The Rattrap

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT

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 interprets the acts of kindness and hospitality shown
by the crofter, the iron master and his daughter differently. He cheats the
crofter as he provides him company in his loneliness and helps him pass
time. He wants to get a couple of kronors from the iron master and is
surprised at the contrasting style of behaviour of father and daughter. He
is touched by the kindness, care and intervention of Edla on his behalf.

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 is impulsive* whereas his daughter is cool, logical,
kind and thoughtful. In uncertain light he (iron master) mistakes the
stranger as his old regiment comrade. He invites him home and takes
care of his feeding, clothing etc. When he sees him in broad day light he
calls the man dishonest, demands an explanation and is ready to call in
the sheriff. His daughter is more observant. She notices the fear of the
stranger and thinks that either he is a thief or a run away prisoner. Inspite
of that She is gentle, kind and friendly to him. She treats him nicely even
after knowing the mistake in identity.
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 [Link] 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 tramp 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 [Link] 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. How7 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.

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT

Discuss the following in groups of four. Each group can deal
with one topic and present the views of your group to the
whole class.
Q1. The reader’s sympathy is with the peddler right from
the beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is the sympathy
justified?
Ans: The peddler wins our sympathy for his way of life and how the
world treats him. It is an admitted fact that the underdog always runs
away with sympathy, so does the peddler with the rattraps. He begs the
material like wire for his rattraps. His business not being specially
profitable, he resorts to begging and petty thievery to keep body and soul
together.
His life is sad and monotonous. He plods along the road lost in his own
meditation. The world has never been very kind to him and he feels
happy in calling it a rattrap. Whenever, he asks shelter for the night, he
meets sour faces. He is an unwelcome, unwanted and undesirable figure.
The blacksmiths at forge glance at him only casually and indifferently.
The master blacksmith nods a haughty consent without honouring him
with a single word.
The old and lonely crofter finds him an enjoyable company. The
ironmaster mistakes him for an old regimental comrade. Only Edla
Willmansson behaves with him in a kind, friendly manner. Her nice
treatment arouses the tramp’s goodness. He redeems himself Hy
returning the stolen money and wins our admiration. Thus, we see that
the sympathy is not only well earned but well justified too.

Q2. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need
to bond with others.
Ans: There are at least three characters in the story who suffer from
loneliness and express the need to bond with others. They represent
three strata of the human society as well. The peddler with the rattraps,
the old crofter and the ironmaster all suffer from loneliness. The peddler
is called a tramp, a vagabond and stranger at various points of the story.
He moves wearily from one place to the other. He is lost in his own
thoughts. He seeks shelter for night and people look at him with sour
faces. Even the blacksmiths look haughtily at him and nod consent. The
old crofter suffers from loneliness as he has neither wife nor child with
him. Hence, he feels happy when he gets the peddler to talk to in his
loneliness.
The ironmaster is also lonely in his manor house. His wife Elizabeth has
died and his sons are abroad. There is no one at home except his oldest
daughter and himself. His requests to Captain von Stehle to accompany
him show his need for human bonding. He admits frankly that they
didn’t have any company for Christmas. The stranger turns down the
request not because he is against bonding with others but because he
fears being caught with stolen money.

Q3. Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed

or an act of kindness has changed a person’s view of the
world?
Ans: Yes, I know how the kindness of a Bishop transformed a hard-
hearted beastly convict into a man again with faith in God and human
values. The story is presented in the form of a famous play ‘The
Bishop’s Candlesticks’
The Bishop provides food and shelter at midnight to a runaway convict
who threatens him with a knife. Long years of imprisonment and harsh
treatment in the prisonship has transformed the man into beast and he is
devoid of all human feelings now. The convict runs away with the
Bishop’s silver candlesticks, but is caught by the police.
In order to save the convict from further punishment and torture, the
Bishop tells the police officer that the fellow is his friend and he had
himself given him the candlesticks. This kind act of the Bishop melts the
hard heart of the convict. He sobs and weeps. He promises to be a man
again.

Q4. The story is both entertaining and philosophical.

Discuss.
Ans: The story entertains us by providing glimpses into human nature
and how people react to various situations. The actions of the peddler
after stealing thirty kronor are quite amusing. The reactions of the
blacksmiths to the tramp’s request for shelter show how casual and
indifferent human beings can be.
The U-turn in the ironmaster’s attitude towards the stranger reveal how
selfish and ignorant human beings can be. Mistaking the vagabond for
his old regimental comrade, whom he thinks he has run across
unexpectedly, he asks the stranger to accompany him home and spend
Christmas with them. When the stranger refuses to go with him, the
ironmaster sends his daughter. With her better persuasive power she
makes him follow her.
The ironmaster is annoyed on seeing the stranger in broad daylight. But
instead of realising his own mistake, he puts the blame on the man. He
talks of handing him over to the sheriff. The metaphor of the world
being a rattrap saves the situation for the tramp, but the ironmaster wants
to turn him out. His daughter’s comments are quite entertaining and
philosophical. She wants the tramp to enjoy a day of peace. Secondly,
she does not want to chase away a person whom they had invited home
and had promised Christmas cheer.

WORKING WITH WORDS

Q1. The man selling rattraps is referred to by many terms
such as “peddler, stranger” etc. Pick out all such references
to him. What does each of these labels indicate of the context
or the attitude of the people around him.
Ans: Initially, the man who went around selling small rattraps of wire is
called a Vagabond’ for he plodded along the road, left to his own
meditations. He is referred to as “stranger” by the narrator while
describing his meeting with the old crofter. When he leaves the next day
he is described as “the man with rattraps.’ When he returns half an hour
later to steal money he is called ‘the rattrap peddler.’
For the blacksmiths at the forge he is an intruder. The narrator now
refers to him as a ‘tramp’. For the rich ironmaster he is a “ragamuffin’.
Since he had never seen the ironmaster or known his name, the man with
rattraps is called a ‘stranger’. He is described as ‘stranger* while he
stretches himself out on the floor when the ironmaster leaves. The label
sticks to him during his stay at the manor house as a guest. These
descriptions also suggest the degree of social difference ^between the
persons and the peddler of rattraps and their attitude towards him.

Q2. You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger in the
story. These words indicate movement accompanied by
weariness. Find five other such words with a similar
meaning.
Ans: Five other words with a similar meaning are: clomp, lumber, lurch,
reel, [Link] Rattrap