THE RATTRAP

1:Why did the Peddler derive pleasure from his idea of the world as a rattrap?
People had never been kind to the poor Peddler. Therefore, he envied those whose lot was better
than his, and was rather amused to think that some day they too would be tempted by the bait,
and be caught in the rattrap.

2:Why did Edia plead with her father not to send the vagabond away? Or
Why did Edia still entertain the Peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Edia had always thought the Peddler to be a poor, homeless tramp. When his true identity was
revealed, she felt very bad for him and his miserable condition, and pleaded on his behalf.
3.What was the content of the letter written by the Peddler to Edia?
The contents of the letter written by the Peddler to Edia were that, as he had been treated as if he
was a captain, he wanted to be nice to them in return. Thus he requested the Crofter’s money
(left with the note) to be returned to him. He wrote that he had left the rattrap as a Christmas
present to her, as she had inspired him to reform himself.

4:What were the contents of the package left by the Peddler as a Christmas gift for Edia
Willmansson?
The package left by the Peddler as a Christmas gift for Edia Willmansson contained a rattrap,
thirty kronor in crumpled notes (robbed from the Crofter) and a brief note for her explaining his
conduct.

5:What conclusion did the ironmaster reach when he heard that the Crofter had been
robbed by the Peddler?
When the ironmaster heard that the Crofter had been robbed by the Peddler, he concluded that
the Peddler would probably steal all the silver cutlery in the ironmaster’s home and run away.

6:Why did the Peddler knock on the cottage by the roadside? How was he treated by the
owner of the Cottage?
The Peddler knocked on the cottage by the roadside to seek shelter for the night. The owner of
the cottage, a Crofter, treated the Peddler as a guest, giving him food, playing cards with him and
putting him up for the night.

7:From where did the Peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap? In what sense was
the world a big rattrap, according to the Peddler?

The Peddler was a vagabond, who went around selling rattraps. One day, as he was simply
thinking about his own rattraps, he was struck by the idea that the world was a big rattrap. The
riches, food, joys and shelter served as baits to tempt people just as a rattrap offered cheese or
meat to tempt rats. As soon as one was tempted to touch the bait, the rattrap closed and
everything came to an end.

8:Why was the Crofter so talkative and friendly with the Peddler?
The Crofter was an old man. He had no wife or children and lived alone in his cottage. He was
happy to get someone to talk to and share his feelings with. So, he welcomed the Peddler in,
gave him food and even played a game of cards with him.

9:Why did he show the thirty kronor to the Peddler?

The Crofter felt proud that he had earned thirty kronor from selling the cow’s milk to the
creamery. He thought that the stranger didn’t believe him, so he showed him the money.

10:How did the ironmaster react on seeing the stranger lying close to the furnace?Or Why
did the ironmaster speak kindly to the Peddler and invite him home?
When the owner of the Ramsjo Ironworks came to the mill for . inspection, the first thing he
noticed was the Peddler dressed in rags. Due to the dim light and the Peddler’s dirty appearance,
he mistook the Peddler for his old regimental comrade, Nils Olof who had, perhaps, fallen on
evil days. He was delighted to see him and invited him home for Christmas.

11:Why did the Peddler decline the invitation of the ironmaster?

The ironmaster had mistaken the Peddler for an old regimental comrade and invited him home.
The Peddler declined the ironmaster’s invitation because he was carrying the stolen money and
would be handed over to the police, when the ironmaster discovered his true identity.

12:Who was the owner ofRamsjd iron mills? Why did he visit the mills at night?
The owner of the Ramsjo iron mills was an ambitious and prominent ironmaster. He insisted on
quality and was very particular about his reputation. He visited the mills at night to make sure
that good iron was shipped out from his mills to the market.

13:Why did the stranger not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof ?
The stranger did not tell the ironmaster that he was not Nils Olof because he thought that if the
gentleman believed that he was an old friend or acquaintance of his, then he might take pity on
him and help him by giving him some money.

14:Did the Peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the Crofter? Or
Why was the Peddler surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage?
Wherever the Peddler went, he was met with hostile looks and people chased him away. When
he knocked at the Crofter’s cottage, he was welcomed in and treated like a guest, not like an
unwelcome visitor or a beggar. The Peddler was surprised to be treated with such hospitality.

15:Why did the Peddler keep to the woods after leaving the Crofter’s cottage? How did he
feel? Or What made the Peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
After stealing the Crofter’s money, the Peddler didn’t dare to walk on the public highway for
fear of getting identified and caught. So, he went into the woods. It was a big and confusing
forest. The Peddler lost his way. Suddenly, the truth dawned upon him. He thought that the forest
was a big rattrap in which he had fallen. The thirty kronor were like a bait which had been set to
tempt him, and he had allowed himself to be fooled and caught.

16:Why was Ed la happy to see the gift left by the Peddler?

