INDIAN SCHOOL AL SEEB

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH: 2024-25

Name of the Student: Roll No.:

THE RATTRAP By Selma Lagerlof

Q1. How does the paddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter,
the ironmaster and his daughter?
Initially the paddler doesn’t seem to have any principles in life. Driven by want, hunger and
starvation; he doesn’t mind stooping to begging and stealing. At the crofter’s the poor man is
tempted to see a good amount of money well within his reach with just a little bit of effort. Showing
no regard to the crofter’s hospitality and generosity and at the same time destroying the faith
reposed in him, he smashes the old man’s window pane and walks off with thirty kronor. In fact he
thinks that he had acted quite smartly. The ironmaster’s hospitality also doesn’t touch the paddler’s
heart. On realizing his real identity when the master of the house shows him the door, the ungrateful
paddler immediately gives him a piece of his mind saying that he too would be ensnared in the big
rattrap of the world someday. But Edla’s warmth, friendliness and hospitality transform him. The
dignity with which she treats him and the status to which she raises him stirs the latent goodness of
his heart and he encloses the stolen money in the rattrap that he gives her as a Christmas gift. He
requests her to return the money to the owner. Thus Edla’s hospitality makes him redeem himself
from his dishonesty and turn a new leaf in his life.
Q2. What are the instances to show that the character of the ironmaster is different from that
of his daughter in many ways?
The father and daughter are like chalk and cheese to each other in nature. Keeping in mind the age
factor, one expects a better sense of maturity from the father than from the daughter. But contrary to
the expectations, the father acts impulsively and casually. In the forge he mistakes the peddler for
an old regimental comrade. Without confirming the stranger’s identity he invites him to his manor
house. Again on realizing his mistake, he very thoughtlessly decides to refer the matter to the
Sheriff. Yet again on learning in the church about the paddler’s thievery, he starts worrying about his
silverware. Edla – the daughter on the other hand shows a strong sense of observation. She quite
rightly judges her guest to be a tramp. She has a cool and sympathetic attitude. She persuades her
father to let the guest stay because they had promised him “Christmas cheer”. She leads the
stranger by the hand and feeds him despite her father’s fear and protest. It is because of her
intercession and compassion that the peddler changes into a good man.
Q3. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
The peddler had been living a despicable life of poverty, despair and frustration without ever coming
across a good soul to understand, sympathize, love and guide him. Neither the crofter’s hospitality
born out of loneliness nor the ironmaster’s invitation to the manor house made any impact on him. In
fact he repaid the crofter by stealing his money and the ironmaster by back-answering him.
However, Edla’s warmth, genuineness and understanding touched him. When the girl treated him
with dignity and respect like a captain, he spontaneously behaved like a captain. Leaving behind his
rattrap as a Christmas present to Edla and the money to the owner, he redeemed himself from his

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 dishonest ways and emerged altogether as a transformed man.
Q4. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’
behaviour. Pick out these instances of these surprises.
First of all the old crofter’s reaction to the tramp’s request for shelter at night is an unexpected
one. Used to being greeted with sour faces, the peddler himself got a bit of surprise by the
unexpected hospitality. Then the peddler’s act of stealing the crofter’s money by smashing his
window pane also doesn’t match with one’s expectations. The breach of trust comes as a bit of
shock. Then the Iron master’s sudden invitation to the tramp comes as the next surprise. After
knowing his real identity Edla’s intercession also falls in this category. But the most unexpected
gesture comes from the peddler when he leaves for Edla a Christmas gift, a letter of thanks and the
stolen money to be returned to the old crofter. Thus the story is full of unexpected reactions.
Q5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
The metaphor of the rattrap reveals that the pursuit of joys, luxuries or materialistic comforts works
as a bait and lands us in total helplessness and frustration. Just as the bait of cheese and pork
tempts and traps a rat, the peddler yields to his temptations at the crofter’s cottage and then runs
endlessly to escape. He realizes that the whole world is a big rattrap. Though one cannot see the
bars and wires, this rattrap ensnares individuals so securely that one cannot escape from it at all.
One keeps on struggling throughout life to achieve his aims and ambitions and finds himself
incapable of wriggling out of trivialities and pettiness. Whenever a person finds himself at the
crossroads of temptation and righteousness, the mirage of materialism fools him and he gets
entrapped in the world’s dangerous snare. This is where human predicament follows suit.
The metaphor of a rattrap reveals man’s helplessness in pursuit of life’s ambitions. The world thus
becomes a huge rattrap. Though one can’t see the bars and wires yet one gets firmly entrenched in
the quagmire of situations and circumstances. The pettiness and triviality of life’s situations pull an
individual deeper into the abyss of loss with no scope for deliverance. Thus without realizing one
goes down deeper and deeper into the trap and loses all chances of deliverance.
Q6. The story “The Rattrap” focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Comment.
The theme of loneliness runs throughout the story. All the characters – the peddler, the crofter, the
Ironmaster and his daughter suffer from loneliness and desperately seek redemption from it. The
protagonist himself feels very lonely. He has always met sour faces, cold treatment and unkind
words. His plods have been dreary and he has trudged along the path of life with no one to share his
thoughts. Life has been kinder to the crofter but in the absence of a wife or children, the old man
yearns for company. Thus when the crofter gets a guest for a night, he is overjoyed and shows his
generous hospitality. Similarly the Ironmaster and his daughter too miss company which gnaws their
hearts all the more on the occasion of Christmas. Thus all of them have a strong desire for bonding.
Bonding with the peddler gives joy to the crofter and on that night he is full of life in his little cottage.
Human bonding transforms the tramp and awakens the goodness of his heart. It gives the
Ironmaster and his daughter to practice their Christian virtues. Finally the love and understanding of
a young girl gives the tramp an opportunity to get rid of his dishonest ways.
Q7. From where did the peddler get the idea of this world being a rattrap? Why was he
amused by this idea?
The peddler was a poor, pathetic man who tried to survive by selling the rattraps. His mind was
therefore always preoccupied in the making and selling of rattraps. While plodding along the road,
left to his own meditations, the peddler was struck by this cynical 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 in
the form of riches, joys, shelter, food etc. for its people.
The peddler’s life was sad and monotonous. He was driven by hunger, frustration and helplessness.
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

