The Rattrap Summary, Message and Difficult Words | The Rattrap Important Question & Answers Class 12

The Rattrap Summary, Message and Difficult Words 

 1.About the Writer

Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerlof was born on 20^th of Nov. 1858 in Marbacka ( Sweden). Her stories have been translated into many languages.

She was given Nobel Prize (1909)  in Literature. She died on March 16^th, 1940 at the age of 81 years.

2.Theme

The whole world is nothing but just a big rattrap. The people get trapped themselves as a rat is trapped who comes inside the rattrap in a search of sliced potatoes, tomatoes or cheese.

 3.Main Characters

3.1 Peddler

Peddler is the central character of the story, the Rattrap. He sells rattraps of wires moving on the streets. He has no enough income.

His clothes are in rags and his cheeks are hollow. His face clearly shows the plight of his existence. He is in the habit of petty thievery.

One day, he stays at the house of a crofter. The old crofter becomes very happy to find a friend and behaves with him as the trusted friend.

But, the peddler cheats him and runs after stealing thirty kronor. He loses his path in the dense forest.

He is mistaken as Captain Von Stahle and invited on Christmas Eve. It is Edla who brings him into the right path of life. Finally, he becomes a good man.

3.2 Crofter

  He worked at Ramsjo Ironworks earlier. But, he has left the job. He has a cow now.

It is only a source of his livelihood. He welcomes the peddler and entertains him as the trusted friend.

He says that he has earned thirty kronor by selling cow’s milk. He even shows peddler three wrinkled ten kronor notes.

3.3 Ironmaster

He is the owner of Ramsjo Ironworks who has the ambition to ship out good iron to the market. He always comes mill to inspect the workers.

He is the man who mistakes peddler as his old friend, Captain Von Stahle and invites him home on the occasion of Christmas Eve.

3.4 Edla Willmansson

She is the very clever daughter of Ironmaster. She puts a condition before the peddler to leave home according to his wish.

She saves the peddler from the police and shows him a better path to life.

4.Main Points

1.The peddler sold the rattraps moving on the streets.

2.He was struck by the idea that the whole world was nothing but just a big rattrap.

3.One dark evening, he came to a crofter’s cottage to ask for shelter for a night.

4.The crofter welcomed and entertained him as the trusted friend because he was alone.

5.Next morning, the peddler stole the money and entered the path of a dense forest.

6.He heard the voice coming out from the Ramsjo  Factory.

7.Ironmaster talked kindly and invited him home but he declined the invitation.

8.Later, Edla brought him home with a promise. Edla doubted that the peddler had either stolen something or escaped from the jail.

9.The ironmaster realised his mistake after meeting with the peddler in daylight.

10.The peddler dropped a letter for Edla that announced the sweet and kind behaviour of Edla which tracked him into the right path.

5.Ncert Solutions 

5.1 Think as your read (Page no – 34 NCERT)

1.From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?

One day, the peddler was thinking about his rattraps moving on the street. Suddenly, he lost himself in the imagination and the idea of the world being a rattrap came into his mind.

2.Why was he amused by this idea?

He was assumed by this idea because he had understood the basic nature of a human being. The whole world is nothing but just a big rattrap. All the good things that are offered to us are nothing but a trap to tempt us.

3.Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?                                           

No, the peddler did not expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter. He always used to meet sour faces. But, the crofter welcomed him as a trusted friend.

4.Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?

The crofter was so talkative and friendly with the peddler because he lived alone and there was none to talk with him. He became very happy to find a friend in the form of the peddler.

5.Why did the crofter show thirty kronor to the peddler?

The crofter showed thirty kronor to the peddler because it seemed to him that he did not believe what he had told about his grand earning. Actually, he had earned thirty kronor by selling milk to a creamery.

6.Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?

No, the peddler did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter because the crofter had the deepest faith in him even he smashed the window pan and ran away stealing thirty kronor.

5.2 Think as your read (Page 37 NCERT)

1.What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?

After stealing thirty kronor, he entered into the path of a dense forest. It became evening with time and when he could not get the way to come out. He thought that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap.

2.Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?

The ironmaster spoke kindly and invited him home because he mistook him as his old friend, Captain Von Stahle. He wanted to share some good moments with him.

3.Why did the peddler decline the invitation?

The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster because he knew that he was mistaken as an old regimental comrade as well as he had stolen thirty kronor. Therefore, he had a fear that he would be caught by the police.

5.3 Think as your read (Page 41 NCERT)

1.What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?

Edla treated her with kind and sympathy which attacked Peddler’s personality. She assured him of his full safety and put a condition too.

2.What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?

The peddler had no good income. Therefore, he looked like a beggar. When Edla met with the peddler he was very much feared too. Therefore, she thought that he was either a thief or escaped from jail.

3.When did Ironmaster realise his mistake?

The next morning, Peddler was shaved and bathed. He also wore one of the suits of Ironmaster. When he came to the dining table for the breakfast, the ironmaster saw him in the daylight. He suddenly realised his mistake.

4.How did the peddler protect himself against not revealing his original identity?

The peddler completely declined to be blamed upon him. He told that he had never pretended as his old acquaintance. It was Ironmaster and his daughter who forced him to visit his house on the eve of Christmas. He had over at iron mill for a night stay.

5.Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?

Edla did not want a man to humiliate who was a guest for a day at her house. She deeply knew the pain of the peddler and realised that he is helpless and there is even no financial support behind him.

5.4 Think as your read (Page 42 NCERT)

1.Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the Peddler?

Edla was very happy to find the gift envelop because there were robbed money and a letter inside it addressed to her. Peddler wanted to thank her to be nice to him and asked to return the money to the crofter to establish honest behaviour.

2.Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle?