Edla was very shocked when she learned that their guest was actually a thief. She had fought
with her father to let the Peddler stay. She held herself responsible for offering shelter to a thief.
But when she found the stolen thirty kronor in a rattrap, she was very happy. She was overjoyed
to think that her kindness had changed the Peddler and brought out his essential goodness.

17:What made the Peddler finally change his ways?

The Peddler believed in giving back to the world what he received from it. He was always
treated with contempt and hostility and so he never did anything good. However, Edla’s kind and
caring behavior finally changed him. She had treated him with love and respect befitting a
captain when she knew that he was a poor vagabond. The trust that Edla showed in him made
him change his ways and he decided to live with dignity and respect.

18:Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual. Which two reasons forced
her to behave in that manner?
Edla had shown kindness to the Peddler even after knowing that he was not a captain.This was
the reason why she felt all the more dejected when she came to know that the Peddler was
actually a thief who had recently robbed a Crofter. She felt that she had done wrong in offering
shelter to a thief. Secondly, she also felt bad because the Peddler had not measured up to the faith
which she had shown in him.

19:Why was he amused by the idea?

Wherever the Peddler went, people were hostile to him and chased him away. So, he was amused
by the idea of the world being a big rattrap. He was also happy that those who chased him away
will also be tempted and caught up in the rattrap one day.

20:Did the Peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter?
No, the Peddler didn’t respect the confidence reposed in him by the Crofter. The Crofter showed
him the thirty kronor which he had earned. The next day, the Peddler came back, broke the
window pane, and stole the thirty kronor from the pouch where it was kept near the window.

21:What made the Peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?

Edla was very kind to the Peddler. She talked to him compassionately, assuring him that no harm
would come to him, and that he would be at liberty to leave whenever he wanted. She spoke so
kindly that the Peddler felt that he could trust her, and he accepted her invitation.
22:What doubts did Edla have about the Peddler?
When Edla met the Peddler, he became afraid. Edla thought that either he had stolen something
or he had escaped from jail. She doubted that he was her father’s old regimental comrade. She
even told her father that there was nothing about him to show that he was an educated man.

23:When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?

The ironmaster had first seen at the Peddler in the dim light coming from the furnace and
mistook him for an old colleague. But, when he saw him v well groomed, with a fine hair cut and
a well-shaven face in broad daylight, he realised that this man was somebody else.

24:What did the Peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the
ironmaster had thought he was?
The Peddler made no further efforts to deceive the ironmaster. He said that it was not his fault, as
he had never pretended that he was the ironmaster’s friend. He had only begged to be allowed to
stay on at the mill for the night. He had even declined the ironmaster’s repeated invitation. He
further said that he was ready to put on his rags again and go away.

25:Why did the Peddler sign; himself as Captain von Stahle?

The ironmaster initially mistook the Peddler for a captain. Even after knowing the truth about
him, he was treated like a captain. He wanted to repay Edla for her kindness just as a real captain
would have done. Moreover, he didn’t want to embarrass Edla and so he returned the stolen
money. His signing himself as Captain von Stahle was an indication that he wanted to retain the
dignity and respect accorded to him.

The Rattrap Extra Questions Long Answer Type

1:The Peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted the one from Edla.
Why?
As the Peddler had recently stolen the Crofter’s money, he felt that the police would be on the
lookout for him. If he accepted the ironmaster’s invitation to stay for a night at his home, he
would probably have been found out as an imposter by the ironmaster, who had mistaken him to
be his former colleague in the dim light of the furnace. Then he would have been arrested. So he
declined the ironmaster’s invitation.But when Edla later on came again to invite him, she was
very kind to him and, even though to her he did not look like her father’s former colleague,
spoke to him with compassion. This gave confidence to the Peddler that he would be safe and so
he accepted her invitation.

2:Edla proved to be much more persuasive than her father while dealing with the Peddler.
Comment.
Edla was more persuasive than the ironmaster because of her gentle compassionate behavior
towards the Peddler and the kind manner in which she spoke. This convinced the Peddler to
change his mind and accept her invitation to spend one evening with them. Although she had her
misgivings about the Peddler, she was happy to help a poor homeless man who had earlier been
chased away by all.She wanted him to spend a day in peace and partake of the festivities of
Christmas. She had been kind and friendly to him, sympathizing with his condition and making
him part of their family fqr a day. This act of kindness made the Peddler .change his ways and he
left them with a Christmas present for Edla and also returned the money he had stolen from the
Crofter.

