NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Humanities English Chapter 4 - The Rattrap

Share with your friends Share Share Share twitter

Answer:

•  keep body and soul together - to manage to keep alive; to survive
•  hunger gleamed in his eyes - feeling so hungry that the expression shows on one’s face
•  plods along the road - moving along the road slowly but deliberately, to walk with a heavy feet
•  unwonted joy - unusual pleasure or happiness
•  impenetrable prison - impassable confinement
•  nodded a haughty consent - indifferent agreement
•  eased his way - moved himself slowly and carefully
•  fallen into a line of thought - agreement of thoughts
•  things have gone downhill - to decline or grow worse and worse

Answer:

During one of his usual plodding, the peddler thought on the subject of rattraps. It presented him with the idea of the world being a rattrap and he grew fond of thinking this way.

Answer:

The peddler was amused by the idea of the world being a giant rattrap because he was never treated kindly by the world. Therefore, he harboured hard feelings for it and loved ‘to think ill of it’ by comparing it with a giant rattrap.

Answer:

No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter. This was because usually he was greeted by ‘sour’ and unfriendly faces whenever he knocked on doors and requested for shelter.

Answer:

The crofter was a lonely fellow who lived on his own in a little gray cottage by the roadside. He had no wife or children, and craved company and friends. So, one day when the peddler turned up at his doorstep, he was happy to find someone to talk to, to be relieved of his boredom and monotony. This is the reason he was so talkative and friendly with the peddler.

Answer:

The crofter was a naive and trusting man who craved company more than anything else. He wanted to share his joy of earning the money with someone. He got his chance when the peddler came along.  Moreover, he thought that the peddler did not believe him, so he showed the peddler the thirty kronor bills that he kept in a leather pouch.

Answer:

No, the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. In fact, he betrayed his trust by robbing the thirty kronors from him.

However, later in the story, his conscience was awakened by his stay with the Willmanssons and he decided to return the money.

Answer:

After stealing the money, the peddler tried to escape through the forest but soon got lost. Left in despair, he recollected his own thoughts on the world being a giant rattrap. A sudden realisation came to him that he had finally got himself caught in the rattrap because he allowed himself to be tempted by the bait, the thirty kronor bills. Similarly, on his way to the ironmaster’s home, he felt himself caught in the trap.

He was again haunted by such thoughts when the ironmaster, on realising the truth about the peddler, threatened to get him arrested. The rattrap seller expressed himself strongly realising that the worldly bait had, once more, tempted and trapped him.

Answer:

The ironmaster of the Ramsjö Ironworks spoke kindly to the peddler because he had mistaken him for an old regimental comrade, Captain von Stahle.

The ironmaster wanted to help the peddler, not only in regaining his health but also in taking up a new vocation.  Moreover, the ironmaster was a lonely fellow who lived with his oldest daughter after the death of his wife and the departure of his sons. As he longed for some company on the Christmas Eve, he invited the peddler to his home.

Answer:

The peddler was alarmed at the idea of spending the night at the manor of the ironmaster, of the Ramsjö Ironworks, who was an ex-army man. He had not made an attempt to correct the ironmaster when he was mistaken for an old acquaintance. Moreover, he was anxious about the fact that he had the stolen thirty kronor bills with him, and accepting the invitation “would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den”. Therefore, the peddler thought it better to decline the invitation.

Answer:

By his frightened look, Edla guessed that the peddler had either stolen something or has escaped prison. So she hinted an assurance that he would be free to leave whenever he wanted. Reassured, he accepted the invitation.

Answer:

When Edla went to the iron mill to fetch the peddler, she noticed that he was frightened. She had doubts that the peddler had stolen something or had escaped prison. His appearance and behaviour also left her in doubts whether he was actually an educated man, as claimed by her father.

Answer:

The ironmaster realised his mistake the next day when the peddler turned up at breakfast. The valet had bathed the peddler, cut his hair, shaved him and given him clothes. The ironmaster realised that he had been deceived in recognising the person because of the reflection of the furnace, the previous night.

Answer:

To defend himself, the peddler argued that he had never said that he was a captain or the old comrade of the ironmaster. In fact, he had repeatedly declined the invitation to spend the Christmas at the manor.

Answer:

Edla had a kind and sympathetic heart that was pained by the plight of the poor peddler. She requested her father to allow him to spend one day with them in peace as a respite from the struggle he had to endure round the year. Her principles did not allow her to throw this man out of her house on the Christmas Eve especially when they had already promised him a “Christmas cheer”. Moreover, she had been in high spirits that morning thinking of the ways in which she could help the tramp. Therefore, even after knowing the truth, Edla wanted to entertain the peddler.

Answer:

Edla showed great trust in him by letting him stay at their manor on the Christmas Eve. But the news about the robbery had left her dejected.  So she was overjoyed when she reached home to find the package and the letter left by the peddler. This gesture of appreciation from the peddler made her happy.

Answer:

Throughout his life, the peddler had never known respect. He was always treated coldly by the world. For the first time in his life, he was honoured and respected as if he were a captain. Even after the truth was exposed, the daughter continued to treat him in a similar way. The way he was treated encouraged him to behave in a like manner. He signed the letter as Captain von Stahle so as to underline the impact of Edla’s goodness on him.

