THE RATTRAP

1.       Introduction to the author:

Selma Lagerlof was a Swedish author. In 1909 she became the first woman to ever receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, "in appreciation of the lofty idealism, vivid imagination and spiritual perception that characterize her writings". She later also became the first female member of the Swedish Academy. 
Born in the forested countryside of Sweden she was told many of the classic Swedish fairy tales, which she would later use as inspiration in her magic realist writings.

Her stories have been translated into many languages.  She often describes the peasant life and nature, inspired by the myths, history and folklore, always accompanied by ethical strength and a deep religious feeling. Her most known book is 'The Wonderful Adventures of Nils', a geography book for school children.

During her lifetime, she was loved throughout the world because of both her gift for storytelling and her idealism, which was a welcome change from the pessimistic realism dominating her period. Since her death, she also has been increasingly recognized as a preserver of the folkways and traditions of rural Sweden.

Her writings deal with goodness in human beings. According to her the human beings are inherently good by nature but they prone to fall into the trap of material benefits. At the same time, it is the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways. The story exhibits the episode of the life of a rattrap seller who has fallen into the trap of materialism and later on he realizes his mistake and tries to give up the temptation.

2.       Introduction to the story:

In this story author tries to deals with the human dilemma of temptation. It tells about human emotional needs and human behaviour.

3.       Summary:

 The Rattrap is a story where a good deed or an act of kindness changes a person’s view of the world. It’s an entertaining and philosophical story that reveals the theme of the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways.

The story has a fairy-tale beginning once upon a time there was a man who went around selling rattraps made of scrap metal. His poverty had brought out the worst in him, making him bitter and killing his conscience. The tramp’s view of the world was a cynical one: he envied those who were better off than him. He believed the world to be like a rattrap that offered temptations like shelter and food for entrapping victims. The peddler does not hesitate to steal the money from the crofter even though he enjoys his hospitality and warm welcome. Pangs of guilt trouble him when he loses his way in the forest. His bitter and hardened temperament receives a chance for repentance when he encounters the iron master and his daughter. The author brings an effective twist in the story to show that innate goodness exists in all human beings. It takes a little love, understanding and an act of friendship to bring it to the fore. The iron master’s daughter showed him sympathy, honour and respect and gave him a sense of dignity. This touched a chord in the heart of the peddler who at once felt that he was no longer the nameless tramp that he had been all his life but somebody with an identity. He redeemed himself by returning the stolen money as he had felt motivated by Edla’s kindness.

4.       Significance of the title:

The author, Selma Lagerlof has aptly titled the story as “The Rattrap” as the story revolves around the belief that the whole world is nothing but a big rattrap with all its temptations used as baits. The author here used the word rattrap as a metaphor to develop the theme. Almost all human beings find it hard to resist the temptation of material goods or benefits and consciously fall into the trap. The world is a rattrap where human beings constantly fall prey to various baits kept for them. However, the author has brought across the idea that all human beings possess an essential goodness which can be awakened through love, compassion and understanding. An individual can redeem himself from dishonest ways if he makes an effort. The peddler of rattraps calls the world a big rattrap. The material benefits like riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing are temptations that allure a person to fall into the rattrap. Once a person accepts the bait, he or she is trapped forever. The peddler gets tempted to steal the crofter’s money. He is too afraid to move about in the open, hence moves through the woods. Later, it is the kind, sympathetic and generous treatment given to him by Edla and her father that helps him get transformed and free himself from the feelings of guilt and get rid of the rattrap forever. The rattrap becomes a symbol of worldly temptations and the peddler symbolizes man’s efforts to escape them. Even literally, the tramp was a rattrap seller.

