The story is about a petty thief and trap seller who wanders the countryside. He views the world as a trap that lures people with temporary riches and pleasures. He stays with a kind old man but steals from him, then seeks shelter at a iron mill. The owner's daughter, Edla, shows him kindness during Christmas, which awakens his humanity. He returns the stolen money and realizes Edla's compassion helped him escape being trapped by greed.

1. Home Assignment Week- 7
Class- 12 A&C Subject- English
Chapter- 4 The Rattrap
Introduction
‘The Rattrap’ is a story that gives us a psychological insight into human nature.
The author highlights how greed for material things entraps human beings. The
story upholds the belief that the essential goodness of the human being can be
awakened through love and understanding. It brings into focus the idea that the
world is a rattrap. Riches ,joys, shelter and food are all lucrative baits to trap
mankind.
Theme
The chapter ‘The Rattrap’ covers the theme of the basic human need for
companionship, and shows the negative effects of loneliness. The story stresses
on the fact that most human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material
benefits. The author targets the materialistic approach of the people. The
worldly riches have disillusioned them, and they are running after the things
which are temporary.
Main Characters
1. The Paddler
He is the protagonist and central character of the story. He is an unnamed
man who lives as a tramp wandering the countryside and selling rattraps.
As he does not make enough money from this to survive, the rattrap
paddler also engages in petty thievery and begging.
2. Edla Willmansson
Edla is the daughter of the ironmaster. He is described as ‘not at all
pretty, but modest and quite shy’. She is exceptionally kind. She
convinces the peddler to come to her house and then convinces her father
to let the peddler stay for Christmas Eve. She is the most positive figure
in the story, and her compassion and generosity are the reasons for the
peddler’s transformation.
3. Ironmaster
Ironmaster is Edla Willmansson’s father and the man who owns Ramsjo
Ironworks. He is a very prominent ironmaster. He steps by at his forge

2. every day and night to watch the work, and inspect the quality of his
products. In his younger days, he was in military, so he mistakes the
peddler for his ‘old regimental comrade’ Captain von Stahle.
4. The Crofter
This is an old man who lets the peddler spend the night at his house.as the
old man is lonely, he is glad to have a company and provides the paddler
with food, tobacco and conversation. He is a very kind, and generous old
man, but paddler repays his generosity by stealing thirty kronors from
him.
Summary
The story begins like a fairy tale. The central character is a bagger and a petty
thief who goes about selling rattraps of wire to make a small living. He finds it
difficult to make both ends meet. It makes him same reflect about his own
condition and the world at large. He realises that the whole world is nothing but
a big rattrap .It offers rich and varied baits to people who bite on them and get
trapped in the rattrap. The story line unfolds gradually with the various baits
being offer to a bagger. The old man that the tramp meets is generous with his
hospitality but the bet of three ten-kronor bills is enough to tempt him. Next at
the ramsjo iron works, while seeking shelter for the night, the tramp bites the
bet offered to him by the owner, the ironmaster, of mistaken identity. Edla, the
ironmaster’s daughter, offers yet another bait of full-hearted generosity,
comfortable living and a magically peaceful Christmas for the tramp. Finally,
the bitter truth dawns on the hosts. Edla is downcast when she learns that the
paddler is a thief. The tramp undergoes a change of heart after experiencing her
kindness . He returns the stolen money and writes a letter to her, thanking her
for helping him escape the rattrap. He attains nobility of sprit and ‘becomes’
Captain Von Stahle. The story ends with the victory of human goodness.
Answer the following question:-
1. What made the peddler finally change his wages?
2. Why was the peddler surprised when he knocked at the door of the
cottage?
3. Who was the owner of Ramsjo iron mill? Why did he visit the mill at
night?

3. 4. Why did the peddler keep to the woods after leaving the crofter’s
cottage? How did he feel?
5. Why did Edla invite the peddler to say with her family?
6. Why did the peddler think that the world was a rattrap?
7. What did the gift of the rattrap signify?
8. What did Edla notice about the stranger?
9. Why was the peddler amused at the idea of the world being a rattrap?
10.What hospitality did the peddler receive from the crofter?