Answer:

The different ways in which the peddler repaid the three people corresponds to the way he interpreted the kindness of the three people. The peddler realised that for the crofter it was his craving for company that led him to offer his hospitality. The ironmaster’s hospitality apparently is limited to his acquaintances. It was only the daughter who genuinely offered warmth and goodness to the peddler. He was touched by Edla’s kindness and it made him want to act differently. He repaid her good treatment with a gesture of true gratitude.

Answer:

Edla and her father had different natures. She had more convincing power than the father and was able to persuade the peddler to accept the invitation. We also find that the ironmaster’s hospitability was limited to his old comrade. But, the daughter was pained by the plight of the peddler and continued to treat him well even after the truth about his identity was revealed. Again, after finding about the robbery of the crofter’s money, while the ironmaster was more concerned with the possibility of the peddler robbing them as well, the daughter is more pained by the betrayal of her trust. We also find that while the father was impulsive and reckless in nature, the daughter’s behaviour was more mature and controlled.

Answer:

The first instance is that of the crofter’s hospitality to the peddler. The rattrap peddler, used to being shooed away, was surprised at the friendly behaviour of the crofter. The peddlar was also surprised at the sudden invitation given by the ironmaster, who was himself shocked to realise his mistake in recognising the peddler, the next day. Another unexpected reaction, for both the peddler and the ironmaster, is Edla’s intervention to seek peddler’s presence for Christmas. However, the most unexpected reaction is from the peddler when he leaves the package and the letter for Edla, showing gratitude to the girl’s hospitality and respect for him.

Answer:

The experience of the peddler at the manor of the Willmanssons made the peddler change his ways. Earlier he had never known a true sympathiser or well-wisher. He had no friend to steer him on the right path. Though the crofter was hospitable to him and even the ironmaster had almost offered him help, they failed to leave any impact on him. It was Edla who, through her genuine care and understanding, was finally able to change the peddler for the better.

Answer:

The metaphor of the rattrap signifies that the world exists only to trap people by setting baits for them. Whenever someone is tempted by the luxuries, he ends up being caught in a dangerous trap. The author, thus, makes a much deeper comment on the woeful plight of those in pursuit of the worldly pleasures, which often lead them to unfortunate situations. The story helps in realising the importance of general goodness and kindness. The peddler is saved from the snare of the huge rattrap called world only when he appreciates the kindness to him by Edla.

Answer:

The peddler doesn’t come across as a humorous person, although one can locate a subtle sense of humour in the way he thinks about the world as being a giant rattrap. He is singularly pleased by this thought of his because it provides him with the opportunity of thinking ‘ill’ of the world that is not kind to him. It is clearly visible that whenever he gets caught unaware, in the web of deceit spun by his scheming mind, he hides behind the thought that the world is a rattrap and he merely a prey. Thus, he lightens the mood and theme of the story and makes us endear him.

Answer:

From the beginning, the rattrap seller is shown as a victim of his situation and not a downright evil character. The peddler had to resort to beggary and stealing because his business is not profitable enough to make both ends meet. His condition of penury does not allow him to be fully righteous. Moreover, we find that he lacks friends and guide to steer him in the right path. The sympathy is justified because in the end we find out that the peddler is capable of appreciating genuine goodness and hospitality. When he is treated with respect and kindness, he reciprocates the same in the best way he can.

Answer:

The Rattrap deals with the issues of human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Not only the peddler but also other characters like the crofter, the ironmaster and Edla emphasise this fact.

The peddler’s conscience had left him because he had been lonely in his predicament, for a long time. But Edla’s kindness and hospitality changed him. The crofter, on the other hand, is a lonely fellow whose craving for company leads him to give shelter to a vagabond, and he ends up getting robbed. Even, the ironmaster and his daughter suffer from loneliness. They crave company on Christmas Eve and are excited when they get the opportunity to serve a guest.

Answer:

Directions: Think of any incident or a story where your perspective changes due to some act of kindness from someone. Or, think about someone whose perspective changes because of a good deed by someone else. Discussing this with the group will help. After finalising the incident, write about the reason the person had a negative perspective towards life. Then describe the episode where someone bestowed kindness on him. Finally, explain what effect it had on the person on whom it was bestowed and how his perspective of the world changed.

(Directions have been provided for a student’s benefit. It is strongly recommended that students prepare the answer on their own.)

Answer:

The story is told in the form of a fairy tale with a happy ending. The narrative is interesting with many surprises and attention-grabbing dialogues. The twists and the unexpected reactions of the characters often astonish the reader making the story entertaining. 

However, the author has carefully managed to weave philosophical elements into the storyline. The rattrap peddler’s comparison of the whole world with a giant rattrap makes this an interesting commentary on how such people end up getting trapped in the giant chasm. The story also makes an observation on the inherent goodness of people. It also showcases how goodness and kindness shown by some people can change others’ perspective.

Answer:

This list may not be an exhaustive one. The students are strongly recommended to read the chapters and find other such terms and phrases on their own.

Answer:

Other words are lurch, stumble, slog, hike, clump, traipse and stomp.

Answer:

Other such phrases could be as follows:

1. ‘a hard regular thumping’

2. ‘hammer strokes’

3. ‘a large plant with smelter, rolling mill and forge’

4. ‘pig iron’

5. ‘coal dust’

6. ‘put on the anvil’

Answer:

Some indoor games are chess, ludo, table tennis, playing cards, billiards, etc.

Answer:

Some other terms are peasant, plower, cultivator, krishak, kisan etc

Answer: