Subject- English
The Rattrap Summary in English
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 vagabond who had no house, no family. He used to sell rattraps.
One evening when he was trudging along the road, he saw a cottage by the roadside. The
owner of the cottage, gave him shelter, food, tobacco and his company and confidences. He
even showed him the thirty kronor that he had saved. But the peddler stole the money the next
day, violating the trust of the crofter. Similarly, the ironmaster’s hospitality also didn’t impress
the peddler much because he was kind to him only because he thought him to be his old
acquaintance. But, on the contrary, Edla’s kindness and hospitality stirred up the essential
goodness in him . Edla wanted to give some comfort and happiness to the peddler even though
she knew that he was a tramp.
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: The ironmaster was the owner of Ramsjo ironworks . He was a very vigilant observer
and hardworking and used to visit his mill even at night for supervision. He was kind and
sympathetic to the peddler. But his kindness to him is due to the fact that he mistook the peddler
to be his old regimental comrade Nils Olof. That is why when he came to know the truth about
the peddler, he got angry and threatened to call the sheriff. On the contrary, Edla is more
observant than her father. When she saw the peddler the first time, she thought he was either a
thief or a jailbreaker. But she was unlike her father. She had special sympathy for the
unfortunate people. When her father, knowing the reality of the tramp, asked him to leave, Edla
insisted on him to stay to spend the Christmas with them. She knew that the peddler, didn’t
have any place in the world and so she invited him to celebrate Christmas with them. It was only
her tenderness and kind behaviour that aroused the essential goodness in the peddler.
Question 4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Answer: It was ironmaster’s daughter Edla’s kindness and empathy that changed the peddler.
Throughout his life, the peddler had never received such kindness. Initially, when Edla invited
him home, she gave him the freedom to leave whenever he wanted. Later, when the ironmaster
realised his mistake, he wanted to call the sheriff but out of kindness allowed him to leave. But
Edla closed the door and insisted on him to stay for Christmas. Her kindness brought out the
essential goodness in the tramp. Edla not only served him good food and looked after him very
well, but she also offered him to come to their house every Christmas. This generous and kind
nature worked as a catalyst to bring about a positive change in the peddler. Thus, by returning
the stolen money along with a rattrap as a Christmas present along with a note for Edla, the
peddler left the house honourably.
Question 5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human
predicament?
Answer: The story deals with the metaphor of ‘Rattrap’. It refers to the theory that life is one big
rattrap. It exists for a purpose to set baits for people. It offers riches and joys, luxuries and
comforts, food and shelter, heat and clothing exactly as a rattrap offers cheese and pork. The
moment anyone lets himself be tempted to touch the bait, it closes on him and then everything
comes to an end. The peddler in the story was caught into the trap by the hospitality received at
the crofter. His extreme poverty forced him to steal the money. He was at this moment caught
into the trap of his own guilt. Even at the ironmaster’s house he is caught in his own trap. But it
is Edla’s extreme kindness and generosity which enabled him to come out of this trap of his and
leave the house as a freeman, after confessing his wrong deed and leaving the stolen money.
Thus, the metaphor of rattrap very aptly highlights the fact that if you take something you want
wrongfully, you will usually get
trapped in life.