The peddler was touched by the hospitality he gained at the master’s house. He could differentiate the behaviour that he received on the name of Captain. He had a chance to change his original identity and proved himself as an honourable person like Captain Von Stahle.

6. Understanding the Text

1.How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?

He cheats the crofter who gives him company for a night by stealing thirty kronor. He does not care about the trust and faith that he has shown in peddler whereas he is shocked by the behaviour of the ironmaster who requests him to visit his house on the eve of Christmas without any recognition. He is also touched by the behaviour of Edla who treated him very affectionately ever after the truth was known.

2.What are the instances in the story that show the character of the Ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many ways?

There are many instances in the story that show the character of the Ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many ways. The very first incident occurs at the iron mill where the peddler is mistaken by the ironmaster and invited on Christmas Eve whereas her daughter is clever enough to recognize the original personality of the man. The ironmaster is ready to call the police after the truth but her daughter shows sympathy which re-tracked him on a good path and also changes his behaviour completely.

3.What made the peddler finally change his ways?

It was Edla who helped the peddler to change his ways. She treated her with sympathy all day which touched him a lot. She knew all the truth even after gave shelter to stay and also saved him from being arrested.

4.How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?

The whole world is nothing but just a big rattrap. The riches and joy, shelter and food, heat and clothing are nothing but bait to tempt people who do not keep control, suffer a lot like a rat in the rattrap. The peddler steals thirty kronor and traps himself in the woods. He achieves real peace only after returning the complete money of the crofter.

5.The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour. How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the story’s theme and endear him to us?

The peddler has a subtle sense of humour as he completely declines to be blamed for his fault on being revealed. He totally blamed ironmaster for his situation which is a fun moment in the story that breaks the seriousness. He also writes a letter addressed to Edla after escaping from home which also shows his great humour.

7.Extra Question Answer

1.How did the old crofter earn thirty kronor?

The crofter had left his previous job. He has a cow for his livelihood and also used to supply milk to a creamery.  He received thirty Kronor as his monthly payment.                                                                       

2.Why did the peddler decide to make his way through the forest?

OR Why was the peddler afraid to walk on the highway?

 The peddler decided to choose the way of the forest because he had the fear that he would be caught by the police.  Actually, he had cheated crofter and stolen the money.

3.Justify the title of the story, the Rattrap.

The writer has given a logical title to the story. She takes the whole world to be a rattrap and a man to be a rat for the same rattrap.  A rat is tempted through the slice of cheese, potato and onion. In the same fashion, we are trapped.

8.The Rattrap Summary

The chapter, the Rattrap has been written by the famous Swedish writer, Selma Lagerlof. The writer takes the world to be a big rattrap.

The story has also the value of love and understanding. Peddler is the central character of the story. He lived alone without any family background and used to sell rattraps moving on the streets.

He was a kind, simple and poor man. His clothes were in rags. His business was not profitable and conducted a monotonous life. Therefore, he sometimes stole something for his survival.

He had a look of a starved man. One day, he stayed at the house of a crofter. The old crofter used to work at Ramsjo Ironworks but he had left his job and the only cow was his source of livelihood.

He had received 30 Kronor as his monthly payment. The crofter welcomed him as the trusted friend and entertained him entirely. He also showed him three wrinkled ten-kronor bills.

The next morning, he smashed the glass of the window and took the money out of the pouch and followed the path of Woods. He did not respect the confidence and hospitality reposed in him.

He lost himself in the middle of the woods without any hope to come out. It was December and darkness fell early all around.

Suddenly, he was struck by the idea that of the world being a rattrap. Later, he was triggered by the sound coming of hammer strokes from an iron mill.

He gathered all his strengths and moved towards the sound. It was  Ramsjo Ironworks which were now closed down.

He asked permission to stay over a night. The master of the iron mill used to invigilate the mill two times a day for his ambition to ship out good iron to the market.   

The Ironmaster mistook him as his old friend, Captain Von Stahle.  He invited him home on Christmas, but the peddler declined the invitation because he had feared being caught by the police.

He requested many times but in vain. Later, Edla visited the mill and guessed by meeting that either the peddler had stolen something or escaped from the jail. Later, she brought him home with a promise.

It was Edla who treated the peddler with utmost sympathy which touched to the Peddler. She also saved him even knowing the truth.

All these happenings put an everlasting impression on Peddler. He began to develop the quality of Captain.

At the end of the story, He left all robbed money and a letter addressed to Edla, announcing his goodwill for a peddler. The story is very much successful to assert human values.                                   

  9.Glossary

Rattrap (a trap for catching rats) चूहेदानी 

Sunken ( hollow) धंसा हुआ

Gleamed  (a ray of light) प्रकाश की किरण

Monotonous  (dull) कमजोर

Vagabond (wanderer) घुमंगकर

Plod  (walk effortlessly) घसीटकर चलना

Bait (lure) ललचाना

Pork (flesh of pig)  सूअर का मांस

Snare (trap) जाल

Trudging (a long difficult walk) पांव घसीटना

Porridge (a type of eatable) दलिया

Incredulous (unbelievable) अविश्वसनीय

Thicket (bushes) झाड़ियां

Thump (strike) प्रहार करना

Perspiration (sweat) पसीना

Groaned (moaned) कराहना

Clatter ( brattle) कोलाहल करना

Dangling (swinging) झूलता हुआ)

Slouch (awkward) भद्दा 

Tramp (walk with heavy steps) पैर पटककर चलना

Modest (polite) विनम्र

Foreboding (betoken) आगमन की सूची देना

Queer (strange) अजीब

sheriff (chief officer) मुख्य अधिकारी

Wrinkle (cease) मुड़ा हुआ

Pouch (a type of bag) थैला

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