NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Chapter 4 Prose – The Rattrap

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 12 Chapter 4 English Prose – The Rattrap

NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Chapter 4 Prose – The Rattrap, we have covered all the chapter questions. This solution will prove beneficial for students who are preparing for the board and other competitive examinations along with the board exam.All the concepts of programming have been made quite accurate and authentic in this whole solution which will help you to make notes and also increase your interest in financial. Class 12 English Solution Notes is based on the CBSE Class 12 syllabus, which will also prove useful in the board exams and competitive exams.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Chapter 4 Prose – The Rattrap

All the English solutions Class 12 have been prepared by our top subject experts who are completely authentic. All PDF solutions provided by www.studyit.in and we have solved all types of questions 1 mark, short questions and long questions and provide the solutions given below.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
Why did the Peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap?
Answer:
People had never been kind to the poor Peddler. Therefore, he envied those whose lot was better than his, and was rather amused to think that some day they too would be tempted by the bait, and be caught in the rattrap.

Question 2:
Why did Edia plead with her father not to send the vagabond away?
Or
Why did Edia still entertain the Peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Answer:
Edia had always thought the Peddler to be a poor, homeless tramp. When his true identity was revealed, she felt very bad for him and his miserable condition, and pleaded on his behalf.

Question 3:
What was the content of the letter written by the Peddler to Edia?
Answer:
The contents of the letter written by the Peddler to Edia were that, as he had been treated as if he was a captain, he wanted to be nice to them in return. Thus he requested the Crofter’s money (left with the note) to be returned to him. He wrote that he had left the rattrap as a Christmas present to her, as she had inspired him to reform himself.

Question 4:
What were the contents of the package left by the Peddler as a Christmas gift for Edia Willmansson?
Answer:
The package left by the Peddler as a Christmas gift for Edia Willmansson contained a rattrap, thirty kronor in crumpled notes (robbed from the Crofter) and a brief note for her explaining his conduct.

Question 5:
What conclusion did the ironmaster reach when he heard that the Crofter had been robbed by the Peddler?
Answer:
When the ironmaster heard that the Crofter had been robbed by the Peddler, he concluded that the Peddler would probably steal all the silver cutlery in the ironmaster’s home and run away.

Question 6:
Why did the Peddler knock on the cottage by the roadside? How was he treated by the owner of the Cottage?
Answer:
The Peddler knocked on the cottage by the roadside to seek shelter for the night. The owner of the cottage, a Crofter, treated the Peddler as a guest, giving him food, playing cards with him and putting him up for the night.

Question 7:
From where did the Peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
In what sense was the world a big rattrap, according to the Peddler?
Answer:
The Peddler was a vagabond, who went around selling rattraps. One day, as he was simply thinking about his own rattraps, he was struck by the idea that the world was a big rattrap. The riches, food, joys and shelter served as baits to tempt people just as a rattrap offered cheese or meat to tempt rats. As soon as one was tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap closed and everything came to an end.

Question 8:
Why was the Crofter so talkative and friendly with the Peddler?
Answer:
The Crofter was an old man. He had no wife or children and lived alone in his cottage. He was happy to get someone to talk to and share his feelings with. So, he welcomed the Peddler in, gave him food and even played a game of cards with him.

Question 9:
Why did he show the thirty kronor to the Peddler?
Answer:
The Crofter felt proud that he had earned thirty kronor from selling the cow’s milk to the creamery. He thought that the stranger didn’t believe him, so he showed him the money.

Question 10:
How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace?
Or
Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the Peddler and invite him home?
Answer:
When the owner of the Ramsjo Ironworks came to the mill for . inspection, the first thing he noticed was the Peddler dressed in rags. Due to the dim light and the Peddler’s dirty appearance, he mistook the Peddler for his old regimental comrade, Nils Olof who had, perhaps, fallen on evil days. He was delighted to see him and invited him home for Christmas.

