The Rattrap by Selma Legerlof

Summary of The Rattrap

The Rattrap describes the life of a peddler. He sells rattraps, begging and even stealing to survive. He considers the world as a big rattrap in itself. It traps us and takes everything away from us. One day the peddler reaches at a cottage for shelter. An old crofter lived in that cottage. The crofter needed company so he welcomes the peddler. He gives him hot food and even tobacco to smoke. While playing cards the crofter tells him that he has got thirty kronor for selling his cow which he keeps in a pouch on the window frame. The peddler steals 30 kronor. He moves towards the woods but forgets the way. In the wood peddler meets an ironmaster who mistakes him to be his old friend. He invites him in his home for Christmas but he refuses. After that, the ironmaster’s daughter, Edla visits him and insists him to come with her. They offer him fine dress and shave his beard off. After this, the ironmaster realizes he has made a mistake; the peddler was not his friend.

Ironmaster thinks he is a fraud and decides to handover police. But Edla insists his father to stay peddler there 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. The peddler steals nothing from there. 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.

 Q1. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Ans: The idea of the world is nothing but a big rattrap struck into his mind when he was thinking about his rattraps.

Q2. Why was he amused by this idea?
Ans: He was amused because his own life was sad and monotonous. He walked laboriously from place to place. The world had never been kind to him. So he was amused by the idea of the world being a big rattrap.

Q3. Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?
Ans: No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter.

Q4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
Ans: The crofter was so talkative and friendly with the peddler since he had no wife or child. He was living alone in his cottage. So he was happy to get him in his loneliness.

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 as a payment of previous month. The peddler seemed to doubt it. So, in order to assure his guest of the truth he showed the thirty kronor to the peddler.

Q6. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?
Ans: No, the peddler did not respect the crofter’s confidence reposed in him. He came back, smashed the window pane and stole the money.

 

Q1. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
Ans: The peddler thought he must not walk on the public highway with the stolen money in his pocket. He went into the woods but could not get out of it. Then he thought that he had fallen in the rattrap.

Q2. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Ans: The ironmaster mistook the peddler as his old regimental comrade, Captain Von Stahle in the uncertain reflection from the furnace. He invited the peddler in his house as he wanted to help him as an old acquaintance. He addressed the stranger as Nils Olof.

Q3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation?
Ans: The peddler  declined the invitation because he knew that the ironmaster had mistaken him as his old regimental comrade and he had stolen money in his pocket. He might have been handed over to the police when the ironmaster will know the truth. So, he declined the invitation.

 

Q1. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?
Ans: The peddler accepted her invitation because she spoke to him very kindly. She noticed that he was afraid. She assured him that he would be allowed to leave just as freely as he came and no harm would come to him. She requested him to stay with them over Christmas Eve. Her friendly manner made the peddler feel confidence in her and accept her invitation.       

Q2. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
Ans:  Edla believed that the peddler had stolen something and escaped from jail. She thinks that he is an uneducated person so he couldn’t have been her father’s old regimental comrade.

Q3. When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?
Ans: The ironmaster realised his mistake when the peddler appeared before him in the broad day light with a fine haircut and a well shaved face. Now he realised that this man is someone else.

Q4. What did the peddler say in his defense when it was clear that he was no the person the ironmaster had thought he was?

Ans: The peddler said that he had never pretended as his acquaintance. He only wanted to be allowed to sleep in the forge that night. He also had declined the ironmaster’s invitation. It was not his fault and he was willing to put on his rags again and go away.

Q5. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Ans: Edla, was entertaining him not because the peddler was her father’s old comrade. She believed that he was a homeless poor tramp. She did not want to chase away a human being whom they had asked to come to their house and had promised him Christmas cheer. She understood the reality of the peddler’s life and wanted to get the joy of feeding a hungry poor man on Christmas. So, she wanted him to stay.

THINK AS YOU READ
Q1. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Ans: Edla knew in the church that the peddler was a thief. He had robbed the old crofter. She was dejected. But as soon as she opened the package of the gift, she found a small rattrap with three wrinkled ten kronor notes and a letter addressed to her. The peddler wanted to be nice in return as she had been so nice to him. He did not want her to be embarrassed at the Christmas by a thief.

Q2.Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?
Ans: The ironmaster has invited the peddler to his house mistaking him for Captain von Stahle. He was welcomed there and looked after as captain even after the reality became known. The peddler got a chance to redeem himself from dishonest ways by acting as an honorable Captain.

Q1. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the iron master and his daughter?
Ans: The peddler thought the acts of kindness and hospitality were baits to lure him into a trap. If the crofter had not shown him the money, he would not have stolen it. It was a bait he took and found himself caught. The ironmaster pressed very hard to invite him in his house but the peddler declined the offer but Edla convinced him. He said to himself that he was sitting in a trap. He cursed himself for having stolen the crofter’s money. Edla’s sympathy and hospitality transforms him at the end. He returned the corfter’s money and came out of the trap.

Q2. 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?
Ans: The ironmaster and his daughter are very different. The ironmaster was a powerful and arrogant man. The ironmaster invites the peddler because he thought he was his old regimental comrade. But when he realizes that he has been mistaken, he called the peddler dishonest and threatened to call the Sheriff.

Edla is gentle and shy girl. She was really sympathetic and towards the peddler since beginning. She treated him with respect and dignity even after knowing that he was not a captain. It was her generous attitude that changed the peddler into a good man at the end. She was disagree with her father when he tells the peddler to go away.

Q3. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’ behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
Ans: The peddler is surprised at the warm welcome, generous supper, cheerful company and intimate confidences by the crofter. The ironmaster addresses the peddler as Captain von Stahle. He is surprised when the ironmaster calls him “Nils Olof. The ironmaster assumes his declining the invitation a result of embarrassment caused by his miserable clothing. The peddler’s comparison of the world to a rattrap makes the ironmaster laugh and he drops the idea of calling in the sheriff.
The peddler looks at Edla in boundless amazement when she tells him that the suit is a Christmas present. She also invites him to spend next Christmas with them. She does all this even after knowing the mistake about his identity. The crofter is robbed by his guest, the rattrap peddler, in return of his hospitality.

Q4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Ans: Edla Willmansson treated the peddler in a friendly manner. She was nice and kind to her. She interceded on his behalf when her father was about to turn him out. She still entertained the peddler even after knowing the truth about him. She offered him the suit as Christmas present and invited him to spend the next Christmas with them. Her love and understanding aroused the essential goodness in the peddler and finally he changed his ways.

Q5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Ans: The world entices a person through the various good things of life such as riches and joy, shelter and food, heat and clothing. These were just like the baits in the rattrap. Once someone is tempted by the bait, the world closed on him. The peddler was tempted by thirty kronor of the crofter. It makes him hide himself. He walks through the wood. He is afraid to go to the Manor house. He gets peace only after returning the bait (money).

Q6. 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?
Ans: The peddler has a subtle sense of humour, which is revealed during his interactions with the ironmaster and his daughter after the truth about him becomes known. He is neither afraid of being turned out in cold in rags nor of being sent to prison. He makes the ironmaster laugh with his metaphor of the rattrap. His letter with the Christmas present to Edla is a fine example of his capacity to make others laugh at him. Thus, he lightens the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endears himself to us.