Question Bank — The Rattrap

QUESTION BANK: The Rattrap

(Selma Lagerlöf – Flamingo, Class XII)

Section A — MCQs (10 questions, 1 mark each)

1. The peddler’s idea of the world as a rattrap came to him while he was
   a) begging at a farm
   b) thinking about his own rattraps
   c) talking to the crofter
   d) walking through the forest

2. The crofter showed the peddler the thirty kronor because he
   a) wanted to boast of his wealth
   b) wished to prove his cow was extraordinary
   c) distrusted the peddler
   d) needed help counting the money

3. Assertion (A): The ironmaster mistook the peddler for Captain von Stahle.
   Reason (R): The ironmaster had poor eyesight and the forge was dimly lit.
   Choose the correct option:
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

4. Edla Willmansson insisted that the peddler stay because she
   a) wanted to reform a thief
   b) felt pity for a lonely, hunted man
   c) feared her father’s anger
   d) needed help with Christmas preparations

5. Assertion (A): The peddler left the stolen money and a rattrap as a Christmas gift for Edla.
   Reason (R): Edla’s kindness made him feel he had been raised from a rat to a captain.
   Choose the correct option:
   a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
   b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
   c) A is true but R is false.
   d) A is false but R is true.

6. The phrase “things have gone downhill with me” means the peddler
   a) had lost his way in the forest
   b) had suffered a decline in fortune
   c) was physically injured
   d) had sold all his rattraps

7. The peddler compared the forest to
   a) a lion’s den
   b) an impenetrable prison
   c) a cheese rind
   d) a charcoal crate

8. The ironmaster’s greatest ambition was to
   a) help the poor
   b) ship out good iron to the market
   c) catch thieves
   d) celebrate Christmas grandly

9. The peddler finally accepted Edla’s invitation because
   a) he was hungry
   b) she spoke to him in a friendly and reassuring manner
   c) the blacksmith forced him
   d) he wanted to steal from the manor

10. The letter left by the peddler was signed “Captain von Stahle” to
    a) deceive the ironmaster
    b) show he had been treated with dignity and wished to honour that treatment
    c) claim the suit as his own
    d) frighten Edla

Section B — Reference to Context (3 extracts, 4 marks each)

Extract 1

“‘Yes, God knows things have gone downhill with me,’ he said.”

i. Who is the speaker and to whom is he speaking?
ii. What situation prompted this statement?
iii. Identify the literary device used in the underlined phrase (if any) and explain its effect.
iv. What does the speaker hope to gain by not correcting the listener’s mistake?

Extract 2

“Now his own turn had come. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught. The whole forest… closed in upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he could never escape.”

i. Who is “he” and what “bait” had he taken?
ii. Explain the significance of the rattrap metaphor in this context.
iii. Name the figure of speech used in “impenetrable prison” and justify its use.
iv. How does this realisation affect the peddler’s state of mind?

Extract 3

“Honoured and noble Miss, Since you have been so nice to me all day long, as if I was a captain, I want to be nice to you, in return, as if I was a real captain…”

i. Who has written this letter and to whom?
ii. What gift accompanied the letter and what did it contain?
iii. Identify the tone of the letter and the literary device that frames the entire story.
iv. What change in the writer’s attitude does the letter reveal?

Section C — Short Answer (5 questions, 3 marks each)

1. Why did the crofter show the peddler the thirty kronor notes?
2. How did the peddler realise that he himself had been caught in a rattrap?
3. Why did the ironmaster invite the peddler to his home?
4. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler and how did she still treat him kindly?
5. How did the peddler’s experience at the manor change his view of the world?

Section D — Long Answer (2 questions, 6 marks each)

1. Draw a character sketch of Edla Willmansson, highlighting how her compassion and trust transform the peddler. (100–120 words)
2. “The story ‘The Rattrap’ shows that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through understanding and love.” Discuss with reference to the peddler’s transformation. (100–120 words)

Section E — Language and Writing (2 questions, 4 marks each)

1. Vocabulary/Grammar Task
   From the story, pick out four words/phrases that describe the peddler’s physical condition or appearance. Then use any two of them in sentences of your own.

2. Writing Task
   You are the peddler. After leaving the manor house, write a diary entry (80–100 words) describing how Edla’s kindness made you feel and what you decided to do with the stolen money.