Question 11:
Why did the Peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster?
Answer:
The ironmaster had mistaken the Peddler for an old regimental comrade and invited him home. The Peddler declined the ironmaster’s invitation because he was carrying the stolen money and would be handed over to the police, when the ironmaster discovered his true identity.

Question 12:
Who was the owner ofRamsjd iron mills? Why did he visit the mills at night?
Answer:
The owner of the Ramsjo iron mills was an ambitious and prominent ironmaster. He insisted on quality and was very particular about his reputation. He visited the mills at night to make sure that good iron was shipped out from his mills to the market.

Question 13:
Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof ?
Answer:
The stranger did not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof because he thought that if the gentleman believed that he was an old friend or acquaintance of his, then he might take pity on him and help him by giving him some money.

Question 14:
Did the Peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the Crofter?
Or
Why was the Peddler surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage?
Answer:
Wherever the Peddler went, he was met with hostile looks and people chased him away. When he knocked at the Crofter’s cottage, he was welcomed in and treated like a guest, not like an unwelcome visitor or a beggar. The Peddler was surprised to be treated with such hospitality.

Question 15:
Why did the Peddler keep to the woods after leaving the Crofter’s cottage? How did he feel?
Or
What made the Peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
Answer:
After stealing the Crofter’s money, the Peddler didn’t dare to walk on the public highway for fear of getting identified and caught. So, he went into the woods. It was a big and confusing forest. The Peddler lost his way. Suddenly, the truth dawned upon him. He thought that the forest was a big rattrap in which he had fallen. The thirty kronor were like a bait which had been set to tempt him, and he had allowed himself to be fooled and caught.

Question 16:
Why was Ed la happy to see the gift left by the Peddler?
Answer:
Edla was very shocked when she learned that their guest was actually a thief. She had fought with her father to let the Peddler stay. She held herself responsible for offering shelter to a thief. But when she found the stolen thirty kronor in a rattrap, she was very happy. She was overjoyed to think that her kindness had changed the Peddler and brought out his essential goodness.

Question 17:
What made the Peddler finally change his ways?
Answer:
The Peddler believed in giving back to the world what he received from it. He was always treated with contempt and hostility and so he never did anything good. However, Edla’s kind and caring behavior finally changed him. She had treated him with love and respect befitting a captain when she knew that he was a poor vagabond. The trust that Edla showed in him made him change his ways and he decided to live with dignity and respect.

Question 18:
Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual. Which two reasons forced her to behave in that manner?
Answer:
Edla had shown kindness to the Peddler even after knowing that he was not a captain. This was the reason why she felt all the more dejected when she came to know that the Peddler was actually a thief who had recently robbed a Crofter. She felt that she had done wrong in offering shelter to a thief. Secondly, she also felt bad because the Peddler had not measured up to the faith which she had shown in him.

Question 19:
Why was he amused by the idea?
Answer:
Wherever the Peddler went, people were hostile to him and chased him away. So, he was amused by the idea of the world being a big rattrap. He was also happy that those who chased him away will also be tempted and caught up in the rattrap one day.

Question 20:
Did the Peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter?
Answer:
No, the Peddler didn’t respect the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter. The Crofter showed him the thirty kronor which he had earned. The next day, the Peddler came back, broke the window pane, and stole the thirty kronor from the pouch where it was kept near the window.

Question 21:
What made the Peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?
Answer:
Edla was very kind to the Peddler. She talked to him compassionately, assuring him that no harm would come to him, and that he would be at liberty to leave whenever he wanted. She spoke so kindly that the Peddler felt that he could trust her, and he accepted her invitation.

Question 22:
What doubts did Edla have about the Peddler?
Answer:
When Edla met the Peddler, he became afraid. Edla thought that either he had stolen something or he had escaped from jail. She doubted that he was her father’s old regimental comrade. She even told her father that there was nothing about him to show that he was an educated man.

