CBSE Class 12 English The Rattrap Notes Set 05

Rattrap BY SELMA LAGERLOF

Title

The ‘Rattrap’ is an appropriate title. Selma Lagerlof has used the metaphor of a Rattrap to highlight the human predicament. Human beings are lured by baits of materialist things and trapped just the way a rat is trapped using baits like cheese and pork. The story revolves around a rattrap seller who is amused by the thought that the whole world is like a rattrap enticing people with baits like riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing and finally trapping people in his/ her greed. But then the peddler himself gets caught in the rattrap, the bait being money. It also speaks about the struggles of extricating oneself from the trap. Therefore, the title is apt.

Theme

The story of the Rattrap revolves around the theme of compassion, respect for fellow human beings and the transformational power of kindness. This captivating story uses the metaphor of the rattrap to portray human predicament and how essential goodness in a person can be awakened, through acts of kindness and care.

Main points of the story:-

• ‘The Rattrap’ is a story that underlines a belief that essential goodness in human beings can be aroused through sympathy, understanding and love.
• Once a man went around selling small rattraps he took to begging and petty thievery to keep his body and soul together.
• One day he was struck with the idea- the whole world is a big rattrap and it offers riches as bait.
• People let themselves be tempted to touch the bait then it closes in on them bringing an end to everything.
• One dark evening the rattrap peddler sought shelter in an old crofter’s roadside cottage.
• The old man gave him food, tobacco and they enjoyed a card game.
• Next morning the peddler stole his thirty kronors.
• The rattrap peddler lost his way in a big confusing forest.
• While resting on the ground he recollected his idea that the world is a rattrap and thought his end was near.
• Hearing a thumping sound, he reached Ramsjo iron works for a night shelter.
• The owner came on his nightly rounds and noticed the ragged wretch near the furnace.
• He mistook him to be an old acquaintance from the army, ‘Nils Olof’.
• He invited him to stay with them for Christmas but the stranger declined the offer.
• His daughter Edla Willmansson persuaded him to go home with her.
• She requested him to stay for Christmas Eve only.
• On his way to the Manor House, the peddler thought that he had thrown himself into the lion’s den.
• The next day in broad daylight the iron master realized the stranger was not his comrade and threatened to call the sheriff.
• Edla pleaded for him and asked him to stay back.
• Christmas Eve at Ramsjo was as usual and the stranger ate and slept.
• She made him understand that if he wanted rest and peace he was welcome next Christmas also. This had a miraculous effect on him.
• Next morning they went for an early church service leaving behind the guest who was asleep.
• They learnt at church that a rattrap peddler had robbed an old crofter. On reaching home they enquired to find that the peddler had left behind a gift – a wrapped rattrap with 30 kroners inside and a note addressed to Edla thanking her for her kindness.
• He also requested her to return the 30 kroners to the crofter and signed as ‘Captain Von Stahle’.
• The kindness shown by Edla had turned the peddler into a new leaf.

Characters:

• The rattrap peddler (tramp/ vagabond/ragamuffin)
• The Old man/ the Crofter
• Ironmaster (owner of Ramsjo iron mill)
• Edla Willmansson (daughter of Ironmaster)
• Blacksmiths in Ramsjo Iron Mill (Master Blacksmith and his apprentice)

Vocabulary:

• 1. Rattrap- a trap/device for catching rats
• 2. Monotonous - dull, tedious and repetitive
• 3. Vagabond- tramp; a person who has no home or job and who travels from place to place
• 4. Ragamuffin – a ragged, dirty person, especially a child
• 5. Bait – a small amount of food on a hook used to attract and catch a fish or animal
• 6. Snare – trap; a device for catching small animals with a rope or wire
• 7. Trudge - a long difficult walk; to walk slowly with a lot of effort
• 8. Incredulous - unbelievable; not wanting or able to believe
• 9. Thicket- a group of bushes or small trees growing closely together
• 10. Perspiration - sweat
• 11. Dangling - swinging
• 12. Modest - polite
• 13. Foreboding- fearful apprehension
• 14. Queer - strange
• 15. Crofter- someone who lives and works on a croft (a small farm)
• 16. Iron Master- the manager and owner of a forge

Literary devices

• 1. Metaphor – the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages – was nothing but a big rattrap
• 2. Simile- to go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den
• 3. Symbolism- The rattrap as a symbol of life and the foibles of human nature

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

He had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world about him- the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages- was nothing but a big Rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people. It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork, and as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to touch the bait, it enclosed on him, and then everything came to an end.

i) Who is ‘he’ referred to in the extract?
(a) The ironmaster
(b) The peddler
(c) The crofter
(d) The narrator
Answer: b) The peddler

ii) The purpose of the world is to...
Answer: Set bait for the people

iii) What does the world set as bait for people?
Answer: It offered riches and joys, shelter and food, heat and clothing, exactly as the rattrap offered cheese and pork

iv) “the whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages- was nothing but a big Rattrap”. Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
Answer: Metaphor

v). “And then everything came to an end”. What is the author referring to?
Answer: The end refers to the end of control exercised by people when they are faced with temptations.

To go along up to the manor house and be received by the owner like an old regimental comrade — that, however, did not please the tramp. ‘‘No, I couldn’t think of it!’’ he said, looking quite alarmed. He thought of the thirty kronor. To go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den. He only wanted a chance to sleep here in the forge and then sneak away as inconspicuously as possible. The ironmaster assumed that he felt embarrassed because of his miserable clothing. ‘‘Please don’t think that I have such a fine home that you cannot show yourself there’’, He said... ‘‘Elizabeth is dead, as you may already have heard. My boys are abroad, and there is no one at home except my oldest daughter and myself. We were just saying that it was too bad we didn’t have any company for Christmas.

i) “No, I couldn’t think of it!” he said, looking quite alarmed.” What do these words reflect about the peddler?
(a) Casual
(b) Anxious
(c) Terrified
(d) Dejected
Answer: b) Anxious

ii) Why was the peddler not pleased with the idea of going to the manor house?
Answer: He was afraid of being caught because he had stolen thirty kronor from the crofter, and going to the manor house felt like walking into "the lion's den."

iii) Which among the following words doesn’t mean inconspicuous?
(a) Unnoticeable
(b) Ostentatious
(c) Undistinguished
(d) Modest
Answer: b) Ostentatious

iv) Select the suitable word from the extract to complete the following analogy: Embarrassment: uneasy :: pathetic:
Answer: miserable

v) What did the peddler want to do in the forge?
Answer: He wanted to sleep there and then sneak away as inconspicuously as possible.

vi) How did the Ironmaster try to convince the peddler to accept his invitation to come home?
Answer: He told the peddler that his home was not so fine that he couldn't show himself there, and mentioned that he and his daughter were lonely as his wife was dead and sons were abroad.

I never pretended to be anything but a poor trader, and I pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge------

(a) Who is the speaker?
(a) Edla
(b) Iron master
(c) Crofter
(d) Peddler
Answer: d) Peddler

(b) Why was he is in the forge?
Answer: He had sought shelter there from the cold and the dark while wandering in the forest.

(c) What is the character trait shown by speaker when he says the above?
Answer: Honesty/Self-preservation (He acknowledges he never claimed to be the Captain).

(d) The word ‘pleaded’ in the extract means the same as
(a) beseech
(b) implore
(c) both a & b
(d) None of the above
Answer: c) both a & b

(e) To whom does the speaker say this?
Answer: The Ironmaster

(f) Why did the speaker react as above?
Answer: He reacted this way because the Ironmaster had realized his mistake and was threatening to call the sheriff.

It was all a mistake of course, she continued. But, anyway I don’t think we ought to chase away a human being whom we have asked to come here, and to whom we have promised Christmas cheer --

a) What is the ‘mistake’ being spoken about?
Answer: The mistake of misidentifying the peddler as Captain Nils Olof.

b) ‘Christmas Cheer’ here refers to
(a) warmth and happiness shared during Christmas
(b) Sharing the joy of the festival
(c) Both a & b
(d) None of the above
Answer: c) Both a & b

c) Who is the speaker defending?
Answer: The peddler (the tramp).

d) ‘we’ in the extract refers to
(a) the crofter and the ironmaster
(b) the father and the daughter
(c) the peddler and the crofter
(d) the blacksmith
Answer: b) the father and the daughter

e) What would be your reaction if you were in place of the speaker?
Answer: [Subjective answer: likely expressing compassion and a sense of responsibility toward a guest.]

Short- Answer Questions (40-50 words)

1. Why did he compare the world to a rattrap?
Answer: The peddler compared the world to a rattrap because the world was unkind to him and he understood that everyone gets tempted and gives in at some point or the other in his life- the baits could be riches, luxury etc.

2. Why did the peddler leave the highway?
Answer: The peddler left the highway due to fear of being caught after having stolen the thirty kroners from the crofter.

3. What made the ironmaster send his daughter to persuade the peddler?
Answer: The ironmaster failed to persuade his "old comrade" to come home. He knew his daughter Edla had better powers of persuasion and might succeed in bringing him home for Christmas.

4. Why does the iron master agree to not chase the peddler away?
Answer: The ironmaster agrees because of Edla's intervention. She argues that they should not turn away a man they had invited and promised Christmas cheer, regardless of his true identity.

5. Why does Edla stop the peddler from going away though she knew that he was not the captain?
Answer: Edla wanted to provide the poor, lonely man a day of peace and comfort. She felt responsible for him because they had invited him, and she wanted him to enjoy the Christmas festivities with them.

6. What trait of the daughter is brought out when her father talks about her being worse than the parson?
Answer: It highlights her deep compassion, empathy, and persistent nature. She is "worse than a parson" because she preaches and practices kindness to an extreme degree, even for a stranger.

7. Why does he sign as ‘Captain’?
Answer: He signs as 'Captain' because Edla treated him like a real captain despite knowing he wasn't one. This dignity and respect inspired him to act with the honor and integrity expected of that rank.

8. Edla was a keen observant unlike her father. Discuss.
Answer: Unlike her father, who saw what he wanted to see in the dim forge, Edla noticed the peddler's fear immediately. She suspected he had either stolen something or escaped from jail. She looked beyond the surface while her father was blinded by his own assumptions.

Long Answer Questions (120-150 words)

Q1. ‘Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.’ (Jackie Chan). Imagine you are Edla Willmanson (Rattrap). Pen down your thoughts in the form of a Diary Entry, reflecting on the events leading to the change in the rattrap seller.
Answer:

• Meeting the rattrap seller at Ramsjo Ironworks
• Her father mistaking him for his old comrade, Capt Von Stahle
• Persuading him to join them for Christmas
• Her father’s anger upon realizing the mistaken identity and threatening the sheriff
• Her intercession to let him stay and rest at home
• Hearing the news of the theft at the church
• Discovery on reaching home: he had left a gift (a rattrap and a note) and returned the stolen money.
• The realization that kindness and treating him with dignity led to his transformation.

Q2. Edla Willmanson from the lesson, Rattrap was able to bring about a change in the peddler with her kindness and magnanimity. The changed peddler now happens to meet Sophie from the lesson, Going Places... He decides to write a letter and hand it over to Sophie.
Answer: Dear Sophie,
I can understand the struggle that you are going through. The whole world is a rattrap waiting to trap people with baits like power, money, acceptance, fame etc. I too was caught once. I happened to steal 30 Kroners from an old crofter, who had extended hospitality to me... [Letter to continue with advice on honesty and avoiding the traps of fantasy.]
Yours affectionately,
Peddler