The Rattrap explained by Mrs. Lopamudra Mohapatra

1. THE RATTRAP
By Selma Lagerlof
LOPAMUDRA MOHAPATRA, PGT(ENGLISH)
DAV PUBLIC SCHOOL, CCL, GANDHI NAGAR
RANCHI

2. • Born: 20 November 1858, Mårbacka, Sweden
• Language: Swedish
• Died: 16 March 1940, Mårbacka, Sweden
• Published her first novel Gosta Berling’s Saga at the age of 33
• First woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909
SELMA LAGERLOF
• Swedish author and teacher

3. • Selma Lagerlof’s books
• Most famous one : GOSTA BERLING’S SAGA
• A prolific writer
• Her novels – translated into many languages
SELMA LAGERLOF’S WORKS

4. • The story ‘The Rattrap’ is set amidst the mines
of Sweden, rich in iron ore
• Talks about the essential goodness in man
• No man is a born thief or criminal
• Circumstances and an apathetic society force
him to choose wrong path
• A little understanding, love and compassion
rekindle the essential goodness in him
• He turns over a new leaf
IRON MINES IN SWEDEN

5. The essential goodness
in a human being can be
awakened through
understanding and love
MAN IS NATURALLY GOOD
• Apathy embitters a person
• Love drives away negativity
• That becomes a turning point
• The embittered person shuns
negative feelings
• He enters a new phase of his
life

6. The whole world is
nothing but a
rattrap with
temptations like
riches and joys,
shelter and food,
heat and clothing.
THE WORLD - A RATTRAP

7. The Rattrap seller
• tramp
• vagabond
• homeless
• life in abject
poverty
• sells rattraps
• begs, borrows
• indulges in petty
thievery
• unable to keep
body and soul
together
• Clothes in rags
• Sunken eyes
• Perennially hungry
THE RATTRAP SELLER

8. The rattrap seller - an outcast
• Has a lonely existence
• Has never found a shelter for a night at anybody’s
place
• Is always chased away because of his haggard
appearance and shabby clothes
THE OUTCAST
• Leads a sad, dull and monotonous life
• Has the only thought- how to sell off his rattraps
• A great thought comes to his mind one day
• A great idea- the philosophy of life
• Derives great pleasure thinking about the sorrowful
plight of other people
• The world has never been kind to him
• It’s payback time to think ill of others

9. Baits for a rat
• cheese rinds
• bits of pork
The whole world is a rattrap and we are
like rats getting trapped for different
baits such as money, greed, name,
fame, posh bungalow, sleek cars etc.
THE GREAT PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE
The Rattrap seller’s favourite pastime
• The thought- both rich and poor are in a trap
• The poor are after food, clothing and shelter
• The rich are after name, fame, money etc.

10. Old Crofter:
• Lonely without wife and children
• Earlier was a crofter at Ramsjo Ironworks
• Dependent on a cow now
• Gives warm welcome to peddler one evening
• Shares porridge, tobacco and also the secret of
thirty kroner received from creamery
• Plays ‘mjolis’, a Swedish card game
A crofter is a farmer who has taken a small
piece of land on rent
He also raises cattle there CREAMERY
THE OLD CROFTER

11. Bait for the rattrap peddler
• Thirty kroner
• Leather pouch on a nail in
window frame
The Rattrap Seller
• Swallows the bait
• Comes back, breaks the window pane
• Steals three wrinkled ten kroner bills
AT CROFTER’S COTTAGE
• A breach of trust by the
rattrap seller
• No prick of conscience while
robbing another poor fellow
• No respect for the crofter’s
trust and hospitality

12. • The peddler takes the less trodden path- a
jungle
• An impenetrable prison- no escape route
• Gets trapped like a rat in a rattrap
• Walks around in the same part of the forest
• The dark chilly night, danger lurking in the
forest increase his gloom and despair
Deep Forest

13. • The peddler hears hammer
strokes from an iron mill
• Walks towards the mill
• Tramps often take rest shelter in
the iron mill in chilly weather
• Once a large plant with smelter, rolling mill and forge
• Barges, scows ferried iron ore
• Once doing brisk business
RAMSJO IRONWORKS
BARGE CARRYING IRON ORE SCOW
IRON MILL

14. Extract metal from
its ore by heating
and smelting
IRON MILL
Forge
BellowAnvil
• The forge is a furnace usually fuelled by
coal and used to heat metal to make it
softer and easier to hammer into
shape.
• The anvil is a block of iron with a flat
top and pointed end.
• Pieces of metal are placed on it and
shaped by hammering.
• Bellows are used to blow air onto the
forge fire to make it hotter.
A place where objects are made by
heating and shaping pieces of metal,
especially where a blacksmith works

