The Rattrap

Q1. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a
rattrap?
Ans: The peddler had been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly 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
and pork. As soon as someone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it
closed in on him, and then everything came to an end.

Q2. Why was he amused by this idea?

Ans: His own life was sad and monotonous. He walked laboriously from place to
place. The world had never been kind to him. So, during his gloomy ploddings,
this idea became his favourite pastime. He was amused how people let
themselves be caught in the dangerous snare and how others were still circling
around the bait.

Q3. Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he

received from the crofter?
Ans: The crofter served him porridge for supper and tobacco for his pipe.
He also played a game of cards with him till bed time. This hospitality was
unexpected as people usually made sour faces when the peddler asked
for shelter.

Q4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the
peddler?
Ans: The crofter’s circumstances and temperament made him so talkative
and friendly with the peddler. Since he had no wife or child, he was happy
to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. Secondly, he was quite
generous with his confidences.

Q5. Why did he show the thirty kronor to the peddler?

Ans: The crofter had told the peddler that by supplying his cow’s milk to
the creamery, he had received thirty kronor in payment. The peddler
seemed to doubt it. So, in order to assure his guest of the truth he showed
the thirty kronor to the peddler.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. What is the theme of the story ‘The Rattrap’ ? How has this
theme been developed?
Ans: The theme of the story is that most human beings are prone to fall
into the trap of material benefit. However, every human being has an
essential goodness that can be awakened through understanding and
love. A human being has the tendency to redeem himself from dishonest
ways.
The theme is developed with the help of the metaphor of the rattrap. 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
that allure a person to fall into the rattrap of the world exactly as the bait
of cheese and pork attract a rat to fall into the rattrap. Once someone
takes the bait, the world closes in on him and then everything is lost.
The peddler is tempted by the thirty kronors of the old crofter. He steals
the money. Now he is afraid of being caught and moves through the
woods. It is the kind, sympathetic, loving and generous treatment given
by Edla Willmansson that helps him get himself free from the rattrap of
the world.

Q2. Give an account of the peddler’s meeting with the old crofter.
How does the peddler conduct himself? What light does this
episode throw on human nature?
Ans: One dark evening the peddler reached a little gray cottage by the
roadside. He knocked on the door to ask shelter for the night. The owner,
an old man without wife or child, welcomed him. He was happy to get
someone to talk to in his loneliness. He served him hot porridge for supper
and gave him tobacco for his pipe. Then he played cards with him till bed
time.
The host told the peddler that in his days of prosperity, he worked on land
at Ramsjo Ironworks. Now his cow supported him. He sold her milk at the
creamery everyday. He showed the peddler the thirty kronor notes he got
as payment that month. Then he hung the leather pouch on a nail in the
window frame. Next morning the crofter went to milk the cow, and the
peddler went away. However, he returned after half an hour, broke the
window pane, took the money out of the leather pouch and hang it back
on the [Link] episode shows that in loneliness, human beings crave for
company, for social bonding. Secondly, temptations can overpower the
greatest philosopher. The peddler who calls the world a rattrap is himself
tempted by thirty kronor.

Q3. How did the peddler feel after robbing the crofter? What
course did he adopt and how did he react to the new situation?
What does his reaction highlight?
Ans: Having robbed his generous host, the peddler felt quite pleased with
his smartness. He did not feel any qualms of conscience that he had
abused the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. The selfish wretch
thought only of his own safety. He realised the danger of being caught by
the police with the stolen thirty kronor on his person. Hence, he decided
to discontinue walking on the public highway and turn off the road, into
the woods.
During the first few hours the woods caused him no difficulty. Later on, it
became worse as it was a big and confusing forest. The paths twisted
back and forth. He kept on walking but did not come to the end of the
wood. He realised that he had only been walking around in the same part
of the forest. The forest closed in upon him like an impenetrate prison
from which he could never escape.
The reaction of the peddler highlights the predicament of human nature.
Temptations lead to evil. The fruits of evil seem pleasant at first, but they
deprive man of his goodness and push him into the maze of the world
which holds a vice-like grip on him.

Q4. (i) ‘The blacksmiths glanced only casually and indifferently at

the intruder.’ (ii)“The ironmaster did not follow the example of
the blacksmiths who had hardly deigned to look at the stranger *
What do these attitudes reveal? How does the forge-episode help
to develop the story? What is its implication?
Ans: The blacksmiths display the typical attitude of manual workers and
labourers for whom work is the first priority and parasites on human
society are drags on the fruit of their labour. The master blacksmith nods
a haughty consent without honouring the intruder with a single word.
Evidently, he regards the tramp as insignificant.
The ironmaster, who is on his nightly round of inspection, behaves
differently. He walks closely up to him and looks him over carefully. Then
he removes his slouch hat to get a better view of his face. In the uncertain
light of the furnace he mistakes the stranger for his old regimental
comrade and requests him to go home with him. When the stranger
declines the invitation, the ironmaster sends his daughter to persuade him
to spend Christmas Eve with them. Thus the forge episode helps to
develop the story.
The episode highlights the difference in the reactions of various persons
to the same set of circumstances. This reveals the shades of human
nature. It shows that even the person with best discernment may commit
an error of judgement.

Q5. Bring out the contrast in the ironmaster’s attitude and

behaviour towards the stranger before and after he realises his
mistake.
Ans: The ironmaster is moved to see his old regimental comrade in a
pitiable state. He considers it a mistake on his part to have resigned from
the regiment. He insists that his old comrade will go home with him. As
the stranger declines the invitation, he thinks that the man feels
embarrassed because of his miserable clothing. He explains that he does
not have such a fine home that he cannot show himself there. He requests
the stranger to provide company to him and his daughter for Christmas.
When the stranger refuses thrice, he sends his daughter, with a big fur
coat to persuade him. Just before breakfast on Christmas Eve, he thinks of
feeding him well and providing him same honourable piece of work.
His behaviour undergoes a U-turn when he looks at the well-groomed
stranger and realises his mistake. He expresses his displeasure with a
wrinkled brow and demands an explanation from the man. Though the
peddler defends himself well saying he never pretended to be someone
else, the ironmaster calls him dishonest and threatens to hand him over to
the sheriff. When the metaphor of world being a rattrap softens him a bit,
he asks the peddler to quit at once.
Q6. What impression do you form of Edla on reading the story
‘The Rattrap’ ?
Ans: Miss Edla Willmansson is the eldest daughter of the owner of the
Ramsjo Ironworks. She is not pretty, but modest and quite shy. She is
quite obedient and visits the forge at the behest of her father. She has a
wonderful power of observation and takes quick judgement. From the
stranger’s frightened looks, she concludes that he is either a thief or a
runaway convict. She uses her skills of persuasion to make the stranger
agree to accompany her home. Her compassionate looks, friendly manner
and polite way of address help her. She tells her father that nothing about
the man shows that once he was an educated man.
She believes in the spirit of Christmas and intercedes on behalf of the
stranger to per suade her father to let him stay and be happy. She first
makes a passionate plea and then argues that they should not chase
away a person they had invited themselves and promised him Christmas
cheer.
Her dejection on learning that the peddler with rattraps was a thief
reflects her sensitiveness. The gift of the captain makes her happy. It is
her noble action that helps a thief redeem himself. In short, she is an
intelligent, affectionate and kind young girl.

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