NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Prose Chapter 4
NCERT solutions for Class 12 English Chapter 4 The Rattrap – complete answers & explanations
The NCERT Chapter “The Rattrap” from Class 12 English Flamingo is a meaningful story written by Selma Lagerlöf. The story describes the life of a poor rattrap seller who wanders from place to place struggling to survive. Through his experiences with different people, especially the kindness shown by Edla Willmansson, the story highlights how compassion and understanding can awaken goodness in a person. The chapter also presents the powerful metaphor of the world being like a rattrap that traps people through temptations. This blog provides complete NCERT solutions for Class 12 English Chapter The Rattrap strictly based on the worksheet shared, helping students understand the chapter clearly and prepare effectively for exams.
What this NCERT chapter covers?
1. The chapter introduces the life
of a poor rattrap seller who survives through begging and petty theft.
2. It explains the metaphor of the world as a rattrap that traps people through temptations like wealth and comfort.
3. Students learn how kindness and compassion can change a person’s character and behaviour.
4. The chapter develops understanding of narrative style, vocabulary, and character behaviour.
5. It also explores themes of human loneliness, redemption, and moral transformation.
How to use these NCERT solutions?
1. Students should first read the chapter carefully and try to answer the questions on their own.
2. After attempting the questions, they can check their responses using these NCERT solutions.
3. Parents and teachers can guide students in understanding the characters and themes in the story.
4. The answers follow the same order as given in the worksheet to make checking easy.
5. Regular practice using these solutions helps students improve comprehension and writing skills.
Important tips & tricks for students
1. Understand the metaphor of the world being compared to a rattrap.
2. Pay attention to the different characters and how they treat the peddler.
3. Notice how Edla’s kindness plays an important role in transforming the peddler.
4. Learn important expressions and vocabulary used in the chapter.
5. Focus on the message that kindness and compassion can bring positive change in people.
NCERT solutions – complete answer key
Notice these expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context
Explanation:
Read the expressions given at the beginning of the chapter carefully. Use the context of the story to infer their meanings and understand how they describe the peddler’s life and emotions.
Keep body and soul together
To earn enough money to survive or live a basic life.
Hunger gleamed in his eyes
His eyes clearly showed that he was extremely hungry.
Plods along the road
Walks slowly and wearily because of tiredness or hardship.
Unwonted joy
An unusual or unexpected feeling of happiness.
Impenetrable prison
A place from which it is impossible to escape.
Nodded a haughty consent
Agreed in a proud or arrogant manner without speaking.
Eased his way
Moved slowly and carefully into a place.
Fallen into a line of thought
Began thinking deeply about something.
Things have gone downhill
Life or situation has become worse.
Think as you read (Page 34)
1. The peddler was thinking about his own rattraps while walking along the road. Suddenly he realized that the world also works like a giant rattrap that tempts people with riches and comforts and traps them when they give in to these temptations.
2. He found the idea amusing because life had always been harsh to him. Thinking that the whole world was a trap for people gave him a strange satisfaction and allowed him to mock others who fell into worldly temptations.
3. No, the peddler did not expect such kindness. Usually people treated him with suspicion or chased him away, so he was surprised when the crofter welcomed him warmly and shared food and company.
4. The crofter lived alone without family and felt very lonely. Therefore, he was happy to have someone to talk to and treated the peddler with warmth and generosity.
5. The crofter showed the money to prove that his cow earned him a good income. He wanted to convince the peddler that he was telling the truth about the payment he received.
6. No, the peddler betrayed the crofter’s trust. After leaving the house, he returned, broke the window, and stole the thirty kronor.
Think as you read (Page 37)
1. When he got lost in the forest after stealing the money, he realized that he had been tempted by the bait just like others. This made him feel that he himself had been trapped in the world’s rattrap.
2. The ironmaster mistakenly thought that the peddler was his old acquaintance, Captain von Stahle. Believing him to be a former officer who had fallen on hard times, he treated him kindly and invited him home for Christmas.
3. The peddler refused because he was afraid of being exposed as a thief. He had stolen money and feared that going to the ironmaster’s house would lead to trouble.
Think as you read (Page 41)
1. The peddler accepted Edla Willmansson’s invitation because she spoke kindly and compassionately to him. Her sincere and friendly manner made him trust her.
2. Edla suspected that the man might be a thief or someone who had escaped from jail. However, she still treated him kindly and with sympathy.
3. The ironmaster realized his mistake the next morning in daylight when the peddler was cleaned and dressed. He then clearly saw that the man was not his old acquaintance.
4. The peddler explained that he had never pretended to be someone else. He had only asked permission to stay in the forge and had not claimed to be the captain.
5. Edla felt sympathy for the lonely and poor man who had nowhere to go. She believed that everyone deserved kindness and wanted him to experience a peaceful Christmas.
