LESSON- THE RATTRAP C.

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INTRODUCTION: ‘The Rattrap’ is a story that gives us a psychological insight into

human nature. The author highlights how greed for material things entraps human
beings. The story upholds the belief that the essential goodness of the human being
can be awakened through love and understanding. It brings into focus the idea that
the world is a rattrap. Riches, joys, shelter and food are all lucrative baits to trap
mankind.

THEME: The chapter ‘The Rattrap’ covers the theme of the basic human need for
companionship, and shows the negative effects of loneliness. The story stresses on
the fact that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefits.
The author targets the materialistic approach of the people. The worldly riches have
disillusioned them, and they are running after the things which are temporary.

MESSAGE: The story conveys a universal message that the essential goodness in a
human being can be awakened through love, respect, kindness and understanding.
It highlights the human predicament. Material benefits are the traps that most
human beings are prone to fall into.

TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

Question 1. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a
rattrap ?
Answer: After stealing the crofter’s money, the rattrap peddler did not think it
proper to walk on the public highway. So he turned off the road, into the forost. But
he got entrapped in a big and confusing forest. He tried to walk in a definite
direction, but the paths twisted back and forth in a strange manner.He walked and
walked without coming to the end of the forest. Finally, he realised that he had only
been walking around the same part of the forest. Then he recalled his thoughts
about the world and the rattrap. Now his own turn had come. The rattrap peddler
thus thought that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap from which he might not be
able to escape.

Question 2.Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him
home ?
Answer:The ironmaster spoke kindly to the peddler because he thought that he was
captain and an old regimental comrade who had resigned from the regiment. Thus
the ironmaster thought that he was an old acquaintance. That is why the ironmaster
invited the peddler to have his company for Christmas.

Question 3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation ?

Answer:The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster to go to his house. He
had stolen thirty Kronors from the house of the crofter who lived in that area. So the
peddler thought that going up to the manor house would be like throwing himself
voluntarily into the lion’s den.

The Rattrap Think as you read (Page 41)

Question 1.What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation ?
Answer:The peddler accepted Edla Willmansson’s invitation, who was the daughter
of the ironmaster. In a very compassionate and friendly manner, Edla Willmansson
had won the confidence of the peddler. She told the peddler that he would be
allowed to leave just as freely as he would come to their house. She requested him to
stay with them only for Christmas Eve. Because her genuine and friendly request,
the peddler accepted her invitation.

Question 3.When did the ironmaster realise his mistake ?

Answer:When the valet of the ironmaster’s house had bathed him, cut his hair, and
shaved him and he was dressed in a good-looking suit, the ironmaster realised his
mistake. The peddler was not his old regimental comrade captain. In broad daylight,
it was impossible to mistake him for an old acquaintance. The peddler looked a
stranger to him. That is when the ironmaster realised his mistake.

Question 4.What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he
was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was ?
Answer:The peddler defended himself by saying that it was not his fault. He told the
ironmaster that he never pretended to be anything but a poor trader. He said
further that he had pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge. Then he
offered to put on his rags and go away.

Question 5.Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the
truth about him ?
Answer :Ironmaster’s daughter Edla had known the truth about the stranger that he
was not the captain his father had mistaken him to be. She said that the stranger
walked and walked the whole year long, and there is probably not a single place in
the whole country where he is welcomed and can feel at home. She said that he is
always afraid of being arrested and cross-examined. She said that she would like to
have him enjoy a day of peace with them in their house-just one in the whole year.
That is why Elda still entertained the peddler even after she knew the truth about
him. She thought that they should not chase away a human being whom they had
asked to come to their house.

The Rattrap Think as you read (Page 29)

Question 1.Why was, Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Answer: Edla was happy to see the gift left by the peddler because the peddler did
not prove himself to be a thief and had not taken anything with him at all. He had
left behind a little package which Elda was to be kind enough to accept as a
Christmas present. He had also kept thirty kronor he had stolen from the crofter’s
house.

Question 2.Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle ?
Answer:I think the peddler signed himself as Captain Von Stahle because they were
nice to him as if he was a real captain or who would have caught in this world’s
rattrap “if he had not been raised to captain”.

The Rattrap Understanding the text

Question 1.How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and
hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter ?
Answer:The peddler was a man who went around selling small rattraps of wire. He
was leading a sad and monotonous life of a vagabond. He knocked at the door of the
cottage of the crofter who turned out to be an old man without wife and children. He
showed his ‘ kindness and hospitality towards him which the peddler had not
expected. But the rattrap peddler stole his thirty kronors. Thus he betrayed the
confidence reposed in him by the crofter. The ironmaster, thinking him as an old
acquaintance Captain Von Stahle, showed kindness to him and invited him to spend
the Christmas evening with him.

