THE RATTRAP – LONG ANSWERS

Question 1
Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’ shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by
understanding and love. (Delhi 2006)
Answer:
The theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material
gains. However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human
goodness. The peddler had been treated very cruelly by the world. So even though the old crofter was
kind and hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not
impressed by the ironmaster’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
brought about a transformation in his nature. Her human qualities helped in raising him to be a
gentleman. He was easily able to overcome petty temptations. The peddler who always considered the
whole world to be a rattrap finally felt released from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind, loving and
generous treatment of Edla Willmansson that was able to bring out his basic human goodness.
Question 2
Give examples from the story, ‚The Rattrap‛ to show how the iron master is different from his daughter.
(Delhi 2006)
Answer:
The character of Edla Willmansson and that of the iron master are in stark contrast to each other. Despite
being young, the daughter displays a better sense of maturity than her father who acts impulsively and
behaves . casually. He jumps to conclusions without thinking. First he mistakes the peddler to be an old
regimental comrade and without confirming his identity he instantly invites him to the manor house and
again on realising his mistake he refers the matter to the sheriff thoughtlessly. Edla, on the other hand,
displays a keen sense of observation. She rightly judges that her guest is a tramp and has a sympathetic
attitude towards him. She persuades her father to allow the guest to stay, leads him courteously to the
dining table and makes him eat despite her father’s protest. It is because of her compassion and
generosity that the peddler undergoes a change of heart and redeems himself from dishonesty. He
leaves behind thirty kronors to be given back to the old crofter and a Christmas present for Edla.
Question 3
The story ‘The Rattrap’ focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain. (Delhi
2010)
Answer:
The main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is on human loneliness. All the characters, whether it is the
peddler, the crofter, the ironmaster or his daughter, suffer from loneliness. The peddler is a lonely man
who has always been shunned by society’s cold and unkind words. When he knocks at the door of the
old crofter’s cottage he does not expect hospitality but the crofter welcomes him as he is too happy to
get someone to talk to after being alone for so long. By serving the peddler the crofter is in fact serving
himself. He serves the peddler with supper, gives him tobacco and plays ‘mjolis’ with him. He is a very
good host. The iron¬master and his daughter too miss company and this makes them all the more lonely
on the occasion of Christmas. So the ironmaster, who mistakes the peddler for his old regimental
comrade, invites him to his manor house for Christmas. The ironmaster’s daughter, Edla, extends this
invitation again and tells the peddler he can leave any time after Christmas. Thus the need to bond is the
main focus of the story ‘The Rattrap’.
Question 4
Describe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’ shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by
understanding and love. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material
gains. However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human
goodness. The peddler had been treated very cruelly by the world. So even though the old crofter was
kind and hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not
impressed by the iron-master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
brought about a transformation in his nature. Her human qualities helped in raising him to be a
gentleman. He was easily able to overcome petty temptations. The peddler who always considered the
whole world to be a rattrap finally felt released from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind, loving and
generous treatment of Edla Willmansson that was able to bring out his basic human goodness.
Question 5
How are the attitudes of the ironmaster and his daughter different? Support your answer from the text.
(Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The character of Edla Willmansson and that of the iron master are in stark contrast to each other. Despite
being young, the daughter displays a better sense of maturity than her father who acts impulsively and
behaves . casually. He jumps to conclusions without thinking. First he mistakes the peddler to be an old
regimental comrade and without confirming his identity he instantly invites him to the manor house and
again on realising his mistake he refers the matter to the sheriff thoughtlessly. Edla, on the other hand,
displays a keen sense of observation. She rightly judges that her guest is a tramp and has a sympathetic
attitude towards him. She persuades her father to allow the guest to stay, leads him courteously to the
dining table and makes him eat despite her father’s protest. It is because of her compassion and
generosity that the peddler undergoes a change of heart and redeems himself from dishonesty. He
leaves behind thirty kronors to be given back to the old crofter and a Christmas present for Edla.