5.       Character sketch:

v  Character traits of the Rattrap Seller:

The rattrap seller is a poverty stricken man. He lived by making and selling rattraps from scrap materials he get by begging. His life was sad and monotonous. Since the world had never been kind to him, he was full of bitterness and malice against it. The peddler experienced unwonted joy at everyone else’s discomfort, pain at being ensnared by the devilish ways of the world. It gave him sadistic delight to see others caught in the snare and still others circling around the bait. He is philosophical and thoughtful. While plodding along the road, left to his own meditations, the peddler was struck by the idea that this world around him with its lands and cities is a big rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for its people. On the other hand begging and petty thievery occasionally were his means of livelihood. He is not morally upright.  He does not even spare his host, the old crofter and steals his 30 kronors. He is an opportunist Takes advantage of situations. Although by the end the goodness in him was brought out by the kindness of Edla.

v  Ironmaster's Daughter Edla Willmansson

She is a great host with her kind, compassionate, shy, modest, and humble nature. With a keen perception and an extremely sharp observation, she zeroes down on the fact that the peddler had robbed someone or was on the run. She could even judge that he did not seem to be educated. In a subtle way she brings out the hidden but inherent goodness of the peddler by liberating him from the 'philosophical' trap; of his own raking. She is persuasive as she could persuade the peddler to come to their home.

v  The ironmaster

He was a successful businessman famous for supplying good quality iron products and was an army officer earlier. He was a dedicated businessman. But he is hasty and haughty in his temperament.

6.       The story in details:

v  The peddler

The story begins in a fairy tale style. Once upon a time there was a man who went around selling small rattraps made of scrap materials that he get from stores and big farms. He could not simply live by begging and selling rattraps so the circumstances had forced the peddler to indulge in petty crimes. His life was sad and monotonous. One day while plodding along the road a thought strikes his mind that world is nothing but a big rattrap.  It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, clothing and heat just as the rattrap providing cheese and pork to attract the mouse. And ones we step into it there is no way out. Since the world had never been kind to him, he was full of bitterness and hatred against it. He experienced unusual joy at everyone else’s discomfort, pain at being ensnared by the devilish ways of the world. It gave him cruel delight to see others caught in the snare and still others circling around the bait.

v  The Crofter

In one dark evening when he was trudging along the road he saw a small grey cottage by the roadside. He goes to the cottage and knocked at the door. An old man opened the door and welcomed him warmly. He was alone without wife and children and happy to see a guest. He offered him food and tobacco and also played cards with him. He was generous to the peddler. In their small talk after supper he informed that in his days of prosperity he was a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks and had lands of his own. But now he was no longer do day labour. It was his extraordinary cow which provides milk for the creamery and he receives thirty kronor in payment. He also picked out ten kronor from the pouch that he hanged on a nail in the window frame and showed it to the peddler. Then he kept it back.

Next day the crofter woke up early to milk the cow. And the peddler went on his way. But half an hour later the peddler came back and went to the window where the pouch with ten kronor was kept. He smashed the window and got the money and moved away. Even though he enjoys his hospitality and warm welcome the peddler does not hesitate to steal the money from the crofter.

v  The peddler lost in the forest

After having stolen thirty kronors from the crofter, the peddler realized that he could not walk on the public highway and so he turned off the road into the woods. It was a big and confusing forest and the paths twisted back and forth, he walked without coming to the end of the wood and finally realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest. Recalling his thought about the world, and the rattrap he realized that he had let himself to be fooled by bait and had been caught. 

His gloom and despair was enhanced by the darkness. Finally he saw no way out and thought his last moment has come. He lay down on the ground. Then he heard a sound of regular thumping. And he could identify it as the sound of the strokes of a hammer coming from an iron mill nearby. He tried to walk towards the sound.

v  The Ramsjo Ironworks

Then he reached Ramsjo ironworks. He opened the gate of the works and went into the furnace. The master blacksmith and his apprentice were sitting there waiting for the pig-iron to be ready to put on the anvil. There was noise in the forge. So, they couldn’t notice that a man had opened the gate and entered the forge. It’s only when he stood by the furnace the blacksmith hardly took any notice of his presence. It was not unusual for a vagabond to come in for shelter and warmth. He asked permission to stay and the master smith nodded with an arrogant consent without honouring him. 

