The Rattrap
Understanding the text
1. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and
hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his
daughter?
Answer:
2. What are the instances in the story that show that the character
of the ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many
ways?
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3. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the
characters to others’ behaviour. Pick out instances of these
surprises.
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4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
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5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the
human predicament?
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6. The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour.
How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme
of the story and also endear him to us?
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Talking about the text
Discuss the following in groups of four. Each group can deal
with one topic. Present the views of your group to the whole
class.
1. The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler right from the
beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is the sympathy justified?
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2. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to
bond with others.
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3. Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an
act of kindness has changed a person’s view of the world?
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4. The story is both entertaining and philosophical.
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Working with words
1. The man selling rattraps is referred to by many terms such as
“peddler, stranger” etc. Pick out all such references to him. What
does each of these labels indicate of the context or the attitude
of the people around him.
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2. You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger in the story.
These words indicate movement accompanied by weariness. Find
five other such words with a similar meaning.
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