But the peddler thought that if the ironmaster thought that he was an old
acquaintance, he might give him a couple of kronor. That is why he did not reveal his
true identity. Edla Willmansson, the daughter of the ironmaster requested him to go
to her home in a very compassionate and friendly manner. He accepted to go to their
home. But while he was riding to the manor house, he had “evil forebodings”.

He was feeling guilty for stealing the crofter’s money. The ironmaster, after knowing
that he was not the captain, asked him to go out of the house immediately. But due
to the insistence of Edla he was allowed to spend the Christmas evening in their
house. The peddler wondered why she did it. But he interpreted it as her nobleness,
kindness and generosity.

Question 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 ?
Answer: There are various instances in the story that show that the character of the
ironmaster is different from his daughter in many ways. The ironmaster, mistaking
the peddler as an old acquaintance, insists on inviting him to his house to spend
Christmas evening. When the ironmaster realised that he was not his old regimental
comrade. The ironmaster threatened to call the sheriff and asked him to get out of
his house immediately. But his daughter said that he ought to stay with them today.
She was more sympathetic to “the poor hungry wretch” than her father. She thought
that he should enjoy a day of peace with them just one in the whole year.

Question 4.What made the peddler finally change his ways ?

Answer: The peddler stole thirty kronors from the house of the crofter. But it was
the compassionate, kind, generous and friendly behaviour of Edla Willmansson, the
ironmaster’s daughter, which finally changed him. When the ironmaster realised
that the peddler was not his old acquaintance, but a stranger, he asked him to leave
his house immediately. But Edla showing sympathy and pity on him, pursuaded her
father to’ allow him spend the Christmas with them. Thus her behaviour aroused his
conscience. and he gave her gift of a rattrap and requested her to return the thirty
kronors of the crofter, which he had stolen.

Question 5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the
human predicament ?
Answer: In the story The Rattrap’, the peddler struck by the idea that the whole
world around him is a big rattrap. The world offered riches and joys, shelter and
food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork. As soon as
anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then
everything came to an end. This is how the metaphor of the rattrap serve to
highlight the human predicament. The more we are allured by the worldly things,
the more we are entrapped by them. And then there is no way out.

Question 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 ?
Answer: The peddler was endowed with a great sense of humour. He compares the
world about him with a rattrap, which sets baits for the people. It was his pastime to
think Of the people he knew who had let themselves be caught in the dangerous
snare, and of others who were still circling around the bait. It shows his sense of
humour. As he walked alongwith the stolen money of crofter, he felt “quite pleased
with his smartness”.

When he was entrapped in the forest he recalled about the world and the rattrap. He
thought that “his own turn had come”, which also shows his sense of humour. He did
not reveal his real identity to the ironmaster because he thought that thinking him
as an old acquaintance, the ironmaster might perhaps “throw him a couple of
kronor.When the ironmaster realised that he was not his old acquaintance and
threatened to call the sheriff, he told him that the whole world is nothing but a big
rattrap and the ironmaster began to laugh. His letter written to Edla also shows his
sense of humour. His sense of humour serves in lightening the seriousness of the
theme of the story. It also endears him to us as it evoked our sympathy with him.

The Rattrap Talking about the text

Question 2. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond
with others.
Answer: The story ‘The Rattrap’ also focuses on human loneliness and the need to
bond with others. The rattrap peddler himself leads a sad, monotonous and lonely
life. The old crofter also lives in his cottage all alone without wife and children. He
welcomes the peddler, a total stranger to him with all enthusiasm and happiness so
that he can talk to somebody in his loneliness. The ironmaster is also leading more
or less a lonely life. Mistaking the peddler as an old acquaintance, he insists that he
must go with him to his home. Even after the peddler’s true identity had been
revealed, Edla makes her father agree to the stranger’s staying with them for
Christmas. He does this so that he can enjoy a day of peace with them there – just
one in the whole year. Thus the story rightly focuses on human loneliness and the
need to bond others.

Question 4. The story is both entertaining and philosophical.

Answer: ‘The Rattrap’ is a very interesting and entertaining story about a rattrap
peddler. He went round selling small rattraps of wire, which he himself made. But
the story is not only entertaining, but it gives us a philosophical idea also. The
world offers riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the
rattrap offered cheese and pork. As soon as anyone let himself be tempted to
touch the bait, the world closed in on him. And then there is no escape. Thus the
story conveys a very noble and philosophical idea that all the worldly things which
fascinate us are just like the bait of the rattrap, which entraps us. The way Edla
Willmansson treats the peddler we can draw a lesson that the essential goodness in
a human being can be awakened through understanding and love.