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 encircling around the bait.
Q8. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
The crofter was an old man without a wife or child, full of loneliness, boredom and monotony. He
was happy to get someone to talk to in his loneliness. He valued the presence of the peddler so
much that he poured warmth and friendliness on him and also shared his confidences generously
with him. It was probably a way for the crofter to infuse a sense of joy in his otherwise dreary life.
Q9. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
The peddler stole the 30 kronors of the crofter without any guilt and ran into the jungle to avaoid the
police. When the peddler realized that he had been walking around in circles in the forest, he
recalled his thoughts about the world and the rattrap. He felt that now his own time had come and
the forest was like an impenetrable prison, a rattrap. He was tired, hungry and half dead. Since he
had taken the bait, the thirty kronor, he was caught and escape was not possible. Even when the girl
gently forced him to go to the manor house, he knew that with all the dangers of being caught, he
had actually lead himself into a rattrap.
Q10. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
In the glow of the furnace, the ironmaster mistook the peddler for his old acquaintance, the
regimental comrade, Captain von Stahle. He was shocked to see that his old comrade had fallen on
bad days. So, he invited him to his own house to give him company on Christmas and to make his
future secure.
Q11. Why did the peddler decline the invitation?
The peddler declined the invitation as he was apprehensive of being detected as a thief. He felt that
by accepting the invitation to go to the ironmaster’s house, he was voluntarily walking into the lion’s
den. He only wished to sleep in the forge and sneak away as inconspicuously as possible.
Q12. What made the peddler accept Edla’s invitation?
Edla’s kindness, persuasive nature, warmth, friendly and compassionate manner made the peddler
develop trust and confidence in her. He was so touched by her sincere tone that he couldn’t say no
to her. Her assurance that he would be just as free to leave as he came allayed all his fears and left
him with no option but to accept the invitation.
Q13. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
When Edla approached him and lifted his hat the man jumped up abruptly and seemed to be quite
frightened. She noticed that the man was afraid as if he had either stolen something or
escaped from jail. Next morning she went on to express her reservations about the man and told her
father that he did not seem educated at all.
Q14. When did the ironmaster realize his mistake?
When the stranger had been bathed, shaved and had his hair cut by the valet, he appeared truly
clean and well dressed. The ironmaster looked at him with puckered brow, and it was easy for him
to understand that when he had seen the strange fellow in the uncertain reflection from the furnace
he might have made a mistake.
Q15. What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person
the ironmaster had thought that he was?
The peddler insisted that it had not been his fault for he never pretended to be anything but a poor
trader, and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge. He offered to put on his rags and go away. He
also warned the Ironmaster that if he is not set free, one day he will also be caught in a bigger
rattrap.
Q16. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Edla was a kind and compassionate girl who wanted to make her guest as comfortable as she
could. Edla did not think it proper to chase away a human being whom they had invited to their
house and had promised him Christmas cheer. She also felt pity for the peddler, who she felt had no
place to rest without the fear of being chased away. She wanted him to have a day of peace and
rest with them. She wanted the peddler to enjoy the Christmas festivities with them. Hence she still
entertained the peddler even after knowing the truth about him. This kind gesture on her part finally

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 reformed the peddler.
Q17. Why did the tramp sign the letter as Captain Von Stahle?
The peddler was highly moved by the kind treatment that Edla gave him. She honoured the illiterate
tramp and treated him like a Captain in spite of knowing his true identity. He, also, found himself
raised to a captain through Edla’s kindness and compassion. It was now his turn to show that the
person whom she had honoured as a Captain was not a petty thief. The latent goodness of his heart
was awakened and he actually behaved like a Captain full of honour and dignity. He got a chance to
redeem himself and hence he signed the letter as Captain Von Stahle.
Q18. Both the Crofter and Edla Willmanson were kind and hospitable to the Tramp. But he
repays crofters kindness by stealing his money while Edla is able to transform him to a better
human being. Why?
Value Points: Crofter very hospitable. Welcomes him with a smile - gives him supper and shares his
tobacco. Tells him about income-shows him the money - very trusting and friendly. Stealing- a way
of life for the tramp-no twinge of conscience while stealing-But later he realizes that he who prided
himself in not being caught in the rattrap was caught in it by stealing – feels depressed.
Edla’s kindness and hospitality awakens his conscience-Realises that there is a way out of the trap-
Returns the money through Edla- His redemption –gift to Edla.

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