Question 6
Describe the peddler’s interaction with the ironmaster’s daughter. To what extent was he influenced by
her? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
The peddler first meets Edla Wilmansson, the ironmaster’s daughter when, on her fathers insistence, she
comes to invite him to their manor house for Christmas. He was so touched by the sincerity in her voice
that he could not refuse her invitation. Later, she comes to know of the peddler’s real identity but it does
not change her warmth, friendliness and hospitality towards him. She continues to treat him like a
Captain and the peddler quite spontaneously, starts behaving like a real Captain. He leaves a rattrap as a
Christmas gift for Edla and encloses a letter of thanks and a note of confession in it. He leaves behind the
stolen money to be restored to its rightful owner, the crofter, thus redeeming himself from his dishonest
ways. Edla Wilmansson’s sympathy, compassion and understanding give the peddler an opportunity to
redeem and reform himself.
Question 7.
Describe the crofter’s interaction with the peddler. How did the latter get tempted? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)
Answer:
When the peddler knocked on the door of the crofter’s cottage he was greeted by the lonely old man
who was just too happy to get someone to talk to. He served the peddler with extreme hospitality and
even played cards with him. He also shared his confidences with the peddler telling him that he had been
a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks during his days of prosperity and now his cow supported him. Last month
he had received thirty kronors in payment for the cow milk he had sold. He even showed the peddler the
leather pouch on the window where he had kept the thirty kronors thus tempting the peddler. The next
day the peddler after leaving the crofter’s cottage came back there again, smashed the window pane,
stuck in his hand and got hold of the pouch that contained the thirty kronors. Then hanging the leather
pouch back very carefully, he went away.
Question 8
‘The Rattrap’ highlights the impact of compassion and understanding on the hidden goodness in human
beings. Substantiate with evidence from the story. (Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
The theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material
gains. However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human
goodness. The peddler had been treated very cruelly by the world. So even though the old crofter was
kind and hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty kronors from him. He was not
impressed by the ironmaster’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s compassion and understanding
brought about a transformation in his nature. Her human qualities helped in raising him to be a
gentleman. He was easily able to overcome petty temptations. The peddler who always considered the
whole world to be a rattrap finally felt released from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind, loving and
generous treatment of Edla Willmansson that was able to bring out his basic human goodness.
Question 9
Given his temperament, Edla’s father would have failed in reforming the peddler. How did Edla succeed?
(Comptt. All India 2011)
Answer:
Unlike her father Edla is a compassionate, sympathetic and understanding girl and because of these
virtues she succeeded in reforming the peddler. The ironmaster, on the other hand, is impulsive and
whimsical. He invites the stranger to his house without confirming the latters identity and as soon as the
peddler’s true identity is revealed he decides to refer the whole matter to the sheriff. But Edla continues
to be nice and hospitable to him and does not turn him out of their house on Christmas eve. She treats
the peddler like a real captain and he too behaves like one. She thus awakened the potential goodness of
his heart and before leaving the manor house he leaves behind a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla and
the money he had stolen from the crofter’s cottage alongwith a letter in which he confesses his crime
and requests Edla to return the thirty kronors to the old crofter.
Question 10
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? (Delhi 2013)
Answer:
After robbing the crofter the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He immediately realised that
he could not dare to continue with his journey on the public highway so he turned off the road, into the
woods. During the first few hours his decision caused him no difficulty but later it became worse for he
had gotten into a big and confusing forest. He continued to walk and when he came to the end of the
forest he realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest. Then he recalled his
thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his own turn had come. He had let himself be fooled
by a bait of thirty kronors and had been caught. His reaction reveals his gloom and despair as he realized
the forest had closed in open upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could
never escape. It also reveals that he was basically a good person at heart and was repentant of his folly.
Question 11
There is a saying, ‘Kindness pays, rudeness never’. In the story, ‘The Rattrap’ Edla’s attitude towards men
and matters is different from her fathers attitude. How are the values of concern and compassion
brought out in the story, ‘The Rattrap’? (All India 2013)
Answer:
Edla Willmansson displays qualities of compassion and understanding that transform the peddler and
brings out his essential human goodness. Her human qualities help in raising him to the level of a
gentleman and he is able to overcome petty temptations. The peddler, who always considered the whole
world to be a rattrap, was finally able to release himself from this rattrap due to the sympathetic, kind
and generous treatment of Edla and thus redeems himself from his dishonest ways. Despite knowing his
real identity Edla continues to treat him like a Captain and the peddler quite spontaneously starts
behaving like a real captain. Edla’s compassion and the peddler’s reformation arouses our optimism and
belief in the essential goodness of man and other human values.