v  The ironmaster

The owner of the Works was very particular about the quality of the iron he produced. On one of his visits he comes into the forge while the peddler lay in front of the furnace. He looked intently at the peddler’s face. He felt sure that the peddler was one of his old regimental comrades, Captain von Stable who had fallen on evil days. He invited the peddler to go home with him for Christmas. But the peddler was alarmed. He thought it was risky for him to accept the offer. He firmly declined it. Then the ironmaster went home.

v  The ironmaster’s daughter Edla

Then the owner sent his daughter Edla to persuade the peddler to come home. She came in a carriage with a large fur coat. She could see that the peddler was unwilling to accept the invitation because he was afraid. Perhaps, she thought, he had stolen something or had escaped from jail. She spoke gently to him. She assured him that he would be free to leave when he pleased. They wanted his company only over Christmas Eve. The peddler felt confidence in her. He agreed to go with her. On the way he was sorry to have stolen the crofter’s money that had put him in a trap.

v  Ironmaster thinks he has made a mistake

The ironmaster was happy to have his old regimental comrade under his roof. He planned to feed him well and give him some respectable work. The servant cut the peddler’s hair, shaved him ad bathed him. The peddler appeared wearing one of the ironmaster’s fine suits. But when the ironmaster looked at him in daylight, he felt that he had made a mistake. The peddler was not captain von Stable. He thought that the man had deceived him. He even thought of handling him to the sheriff.

v  The peddler defends himself

The peddler said that he had not pretended to be what he was not. He had not been willing to go to the ironmaster’s house. Even then he was willing to put on his rags and leave. He also told the ironmaster that the world was a rattrap, and he himself might one day be tempted by a big bait and get caught in the trap. The ironmaster told him to leave at once.

v  Edla stops the peddler

Edla did not like her father’s asking the poor peddler to leave. She thought it was unfair to turn away the man whom they had invited. She wanted to have the joy of entertaining a homeless wanderer on Christmas Eve. She stopped the peddler and her father gave it.

v  Peddler given presents

Edla served food to the peddler. He was given Christmas presents which he thankfully received. Edla told him that her father’s suit that the peddler was wearing was also a Christmas present. She assured him that he would be welcomed again if he liked to spend the next Christmas Eve with them.

v  The peddler leaves

Next morning the ironmaster and his daughter went to church. There they learned that the peddler was a thief. He had robbed the crofter. The ironmaster was sure that the peddler must have made away with their silver. Edla was dejected. But when they reached home they learned that the peddler had left. But he had taken away nothing. On the other hand he had left a Christmas present for Edla.

v  The surprise

Edla opened the present. It was a tiny rattrap. Edla was happy to see that the peddler had left the crofter’s money behind. There was a letter also. It was addressed to Edla. He thanked her for her kindness. He wanted to repay her kindness. So he had left the crofter’s money and had requested her to return it to the crofter. He said he had been raised to captain. That was why he could come out of the rattrap in which he had been caught. He signed the letter Captain von Stable.

Q.1. How can we transform and clean an evil doing person? Give examples from the story ‘Rattrap’. Or

“The Rattrap” Express the universal theme highlighted by the author in the story. Or

How did the line of thought bring a change in the life of the rattrap peddler?

