Chapter 4 The Rattrap Solutions
Question - 61 : - The story The Rattrap’is both entertaining and philosophical. Do you agree with this statement? Why/Why not?
Answer - 61 : -
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 - 62 : - The story focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
Answer - 62 : -
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 - 63 : - Give examples from the story, ‘The Rattrap” to show how the.ironmaster is different from his daughter.
Answer - 63 : -
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 - 64 : - How does the Peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the Crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?
Answer - 64 : -
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 - 65 : - How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Answer - 65 : -
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 - 66 : - 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 - 66 : -
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.
Question - 67 : - 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.
Answer - 67 : - 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.
Answer - 68 : -
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.