Question 12
How does the peddler respond to the hospitality shown to him by the crofter? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The peddler responds to the crofter’s hospitality by betraying him. One dark evening
when the peddler was walking along the road he knocked on the door of a cottage to seek shelter for
the night. To his surprise, he was welcomed by an old man, the crofter, who lived alone in the cottage.
The lonely crofter was happy to find a man whom he could talk to. He served the peddler supper, gave
him tobacco and played a game of cards with him. The old crofter then went to the window and took
down a leather pouch. He counted three ten kronor notes and put them into the pouch. This provided a
big bait for the peddler who was tempted to steal the notes. The peddler unwillingly allowed himself to
be tempted to touch the bait and was thus trapped in. He stole the money and thus committed a breach
of trust. So he betrayed the confidence reposed in him by his host.
Question 13
How did the seller of rattraps realize that he himself was caught up in a rattrap after he left the crofter’s
cottage? (Comptt. Delhi 2013)
Answer:
After robbing the crofter the peddler felt quite pleased with his smartness. He immediately realised that
he could not dare to continue with his journey on the public highway so he turned off the road, into the
woods. During the first few hours his decision caused him no difficulty but later it became worse for he
had gotten into a big and confusing forest. He continued to walk and when he came to the end of the
forest he realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest. Then he recalled his
thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his own turn had come. He had let himself be fooled
by a bait of thirty kronors and had been caught. His reaction reveals his gloom and despair as he realized
the forest had closed in open upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could
never escape. It also reveals that he was basically a good person at heart and was repentant of his folly.
Question 14.
Why did the peddler accept Edla’s invitation when he had already declined the iron¬master’s to go home
with him? (Comptt, Delhi 2013)
Answer:
The peddler first meets Edla Willmannson, the ironmaster’s daughter, when on her father’s insistence she
comes to invite the peddler to their manor house for Christmas. The peddler who had earlier refused to
accept the ironmaster’s invitation could not decline Edla’s invitation. She looked at him with compassion
because she immediately noticed that he was afraid. So she spoke to him in such a friendly and warm
manner that the peddler felt a kind of confidence in her. Infact the peddler even tells her that it would
never have occurred to him that she would bother herself over him and he would come with her
immediately. So he accepted the fur coat which Edla’s valet handed him and followed the young lady out
to the carriage.
Question 15.
The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla. Why? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
The peddler first meets Edla Willmannson, the ironmaster’s daughter, when on her father’s insistence she
comes to invite the peddler to their manor house for Christmas. The peddler who had earlier refused to
accept the ironmaster’s invitation could not decline Edla’s invitation. She looked at him with compassion
because she immediately noticed that he was afraid. So she spoke to him in such a friendly and warm
manner that the peddler felt a kind of confidence in her. Infact the peddler even tells her that it would
never have occurred to him that she would bother herself over him and he would come with her
immediately. So he accepted the fur coat which Edla’s valet handed him and followed the young lady out
to the carriage.
Question 16.
Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the peddler. Comment.
(Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Edla does prove to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the peddler. When the
ironmaster invites the peddler to his manor house the latter vehemently refuses to go. Despite trying to
allay the peddlers’s fears, the ironmaster is unable to convince him to give them company for Christmas.
He finally gives up after the peddler’s repeated refusals and goes away. Later Edla arrives, approaches the
peddler and extends the invitation once again. She assures him he can leave after Christmas anytime. The
peddler is touched by Edla’s warmth, friendly and sympathetic nature. So he agrees to accompany Edla.
Question 17
Why did the crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler betray that and with what
consequences? (Delhi 2015)
Answer:
One dark evening when the peddler was walking along the road he knocked on the door of a cottage to
seek shelter for the night. To his surprise, he was welcomed by an old man, the crofter, who lived alone in
the cottage. The lonely crofter was happy to find a man whom he could talk to. He served the peddler
supper, gave him tobacco and played a game of cards with him. The old crofter then went to the window
and took down a leather pouch. He counted three ten kronor notes and put them into the pouch. This
provided a big bait for the peddler who was tempted to steal the notes. The peddler unwillingly allowed
himself to be tempted to touch the bait and was thus trapped in. He stole the money and thus
committed a breach of trust. So he betrayed the confidence reposed in him by his host. After stealing the
crofter’s money he turned off the road, and ventured into the woods. There he got completely lost in the
big and confusing forest. Later the whole forest seemed to close in upon him like an impenetrable prison
from which he could just not escape.