Think as you read (Page 42)
1. Edla was happy because the gift showed that the peddler had changed his behaviour. He returned the thirty kronor he had stolen from the crofter and left a rattrap along with a letter thanking her for her kindness.
2. The peddler signed the letter as Captain von Stahle because Edla had treated him with respect and dignity as if he were a real captain. By using that name, he humorously showed that her kindness had helped him rise above his dishonest behaviour and regain his self-respect.
Understanding the text
1. The peddler initially misuses the crofter’s kindness by stealing his money. When the ironmaster invites him home, he suspects that it is another trap. However, Edla’s genuine kindness makes him realise that goodness still exists in the world, which eventually changes his behaviour.
2. The ironmaster is practical and somewhat proud. He invites the peddler home mainly because he thinks he is an old acquaintance. When he discovers the truth, he becomes angry and wants to send him away. In contrast, Edla is compassionate and kind. Even after learning that the peddler is a thief, she insists that he stay and enjoy Christmas peacefully.
3. The crofter unexpectedly welcomes the peddler warmly. The ironmaster invites him home thinking he is someone else. Edla surprises everyone by defending the peddler even after knowing the truth. Finally, the peddler surprises everyone by returning the stolen money and leaving a gift.
4. Edla’s kindness and trust deeply moved the peddler. For the first time in his life, someone treated him with respect and dignity. This awakened the goodness within him and made him return the stolen money.
5. The metaphor of the rattrap shows how the world tempts people with material comforts such as wealth, food, and shelter. Just as a rat gets trapped by bait in a rattrap, people also fall into traps created by their desires and temptations.
6. The peddler’s humorous way of describing the world as a rattrap adds a playful tone to the story. His witty letter at the end also shows his humour. This humour balances the serious theme of human weakness and redemption.
Talking about the text
1. The reader feels sympathy for the peddler because he is extremely poor, lonely, and forced to live by begging and selling small rattraps. His miserable condition makes readers understand his struggles. Although he steals money, his actions are influenced by hardship and desperation. Later, his transformation and honesty justify the reader’s sympathy.
Answers may vary.
2. Many characters in the story suffer from loneliness. The crofter lives alone and eagerly talks to the peddler. The ironmaster and his daughter also feel lonely during Christmas and want company. The peddler himself has no home or family. The story shows that kindness and human connection can bring comfort and change people’s lives.
Answers may vary.
3. Yes, many real-life incidents show how kindness can change a person. For example, when someone helps a homeless person by providing food or shelter, it can restore their faith in humanity. Such acts often inspire people to become better and more honest. Like the peddler in the story, kindness can transform a person’s behaviour and attitude.
Answers may vary.
4. The story is entertaining because of its interesting plot, unexpected events, and humorous ideas such as the world being compared to a rattrap. At the same time, it is philosophical because it explores deep ideas about human nature, temptation, kindness, and redemption. The story teaches that compassion can awaken goodness in people.
Answers may vary.
Working with words
1. The man selling rattraps is referred to by different terms in the story:
Peddler – Shows his occupation as a seller of rattraps.
Stranger – Indicates that he is unknown to the people he meets.
Vagabond – Suggests that he is a homeless wanderer.
Tramp – Shows his poor and wandering lifestyle.
Ragamuffin – Describes his dirty and shabby appearance.
Guest – Used when he is welcomed into the ironmaster’s house.
Captain von Stahle – The false identity given to him by the ironmaster.
These labels reflect how society views him — from suspicion and pity to respect.
2. Five similar words are:
Shuffle – walk slowly dragging the feet
Limp – walk with difficulty due to weakness or injury
Stumble – walk unsteadily or trip
Totter – walk with shaky steps
Drag – walk slowly with great effort
Noticing form
Explanation:
Read the sentences carefully and observe how reflexive pronouns are used in the story.
Examples from the story include:
He made them himself at odd moments.
He raised himself from the ground.
He had let himself be fooled by the bait.
You yourself may want to get a big piece of pork.
Reflexive pronouns such as himself and yourself are used to emphasize the subject or show that the action refers back to the subject.
Thinking about language
Explanation:
These questions focus on special vocabulary and cultural references used in the story.
1. Examples of ironworks-related terms from the story include:
Forge
Furnace
Pig iron
Bellows
Anvil
Charcoal
Iron mill
2. Examples of indoor games include:
Chess
Carrom
Ludo
Playing cards
Snakes and Ladders
Table tennis
3. Examples of terms for a small farmer include:
Peasant
Tenant farmer
Cultivator
Smallholder
Sharecropper
In India, regional terms such as Kisan or Bhumidar may also refer to farmers.
Why NCERT solutions help students?
NCERT solutions help students understand the chapter clearly and prepare structured answers for exams. These solutions follow the NCERT pattern and help students develop better comprehension, writing skills, and confidence in answering literature questions. They also help learners understand the deeper message of the story and apply it in exam writing.
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