Question 23:
When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?
Answer:
The ironmaster had first seen at the Peddler in the dim light coming from the furnace and mistook him for an old colleague. But, when he saw him v well groomed, with a fine hair cut and a well-shaven face in broad daylight, he realised that this man was somebody else.

Question 24:
What did the Peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was?
Answer:
The Peddler made no further efforts to deceive the ironmaster. He said that it was not his fault, as he had never pretended that he was the ironmaster’s friend. He had only begged to be allowed to stay on at the mill for the night. He had even declined the ironmaster’s repeated invitation. He further said that he was ready to put on his rags again and go away.

Question 25:
Why did the Peddler sign; himself as Captain von Stahle?
Answer:
The ironmaster initially mistook the Peddler for a captain. Even after knowing the truth about him, he was treated like a captain. He wanted to repay Edla for her kindness just as a real captain would have done. Moreover, he didn’t want to embarrass Edla and so he returned the stolen money. His signing himself as Captain von Stahle was an indication that he wanted to retain the dignity and respect accorded to him.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
The Peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla. Why?
Answer:
As the Peddler had recently stolen the Crofter’s money, he felt that the police would be on the lookout for him. If he accepted the ironmaster’s invitation to stay for a night at his home, he would probably have been found out as an imposter by the ironmaster, who had mistaken him to be his former colleague in the dim light of the furnace. Then he would have been arrested. So he declined the ironmaster’s invitation.
But when Edla later on came again to invite him, she was very kind to him and, even though to her he did not look like her father’s former colleague, spoke to him with compassion. This gave confidence to the Peddler that he would be safe and so he accepted her invitation.

Question 2:
Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the Peddler. Comment.
Answer:
Edla was more persuasive than the ironmaster because of her gentle compassionate behavior towards the Peddler and the kind manner in which she spoke. This convinced the Peddler to change his mind and accept her invitation to spend one evening with them. Although she had her misgivings about the Peddler, she was happy to help a poor homeless man who had earlier been chased away by all. She wanted him to spend a day in peace and partake of the festivities of Christmas. She had been kind and friendly to him, sympathizing with his condition and making him part of their family fqr a day. This act of kindness made the Peddler .change his ways and he left them with a Christmas present for Edla and also returned the money he had stolen from the Crofter. ‘

Question 3:
Why did the Crofter repose confidence in the Peddler? How did the Peddler betray that and with what consequences?
Answer:
The Crofter reposed confidence in the Peddler because he was lonely, living alone and earning a living with his cow. He wanted someone with whom he could share his feelings, even trusting him to the “extent of showing the Peddler where he had kept his money. The Peddler betrayed this trust by robbing the money and running away. However, when the Peddler went through the forest instead of the road to avoid detection, he got lost and returned to the same place again and again. Ultimately the Peddler realized that he was like a rat caught in a rattrap and that the whole world was a rattrap. The bait he had fallen for was the Crofter’s money and he could not escape with it. Thus the consequence of falling for the bait was that he was trapped with no way out.

Question 4:
Why did the ironmaster invite the Peddler to his home? Why did the latter decline it?
Answer:
In the dim light of the forge, the ironmaster mistook the Peddler, due to his unkempt appearance and shabby clothes, to be his old colleague in the regiment who had fallen on bad days. He wanted to help his ‘old colleague’ and so invited him to his residence, so that he may be helped.
But the Peddler declined the invitation because he understood that his real identity would be exposed at the ironmaster’s home, when the ironmaster saw him properly. Then he may be turned over to the police. As he was carrying the Crofter’s stolen money with him, he did not want to get caught with the money, as the Crofter would definitely have reported the matter to the police. Consequently, he declined the ironmaster’s invitation.

Question 5:
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?
Answer:
Despite the Crofter treating the Peddler with hospitality, the Peddler robbed him and was quite pleased with his smartness. However, the fear of getting caught haunted him. So, he avoided the public highway and turned into the woods. It was a big and confusing forest, and due to the approaching darkness, the Peddler lost his way. He got exhausted moving around the same place, and was filled with despair. He began to feel that the forest was like a big rattrap and the thirty kronor he had stolen were like a bait set to tempt him. He felt helpless like a rat who had no way out of the trap in which the had fallen.
His reaction reveals that he was feeling guilty for having stolen the Crofter’s money. His heart was filled with remorse and self-loathing for his act of weakness.

