but he doesn’t succeed. He knows that Edla has more persuasive power than him. So he sends his daughter to persuade the peddler.
2. More kind and generous:- Edla has basic human qualities. She has sympathy for unfortunate people. She wants to give the peddler happiness and peace of Mind. Her father is a man of dry reason. He gets angry as soon as he comes to know that the peddler is not the captain.
3. Greater observer:- She is a greater observer than her father. She noticed at once that the peddler was quite frightened. It might be that Either he had stolen something or had escaped from jail. But her father takes the peddler as his old comrade.
Q.3 What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Answer: The peddler was a poor man who used to sell rattraps around the countryside to earn his livelihood. He was not welcomed anywhere as he was chased away. People were very unkind to him. So he had developed a kind of aversion to the people around him. But in the end, the peddler seemed to be quite transformed. Edla awakened the essential goodness in him through her understanding and kindness. She felt sorry for the unfortunate man. She wanted to have him enjoy a day of peace with them. She thought it unethical to chase away a guest. Edla’s human behavior and kindness have changed him. He left thirty kroner to be returned to the old crofter.
Q.5 How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Answer:- in the story “The Rattrap” the author Salman Lagerlof uses the metaphor very effectively. It is used to highlight the human predicament. The peddler is struck by the idea that the whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. It sets baits for people. The riches and joys, shelter and food are just baits. The moment one is tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap closes in on him. Then everything comes to an end.
The peddler is lost in a big and confusing forest. Now his own turn has come. He has let himself be fooled by a bait. Those thirty kroner worked as bait for him. Again the metaphor of the rattrap comes alive. We all know about this trap, yet we voluntarily fall into it. This is our predicament.