Ans: The author, Selma Lagerlof has highlighted a universal theme in this story. It is that we can arouse the goodness in the life of a man by love, understanding, sympathy and respect. Once upon a time there was a man who went around selling self-made small rattraps of wire. His condition was too miserable to beg and do petty things. One day he thought that the whole world around him was a big trap. It offered riches, joys , food, shelter and clothing like a bait offering cheese and pork in a rattrap for the rats. Those who were tempted to touch the bait, it closed on them bringing an end to everything. One dark evening he stayed at crofter’s cottage, he was given food and shelter. But the next morning he stole thirty kronor from there. The he kept on walking all day long on the same path in the forest. On hearing the sound of hammer strokes, he reached the iron mill and lay near the surface. The ironmaster mistook him to be his old acquaintance and invited him for Christmas cheer but he refused. He sent his daughter, Edla who persuaded him to their house. After him well dressed, the from master found that he mistook him. So he ordered him to get out at once. The young girl wanted him to stay as they promised him Christmas cheer. He was treated like real captain with food. In their absence when they were at the church he left at the church they learnt the rattrap seller had robbed the old crofter. So they became worried. When they returned they found that the stranger had taken nothing with him and left behind a Christmas gift for Edla. She found a small rattrap thirty kronor and a letter in it. The letter stated that she had taken him as if he were a captain, so he would be nice to her as a captain. It had given him power to cleanse himself.

Q.2. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament.

Ans: The author Selma Lagerlof tells a universal theme through all her stories. One can not imagine how dull and sad a vagabond might be walking slowly along the roads for his bread. The metaphor of the rattrap struck on one such occasion. He was plodding along the road, duly lost in his own meditations. The whole world about him- the whole world with its lands, seas, cities and villages was nothing but a big rattrap. The world had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people to trap them. The world offered riches, joys, food, shelter and clothing like a bait offering cheese and pork in a rattrap for the rats. As soon as anyone is tempted and he to touches the bait, it closes on him and then everything came to an end for him in life. Like the poor rattrap seller, people get tempted to the pouch baits hung on the window frame, break the window pane and steal the kronor. For self-temptation people like the peddler don’t want to undeceive others about themselves. The touching of the bait always makes people realize that they are caught in the world rattrap now. It is their turn now, they must stop cherish it as their pastime of thinking about the known who get trapped and others who are circling around the trap. They must rise above the baits and shun evil doings like Captain Von Stahle.

Short-answer questions:

Q.1.What idea suddenly struck in the mind of the rattrap peddler?

Ans: One day the peddler was moving along the road suddenly an idea struck to his mind. He viewed that the whole world was a big rattrap to trap the people in. It offered, riches, joys, shelter, food, heat and clothing like the rattrap offered cheese and pork to tempt to the rats. The world existed only to set baits for the people. Anyone who was tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap was closed in on him.

Q.2. Who was Crofter and how did he welcome the peddler?

Ans: The Crofter was an old man, who lived alone in his house. One dark evening when the peddler knocked at the door of the Crofter. He was very hospitable person and offered him supper and bed to sleep He amused him with the game of ‘mjolis’. He told the fact that he earned thirty kronor by selling the milk of his cow.

Q.3. How did the peddler rob the crofter?

Ans: The Crofter was living alone in his house. So, he needed someone to talk in his loneliness. That time the peddler reached at his house. He welcomed him. The crofter had taken out and stuffed thirty kronor in the presence of the peddler. Both left in the morning. After half an hour, the peddler returned, smashed the window pane and stole thirty kronor from the pouch and hung it on its usual place.

Q.4.Why did the peddler accept Edla’s invitation?

Ans: Earlier the ironmaster had tried his best to invite the peddler to his house for Christmas. He wanted his company but he declined his offer. So the ironmaster sent his daughter to invite him as she had better power of persuasion. She looked at the peddler compassionately. Her friendly manners aroused confidence in him. So he accepted her invitation.

Q.5. When the ironmaster threatened to call the Sherriff. How did the peddler conduct?

Ans: The peddler defended himself that he was a poor man. He said that the whole world is nothing but a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to him were just baits. The baits were set out to drag a poor man into trouble. In case the Sherriff came to lock him up, the day was not far when the ironmaster would be trapped him.

Q.6. The Rattrap is a story where a good deed or an act of kindness changes a person’s view of the world. Discuss with reference to the theme.