Question 6:
The story The Rattrap’is both entertaining and philosophical. Do you agree with this statement? Why/Why not?
Answer:
The story is, indeed, both entertaining and philosophical. The fast-paced narrative in the third person, generous use of dialogue by the author and different characters belonging to different
mindsets and locations, make the story quite entertaining. There is also an element of suspense that the author manages to keep up to the end. There is also an underlying touch of irony. There is also an element of philosophy in the story. The Peddler’s theory of the world being a rattrap is true. The world offers us so many temptations that we are sure to fall into its trap some day. While some people fall into this trap never to come out of it again, the fortunate ones like the Peddler manage to break free from the circle of temptations with the help of kind and compassionate people like Edla, and discover their latent goodness.

Question 7:
The story focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
Answer:
All the characters in the story suffer from loneliness and are dreary souls. First of all, the tramp appears to lead a sad, monotonous existence, left to his own musings.
The old Crofter lives all alone in a cottage by the roadside. He is only too happy to get someone to talk to and get over his sense of loneliness. That’s the reason why he is so generous and hospitable as a host.
The ironmaster and his daughter, Edla also have no company for Christmas. Thus, all of them have a strong desire for bonding and comradeship. The Crofter is happy to be friends with the Peddler, although only for a night. Similarly, the ironmaster and his daughter have an opportunity to practice their Christian virtues of kindness, sympathy and hospitality.

Question 8:
Give examples from the story, ‘The Rattrap” to show how the.ironmaster is different from his daughter.
Or
What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is different from his daughter in many ways?
Answer:
The ironmaster was a man of power and ambition and was rather arrogant. He invited the Peddler home more out of his sense of pride than out of sympathy or generosity. When the ironmaster realized that he had been mistaken, he called the Peddler dishonest and threatened to call the sheriff. When he learnt that the Peddler was a thief, he was worried about his own silverware.
On the other hand, Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter, was a kind and compassionate lady who was really sympathetic and considerate towards the Peddler right from the beginning. She treated him with respect and dignity even after knowing that he was not a captain. It was her generous attitude which finally changed the Peddler, bringing out the essential goodness of his nature.

Question 9:
How does the Peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the Crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?
Answer:
Initially, the Peddler heartily accepts the Crofter’s hospitality and generosity but robs him of his hard-earned money just because it is easy to do so.
When the ironmaster mistakes him to be his old regimental comrade, he does not disclose his true identity in the hope of getting a few kronor. However, when the ironmaster pesters him, he again feels a sense of entrapment, having stolen the money from the Crofter’s, and declines the invitation.
However, on Edla’s invitation he does go to the ironmaster’s home. Edla’s warmth, sympathy and hospitality transform him in the end. Her elevating him to the status of a captain makes him redeem himself from being a petty thief. It stirs the innate goodness of his heart. He no more feels trapped, but regards her kindness as an act of nobility.

Question 10:
The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’ behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
Answer:
In the first instance, the old Crofter welcomes the tramp for shelter and some food at night. He even reposes his trust in him by showing him the money and the place where it was kept. The Peddler’s act of stealing the Crofter’s hard-earned kronor is, indeed, unexpected.
Then the Peddler seeks refuge in the forge, meets the ironmaster and the latter mistakes him to be his old regimental comrade. His invitation to the tramp to come for the Christmas Eve to the manor house leaves one astounded. The Peddler’s act of accepting Edla’s invitation, in spite of his guilt feeling about the stolen money and thoughts about entering the lion’s den, baffle us.
The next surprise is when the Peddler, left to himself in the manor house, has every opportunity to slip out with the valuables. Even the ironmaster expects something like this to happen. However, the tramp goes away, leaving behind a small rattrap as a Christmas gift and the thirty kronor to be returned to the rightful owner. This shocks the reader out of his wits.
The tramp’s letter addressed to Edla, expressing his gratitude for elevating him to the status of captain, giving him a chance to free himself from the rattrap of the world and redeeming him, also give us a pleasant surprise. Thus, the story is replete with instances of unexpected reactions and surprises.