Question 18.
To be grateful is a great virtue of a gentleman. How did the peddler show his gratitude to Edla? (Comptt.
Delhi 2015)
Answer:
Edla knew that her father was mistaken when he invited the peddler home thinking he was his long lost
friend. Later it was revealed that he was a complete stranger and not a straight forward man. Despite this
Edla begged her father not to send him away on Christmas eve. She invited him home and gave him
food, shelter and clothes. Her kindness, compassion and sympathy brings out the goodness in the tramp.
He leaves a packet for her as a Christmas gift which contains a rattrap and three ten kronor notes stolen
from the crofter. It also contains a letter in which he signs himself as captain. Edla’s care and concern
changes the peddler into a dignified gentleman.
Question 19.
How did Edla treat the peddler? (Comptt. Delhi 2016)
Answer:
Edla was the daughter of the ironmaster. She was a warm, sensitive and compassionate person. She
understood in the first meeting that the peddler was scared of someone and he had not had a single day
of peace. So she decided to let him spend Christmas with them in their house. She assured him that he
could leave anytime he wanted after celebrating Christmas with them. Edla woke him up to eat food only.
Otherwise, she let him sleep for two days. She showed genuine goodness which brought about a positive
transformation in the peddler. She continues to treat him like a captain and the peddler, quite
spontaneously, starts behaving like a real captain.
Question 20.
The peddler thinks that the whole world is a rattrap. This view of life is true only of himself and of no one
else in the story. Comment. (Delhi 2017)
Answer:
The peddler had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when he was struck by the idea that the whole
world was nothing but a big rattrap. It only existed to set baits for people. When someone let himself be
tempted to touch the bait, it closed on him, and then everything came to an end. But this view of life is
true only of the peddler himself and of no one else in the story. The three ten kronor notes of the old
crofter provide a bait for the peddler and after he steals the money, he gets lost in the big and confusing
forest. He then recalls his thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his . turn had come. He
had let himself be tempted by a bait and had been caught in the rattrap. He realized the forest had
closed upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could never escape. The theme
of the story of ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefit.
However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human goodness.
So even though the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty
kronors from him. He was not impressed by the iron¬master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s
compassion brought out a transformation in his nature. Human qualities helped in raising him to be a
gentleman.
Question 21.
The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught in the same? (All
India 2017)
Answer:
The peddler had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when he was struck by the idea that the whole
world was nothing but a big rattrap. It only existed to set baits for people. When someone let himself be
tempted to touch the bait, it closed on him, and then everything came to an end. But this view of life is
true only of the peddler himself and of no one else in the story. The three ten kronor notes of the old
crofter provide a bait for the peddler and after he steals the money, he gets lost in the big and confusing
forest. He then recalls his thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his turn had come. He had
let himself be tempted by a bait and had been caught in the rattrap. He realized the forest had closed
upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could never escape. The theme of the
story of ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefit.
However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human goodness.
So even though the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty
kronors from him. He was not impressed by the iron master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s
compassion brought out a transformation in his nature. Human qualities helped in raising him to be a
gentleman.
Question 22.
The people we meet in life leave an impression on us. How is the rattrap peddler affected by meeting the
crofter and Edla? (Comptt. All India 2017)
Answer:
The good people we meet sometimes leave an impression on us. Compassion and understanding can
transform a person and bring out his essential human goodness. As is the case with the rattrap peddler
whose meeting with the crofter and Edla bring about a positive transformation in his nature. The lonely
old crofter was extremely kind to the peddler. Despite his hospitality the peddler stole his money and
committed a breach of trust. Edla too treated him nicely, even after she came to know his true identity.
The peddler who had always considered the world to be a rattrap that enclosed upon people finally felt
released from this rattrap due to the kind, generous and sympathetic treatment of the crofter and Edla.
He leaves behind a letter of thanks for Edla with a Christmas gift and the money he had stolen from the
crofter, to be restored to its rightful owner.