Ans. ‘The Rattrap’ is an entertaining and philosophical story that reveals the theme of the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways. The tramp proves the idea that the essential goodness of human beings can be awakened through understanding and love. Circumstances had forced the peddler to indulge in petty crimes. Even though he used to sell made from scrap metal, his poverty had brought out the worst in him, making him bitter and killing his conscience. The tramp’s view of the world was a cynical one: he envied those who were better off than him. He believed the world to be like a rattrap that offered temptations like shelter and food for entrapping victims. The peddler does not hesitate to steal the money from the crofter even though he enjoys his hospitality and warm welcome. Pangs of guilt trouble him when he loses his way in the forest. His bitter and hardened temperament receives a chance for repentance when he encounters the iron master and his daughter. The author brings an effective twist in the story to show that innate goodness exists in all human beings. It takes a little love, understanding and an act of friendship to bring it to the fore. The iron master’s daughter showed him sympathy, honour and respect and gave him a sense of dignity. This touched a chord in the heart of the peddler who at once felt that he was no longer the nameless tramp that he had been all his life but somebody with an identity. He redeemed himself by returning the stolen money as he had felt motivated by Edla’s kindness.

Q.7.How has the author of ‘The Rattrap’ developed the theme of the story?

Ans. The author, Selma Lagerlof has beautifully dwelt on the theme of ‘The Rattrap’ and used the rattrap as a metaphor to develop the theme. Almost all human beings find it hard to resist the temptation of material goods or benefits and consciously fall into the trap. The world is a rattrap where human beings constantly fall prey to various baits kept for them. However, the author has brought across the idea that all human beings possess an essential goodness which can be tapped through love, compassion and understanding. An individual can redeem himself from dishonest ways if he makes an effort. The peddler of rattraps calls the world a big rattrap. The material benefits like riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing are temptations that allure a person to fall into the rattrap. Once a person accepts the bait, he or she is trapped forever. The peddler gets tempted to steal the crofter’s money. He is too afraid to move about in the open, hence moves through the woods. Later, it is the kind, sympathetic and generous treatment given to him by Edla and her father that helps him get transformed and free him from the feelings of guilt and get rid of the rattrap forever. The rattrap becomes a symbol of worldly temptations and the peddler symbolizes man’s efforts to escape them.

Q.8. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?  

Ans. The tramp went around selling small rattraps made of scrap wire. One day he was struck by the idea that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. It existed only to set baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing in the same manner as the rattrap offered cheese. As soon as someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him and then everything came to an end.

Q.9. Why was he amused at this idea?

Ans. His own life was sad and monotonous. He was a vagabond, lonely and isolated from any family life. The world had treated him harshly. So it gave him some joy to think of the world this way. It becomes a pastime for him to think of people letting themselves being caught in the dangerous trap of others who are still circling around the bait.

Q.10. Did the rattrap maker expects the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?

Ans. The peddler was surprised at the kind of hospitality that he received at the crofter’s home. He was invited inside with a smile and he was made to feel quite welcome instead of the usual hostile and sour faces that he met. He was served hot porridge for supper and the crofter shared his pipe tobacco with him. They also played a game of cards. Thus the tramp was treated well by the crofter who was unexpected.

Q.11. What made the man think that he had fallen into a rattrap?

Ans. After stealing the money from the crofter, the tramp turned into the forest. He wanted to avoid walking on the road. Confused and disoriented by the trees in the forest and the narrow twisting paths made him realize that he was lost. Tired and cold, he lay down in despair feeling that the forest had transformed into a rattrap. He felt guilty as if he was caught by the bait. (Q.) Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?

Ans. The peddler betrayed the trust that the crofter had on him by breaking the window pane and removing the thirty kronors from the leather pouch, he had seen the crofter keeping the money in the pouch and hanging it on a nail near the window frame.

(Q.) What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?

Ans. After having stolen thirty kronors from the crofter, the peddler realized that he could not walk on the public highway and so he turned off the road into the woods. It was a big and confusing forest and the paths twisted back and forth, he walked without coming to the end of the wood and finally realized that he had been walking around in the same part of the forest. Recalling his thought about the world, and the rattrap he realized that he had let himself to be fooled by a bait and had been caught.