The RATTRAP.pdf

The Rattrap Summary in English
The story begins with a rattrap peddler who is in a rugged condition. He is dressed in rags and is very
frail and looks starved. We learn he has no home and sometimes even begs and steals to survive in the
world. He leads a lonely life with no one to care about him. One fine day, it strikes to him that this whole
world is a rattrap itself. If we touch it, it will trap us and never let us go. He goes on to think that there
are people out there who are already in this rattrap and reaching for the bait. On one cold evening, he
reaches at a cottage to ask for shelter. An old crofter lived in that cottage who took in the peddler.
The crofter needed company so he welcomes the peddler. He gives him hot food and even tobacco to
smoke. They play cards and start talking. The peddler learns that the crofter got thirty kronor for selling
his cow which he keeps in a pouch on the window frame. The peddler leaves the next day but after
seeing the crofter leave his cottage, he comes back to steal the pouch of money.
After stealing it, he takes the woods to remain unsuspected. In the wood, the peddler meets an
ironmaster who mistakes him to be his old comrade. He invites him over for Christmas but he refuses.
After that, the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla visits him and insists him to stay with them. In between, he
feels sorry for stealing the crofter’s money. They help the peddler get a makeover and dress him in nice
clothes and shave his beard off. After this, the ironmaster realizes he has made a mistake; the peddler
was not his comrade.
Thus, the ironmaster thinks he is a fraud and decides to turn him in. However, Edla insists on letting him
stay and celebrate Christmas with them. Her father agrees, and they celebrate Christmas together. Next
day, the ironmaster and Edla learn that the peddler was a thief through the church about the incident at
the old crofter’s. They head home in a hurry thinking he must have stolen all the silver. However, to
their surprise, the peddler did not steal a thing. He left a note for Edla in the form a tiny rattrap. There
was also a note thanking her for her kindness which saved him from the rattrap he got caught in. Most
importantly, he also left the crofter’s money asking to return it to him.
Conclusion of The Rattrap
To sum up, The Rattrap summary, we learn that we can change the world through kindness and
compassion; in addition, it teaches us that materialistic things never bring inner joy, only love and
respect does.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
1) The peddler thinks that the whole world is a rattrap. This view of life is true only of himself and of no
one else in the story. Comment.
- The peddler had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when he was struck by the idea that the whole
world was nothing but a big rattrap. It only existed to set baits for people. When someone let himself be
tempted to touch the bait, it closed on him, and then everything came to an end. But this view of life is
true only of the peddler himself and of no one else in the story. The three ten kronor notes of the old
crofter provide a bait for the peddler and after he steals the money, he gets lost in the big and confusing
forest. He then recalls his thoughts about the world and the rattrap and knew his . turn had come. He
had let himself be tempted by a bait and had been caught in the rattrap. He realized the forest had
closed upon him like an impenetrable prison from which he thought he could never escape. The theme
of the story of ‘The Rattrap’ is that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefit.
However, love and understanding can transform a person and bring out his essential human goodness.
So even though the old crofter was kind and hospitable to him, he betrayed his trust and stole thirty
kronors from him. He was not impressed by the iron¬master’s invitation also. But Edla Willmansson’s
compassion brought out a transformation in his nature. Human qualities helped in raising him to be a
gentleman.
2) To be grateful is a great virtue of a gentleman. How did the peddler show his gratitude to Edla?
-Edla knew that her father was mistaken when he invited the peddler home thinking he was his long lost
friend. Later it was revealed that he was a complete stranger and not a straight forward man. Despite
this Edla begged her father not to send him away on Christmas eve. She invited him home and gave him
food, shelter and clothes. Her kindness, compassion and sympathy brings out the goodness in the
tramp. He leaves a packet for her as a Christmas gift which contains a rattrap and three ten kronor notes
stolen from the crofter. It also contains a letter in which he signs himself as captain. Edla’s care and
concern changes the peddler into a dignified gentleman.

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The Rattrap Summary in English

Conclusion of The Rattrap

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