3:Why did the Crofter repose confidence in the Peddler? How did the Peddler betray that
and with what consequences?
The Crofter reposed confidence in the Peddler because he was lonely, living alone and earning a
living with his cow. He wanted someone with whom he could share his feelings, even trusting
him to the “extent of showing the Peddler where he had kept his money. The Peddler betrayed
this trust by robbing the money and running away.However, when the Peddler went through the
forest instead of the road to avoid detection, he got lost and returned to the same place again and
again. Ultimately the Peddler realized that he was like a rat caught in a rattrap and that the whole
world was a rattrap. The bait he had fallen for was the Crofter’s money and he could not escape
with it. Thus the consequence of falling for the bait was that he was trapped with no way out.

4:Why did the ironmaster invite the Peddler to his home? Why did the latter decline it?
In the dim light of the forge, the ironmaster mistook the Peddler, due to his unkempt appearance
and shabby clothes, to be his old colleague in the regiment who had fallen on bad days. He
wanted to help his ‘old colleague’ and so invited him to his residence, so that he may be
helped.But the Peddler declined the invitation because he understood that his real identity would
be exposed at the ironmaster’s home, when the ironmaster saw him properly. Then he may be
turned over to the police. As he was carrying the Crofter’s stolen money with him, he did not
want to get caught with the money, as the Crofter would definitely have reported the matter to
the police. Consequently, he declined the ironmaster’s invitation.

5: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 reveal?
Despite the Crofter treating the Peddler with hospitality, the Peddler robbed him and was quite
pleased with his smartness. However, the fear of getting caught haunted him. So, he avoided the
public highway and turned into the woods. It was a big and confusing forest, and due to the
approaching darkness, the Peddler lost his way. He got exhausted moving around the same place,
and was filled with despair.He began to feel that the forest was like a big rattrap and the thirty
kronor he had stolen were like a bait set to tempt him. He felt helpless like a rat who had no way
out of the trap in which the had fallen. His reaction reveals that he was feeling guilty for having
stolen the Crofter’s money. His heart was filled with remorse and self-loathing for his act of
weakness.

6:The story The Rattrap’is both entertaining and philosophical. Do you agree with this
statement? Why/Why not?
The story is, indeed, both entertaining and philosophical. The fast-paced narrative in the third
person, generous use of dialogue by the author and different characters belonging to different
mindsets and locations, make the story quite entertaining. There is also an element of suspense
that the author manages to keep up to the end. There is also an underlying touch of irony. There
is also an element of philosophy in the story.The Peddler’s theory of the world being a rattrap is
true. The world offers us so many temptations that we are sure to fall into its trap some day.
While some people fall into this trap never to come out of it again, the fortunate ones like the
Peddler manage to break free from the circle of temptations with the help of kind and
compassionate people like Edla, and discover their latent goodness.

7:The story focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others. Explain.
All the characters in the story suffer from loneliness and are dreary souls. First of all, the tramp
appears to lead a sad, monotonous existence, left to his own musings. The old Crofter lives all
alone in a cottage by the roadside. He is only too happy to get someone to talk to and get over his
sense of loneliness. That’s the reason why he is so generous and hospitable as a host.The
ironmaster and his daughter, Edla also have no company for Christmas. Thus, all of them have a
strong desire for bonding and comradeship. The Crofter is happy to be friends with the Peddler,
although only for a night. Similarly, the ironmaster and his daughter have an opportunity to
practice their Christian virtues of kindness, sympathy and hospitality.

8:Give examples from the story, ‘The Rattrap” to show how the.ironmaster is different
from his daughter.Or What are the instances in the story that show that the character of
the ironmaster is different from his daughter in many ways?
The ironmaster was a man of power and ambition and was rather arrogant. He invited the
Peddler home more out of his sense of pride than out of sympathy or generosity. When the
ironmaster realized that he had been mistaken, he called the Peddler dishonest and threatened to
call the sheriff. When he learnt that the Peddler was a thief, he was worried about his own
silverware.On the other hand, Edla, the ironmaster’s daughter, was a kind and compassionate
lady who was really sympathetic and considerate towards the Peddler right from the beginning.
She treated him with respect and dignity even after knowing that he was not a captain. It was her
generous attitude which finally changed the Peddler, bringing out the essential goodness of his
nature.

9:How does the Peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the Crofter,
the ironmaster and his daughter?
Initially, the Peddler heartily accepts the Crofter’s hospitality and generosity but robs him of his
hard-earned money just because it is easy to do so. When the ironmaster mistakes him to be his
old regimental comrade, he does not disclose his true identity in the hope of getting a few kronor.
However, when the ironmaster pesters him, he again feels a sense of entrapment, having stolen
the money from the Crofter’s, and declines the invitation.However, on Edla’s invitation he does
go to the ironmaster’s home. Edla’s warmth, sympathy and hospitality transform him in the end.
Her elevating him to the status of a captain makes him redeem himself from being a petty thief.
It stirs the innate goodness of his heart. He no more feels trapped, but regards her kindness as an
act of nobility.