Question 11:
How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Answer:
The Peddler in the course of his wandering, suddenly thinks about the whole world as a big rattrap. Just as cheese and meat are baits in the rattrap, similarly the riches, joy, shelter and food that the world offers are baits to entrap and ensnare people.
Being an embittered man, shunned by everybody, these thoughts give ‘unwonted joy’ to the tramp. He thinks of all the people around him who have fallen into the trap.
The musings of the tramp do have an iota of truth in them. We are tempted by temptations, desires and needs. We go all out to satisfy them. In this desire to amass and accumulate more and more, we are entrapped by the world.
Just in case we do not get the things we want, we are plunged in despair and gloom. In this way the metaphor of the rattrap highlights the human predicament.

Question 12:
The Peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humor. How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
Answer:
The Peddler, with his subtle sense of humor, equates the rattraps he makes to the world, which he believes is a huge rattrap, offering baits like comfort, food, shelter and material benefits. One day the rattrap traps us and there is no way out. The Peddler’s insistence on staying in the warm forge arid refusal to go with the ironmaster evokes pity. We know that somewhere he is feeling guilty of stealing the kronor.
When the ironmaster realizes his mistake, the tramp’s ‘sermon’ about the world’ being a rattrap, temptations and desires, is really humorous, as it seems out of context. The ironmaster’s daughter’s kind and sympathetic attitude changes him completely. Even she realizes his human worth and treats him with dignity. The tramp’s final act of leaving a token of love, the rattrap and a letter, signing off as the captain is also humorous.
Without the tramp’s philosophising element of the rattrap and his treatment of it in a humorous way, the story would have been seeped in seriousness.

Value Based Questions

Question 1:
There is a saying ‘Kindness pays, rudeness never’. In the story, The Rattrap’ Ed la’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 Rattrap’ is a story of a Peddler who used to earn his living by selling small rattraps of wire. As his business was .not profitable, he resorted to petty thievery. Nobody treated him with kindness or respect. The first act of compassion was shown by the Crofter who takes the poor Peddler in. But the Peddler stole his money and ran away.
Later, he was given a place to stay by the noble ironmaster and his daughter. Though she was suspicious of him, they promised him Christmas cheer.
When his truth was discovered, Edla fought with her father for the Peddler. She not only requested’her father to let the Peddler stay for Christmas, but also treated him like a real captain. The Peddler was highly touched by this act of concern and compassion and before leaving the house, left the money he had stolen, besides a rattrap as a present for Edla and a letter explaining his behavior. This shows that goodness is latent in the human heart and can be brought out by love, care and understanding.

Question 2:
The Rattrap’is a story which shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by understanding and love. Do you think this is practical in approach? Why/Why not?
Or
Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by understanding and love.
Answer:
‘The Rattrap’ is a story of a Peddler who used to earn his living by selling small rattraps. One day he met a Crofter, who showed him kindness and sympathy, welcoming him in the warmth of his home. However, he also revealed that he had thirty kronor. The Peddler stole his money and ran away.
Later, he was given a place to stay by a young girl against her father’s wish. She showered affection on the Peddler and convinced her father to let him stay with them for Christmas. The Peddler was highly touched by her behavior and before leaving the house, returned the stolen thirty kronor and a small rattrap as a gift.
This shows that the Peddler was not a bad man at heart, but only bound by his poor and unfortunate circumstances, which forced him to steal things. But the love, trust and understanding shown by Edla brought out his basic human goodness.

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NCERT English for Class 12 Solutions