15. • The peddler enters the mill
• Takes permission of the master blacksmith
• Sleeps beside the forge
• Covers his face with a slouched hat (old
military hat)
Maw or mouth of the forge
THE PEDDLER AT IRON MILL

16. • The iron master comes to the mill on his daily
inspection
• Thinks the tramp to be his old comrade Nils Olafs
from the army, in dim light
• Invites him to his manor house
• The peddler flatly declines the invitation
• At the same time he does not disclose his
identity
• Thinks the rich man would give him some money
• The iron master leaves the mill
MISTAKEN IDENTITY

17. • The iron master’s daughter Edla
Wilmansson arrives in a carriage
• A simple yet intelligent girl
• At first takes the peddler to be a thief or a
prisoner at large
• Lonely existence with father at manor
house
• Mother Elizabeth dead, two brothers gone
abroad
EDLA AT IRON MILL

18. • Edla addresses the rattrap seller as ‘captain’
• Invites him to their manor house to spend the Christmas Eve
• Her friendly manner gives confidence to the peddler
• He cannot say ‘no’ to the compassionate lady
• Goes to the manor house
THE PEDDLER’S BORROWED GLORY

19. • On his way to the manor house the
rattrap seller regrets his act of
stealing thirty kroner from the
crofter
• He realises he cannot enjoy the
Christmas Eve while sitting on a bait
THIRTY KRONER - THE BAIT

20. MANOR HOUSE
• Edla plans a grand Christmas Eve for the rattrap seller
• The iron master wants his poor friend to be with him for a few more days
• He decides to find a decent job for the peddler

21. • Soon the iron master realises that he has brought a
stranger to his house
• It is a classic case of mistaken identity
• He blames the stranger for not being honest
• Threatens him to hand him over to the sheriff
• The peddler speaks about his great philosophy of life
• THE WHOLE WORLD IS A RATTRAP
• Even the iron master would swallow a bigger bait one day
IDENTITY OF THE PEDDLER REVEALED

22. • Edla puts her foot down and asks the peddler to
spend the Christmas Eve with them
• She says it is unethical to send a guest away
• The poor man gets delicious food to eat and a safe
place to sleep peacefully
• At night the peddler thanks every
one after dinner
• Edla tells him that her father’s suit
is a Christmas present to him
• He is also most welcome on
Christmas Eve next year
THE RATTRAP SELLER’S FIRST CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATION

23. • Next morning is Christmas
• The father and daughter go to the church
• People there talk about a rattrap seller robbing the
old crofter of thirty kroner
• But when they reach home, the valet gives Edla ,
the rattrap seller’s gift
THEFT REVEALED

24. • There is a small rattrap
• Inside it there are three wrinkled ten kroner notes
• And there is a small letter
The letter reads this way-
• The rattrap is a Christmas present to Edla from a rat
• The old crofter had set a bait for a poor wanderer like him
• Edla’s respectful treatment was a real eye opener
• He realises the dignity associated with the position of a Captain
• He understands the value of an honest life
• He tries to transform himself by leaving his old way of life
• Edla gives him the treatment due to a captain and that empowers him
• He clears himself of all his sins
• The redemption is complete now
TRANSFORMATION AND REDEMPTION

25. SOME LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human
predicament?
2. The story ‘The Rattrap’ also focuses on human loneliness and the need to
bond with others.
3. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown
by the crofter, ironmaster and his daughter?
4. The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself
get caught in the same?
5. Why did the crofter repose confidence in the peddler? How did the peddler
betray that and with what consequence?
6. The peddler declined the invitation of the ironmaster but accepted one
from Edla. Why?
7. Given his temperament, Edla’s father would have failed in reforming the
peddler. How did Edla succeed?
8. How is the essential goodness in the peddler awakened?

26. SOME SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
1. Which philosophy became the rattrap seller’s cherished pastime and why?
2. Briefly describe the vagabond of ‘The Rattrap’.
3. What did the peddler do to keep his body and soul together?
4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
5. How did the crofter treat the peddler?
6. Why did the crofter show the thirty kroner to the peddler?
7. Why did the peddler keep to the woods after leaving the crofter’s cottage? How did he
feel?
8. Who was the owner of the Ramsjo iron mills? Why did he visit the mills at night?
9. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
10. Why did the peddler decline the invitation of the iron master?
11. What doubts did Edla about the peddler?
12. What made the peddler accept Edla Wilmansson’s invitation?
13. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
14. ‘Edla sat and hung her head even more dejectedly than usual?’ Which two reasons forced
her to behave in that manner?
15. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
16. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stale?
17. What made the peddler finally change his ways?

27. THANK
YOU
Source: Google Images/ Internet