10.The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others’
behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
In the first instance, the old Crofter welcomes the tramp for shelter and some food at night. He
even reposes his trust in him by showing him the money and the place where it was kept. The
Peddler’s act of stealing the Crofter’s hard-earned kronor is, indeed, unexpected.Then the
Peddler seeks refuge in the forge, meets the ironmaster and the latter mistakes him to be his old
regimental comrade. His invitation to the tramp to come for the Christmas Eve to the manor
house leaves one astounded. The Peddler’s act of accepting Edla’s invitation, in spite of his guilt
feeling about the stolen money and thoughts about entering the lion’s den, baffle us.The next
surprise is when the Peddler, left to himself in the manor house, has every opportunity to slip out
with the valuables. Even the ironmaster expects something like this to happen. However, the
tramp goes away, leaving behind a small rattrap as a Christmas gift and the thirty kronor to be
returned to the rightful owner. This shocks the reader out of his wits.The tramp’s letter addressed
to Edla, expressing his gratitude for elevating him to the status of captain, giving him a chance to
free himself from the rattrap of the world and redeeming him, also give us a pleasant surprise.
Thus, the story is replete with instances of unexpected reactions and surprises.

11:How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
The Peddler in the course of his wandering, suddenly thinks about the whole world as a big
rattrap. Just as cheese and meat are baits in the rattrap, similarly the riches, joy, shelter and food
that the world offers are baits to entrap and ensnare people.Being an embittered man, shunned by
everybody, these thoughts give ‘unwonted joy’ to the tramp. He thinks of all the people around
him who have fallen into the trap.The musings of the tramp do have an iota of truth in them. We
are tempted by temptations, desires and needs.We go all out to satisfy them. In this desire to
amass and accumulate more and more, we are entrapped by the world. Just in case we do not get
the things we want, we are plunged in despair and gloom. In this way the metaphor of the rattrap
highlights the human predicament.

12:The Peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humor. How does this serve in
lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
The Peddler, with his subtle sense of humor, equates the rattraps he makes to the world, which he
believes is a huge rattrap, offering baits like comfort, food, shelter and material benefits. One day
the rattrap traps us and there is no way out. The Peddler’s insistence on staying in the warm
forge arid refusal to go with the ironmaster evokes pity. We know that somewhere he is feeling
guilty of stealing the kronor.When the ironmaster realizes his mistake, the tramp’s ‘sermon’
about the world’ being a rattrap, temptations and desires, is really humorous, as it seems out of
context. The ironmaster’s daughter’s kind and sympathetic attitude changes him completely.
Even she realizes his human worth and treats him with dignity. The tramp’s final act of leaving a
token of love, the rattrap and a letter, signing off as the captain is also humorous. Without the
tramp’s philosophising element of the rattrap and his treatment of it in a humorous way, the story
would have been seeped in seriousness.

The Rattrap Extra Questions Value Based Type

1:There is a saying ‘Kindness pays, rudeness never’. In the story, The Rattrap’ Ed la’s
attitude towards men and matters is different from her father’s attitude. How are the
values of concern and compassion brought out in the story, The Rattrap?

‘The Rattrap’ is a story of a Peddler who used to earn his living by selling small rattraps of wire.
As his business was .not profitable, he resorted to petty thievery. Nobody treated him with
kindness or respect. The first act of compassion was shown by the Crofter who takes the poor
Peddler in. But the Peddler stole his money and ran away.Later, he was given a place to stay by
the noble ironmaster and his daughter. Though she was suspicious of him, they promised him
Christmas cheer. When his truth was discovered, Edla fought with her father for the Peddler. She
not only requested’her father to let the Peddler stay for Christmas, but also treated him like a real
captain.The Peddler was highly touched by this act of concern and compassion and before
leaving the house, left the money he had stolen, besides a rattrap as a present for Edla and a letter
explaining his behavior. This shows that goodness is latent in the human heart and can be
brought out by love, care and understanding.

2:The Rattrap’is a story which shows that basic human goodness can be brought out by
understanding and love. Do you think this is practical in approach? Why/Why not?
OrDescribe how the story, ‘The Rattrap’shows that basic human goodness can be brought
out by understanding and love.
‘The Rattrap’ is a story of a Peddler who used to earn his living by selling small rattraps. One
day he met a Crofter, who showed him kindness and sympathy, welcoming him in the warmth of
his home. However, he also revealed that he had thirty kronor. The Peddler stole his money and
ran away.Later, he was given a place to stay by a young girl against her father’s wish. She
showered affection on the Peddler and convinced her father to let him stay with them for
Christmas. The Peddler was highly touched by her behavior and before leaving the house,
returned the stolen thirty kronor and a small rattrap as a gift.This shows that the Peddler was not
a bad man at heart, but only bound by his poor and unfortunate circumstances, which forced him
to steal things. But the love, trust and understanding shown by Edla brought out his basic human
goodness.