4. The Rattrap - Prose - Class 12 -Flamingo

Jul 15, 2025
6 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Author: Selma Lagerlöf

Textbook Name and Genre:Flamingo / Fiction

Summary

“The Rattrap” is a heartwarming story set in Sweden, centering on a poor peddler who sells small rattraps made from wire. His life is full of hardship, and to survive, he sometimes resorts to begging and stealing. One day, he reflects that the world is like a rattrap—it offers riches and pleasures as bait to trap people. He finds shelter at the cottage of a kind crofter, who generously offers food, company, and even shows him thirty kronor he had earned. The peddler later steals this money.

Soon, he gets lost in the forest and finds himself at the Ramsjö Ironworks, where he is mistaken by the ironmaster for an old regimental friend. Although he tries to avoid the invitation, the ironmaster’s daughter Edla persuades him to come home for Christmas. Her kindness and trust bring about a transformation in the peddler. He leaves a note and returns the stolen money, signing himself as "Captain von Stahle" to honour her goodness. The story ends on a redemptive note, showing how love and compassion can awaken the innate goodness in people.

Character Sketch

The Peddler

The peddler is a poor, homeless man who sells handmade rattraps. Life has made him bitter, and he often steals to survive. Initially cynical and distrustful, he believes the world is a rattrap meant to deceive people with material baits. However, he is not evil by nature. His transformation begins when he is treated with kindness by Edla. Her compassion makes him introspect and change. By the end, he redeems himself by returning the stolen money and leaving a note of gratitude. His character arc—from a petty thief to a redeemed man—makes him deeply human and relatable.

Edla Willmansson

Edla is the ironmaster’s daughter and the true moral center of the story. Unlike her father, she is highly observant and incredibly empathetic. When she first meets the peddler, she immediately senses his fear, correctly guessing that he has either stolen something or escaped from jail. Despite this, she advocates for him to stay, driven by a deep sense of compassion for a man who is constantly chased away by the world. Edla’s kindness is unconditional; she treats him like a captain even after his true, impoverished identity is revealed. It is her genuine warmth, trust, and refusal to judge him that ultimately awakens the peddler's dormant goodness and gives him the strength to redeem himself.

The Ironmaster

The owner of the Ramsjö Ironworks is an ambitious and impulsive man whose primary goal is to ship out good iron to the market. He is quick to make assumptions, as seen when he mistakes the ragged peddler in the dim forge for his old regimental comrade, Nils Olof. The ironmaster's hospitality is highly conditional. As long as he believes the peddler is an old friend, he is eager to feed and clothe him. However, the moment the peddler is bathed and his true identity is exposed in the daylight, the ironmaster’s warmth instantly turns into anger. He threatens to call the sheriff, revealing a rigid, superficial nature that lacks the genuine, transformative empathy possessed by his daughter.

The Crofter

The crofter is a lonely, old man who lives by himself in a little gray cottage by the roadside. Having no wife or child, he is desperately starved for human company. When the peddler knocks on his door, the crofter is genuinely overjoyed and showers him with hospitality—offering him hot porridge, tobacco, and playing cards with him. However, the crofter is also deeply naive and overly trusting. In his eagerness to impress his guest, he reveals where he keeps his hard-earned thirty kronor. His innocence and need for connection inadvertently provide the "bait" that tempts the peddler, triggering the central conflict of the story.

Themes

Theme	Description
The World as a Rattrap	A metaphorical view that the world tempts people into traps with material goods.
Power of Compassion	Kindness, especially from Edla, brings about a major transformation.
Redemption and Human Goodness	The story suggests everyone has the potential for goodness and change.
Loneliness and the Need to Belong	The peddler’s longing for respect and home highlights human emotional needs.
Illusion vs Reality	The peddler is misjudged, and appearances are deceptive throughout the story.

✨ Literary Devices

Device	Example
Metaphor	The world is compared to a rattrap.
Irony	A thief ends up being treated like a captain.
Symbolism	The rattrap represents worldly temptations and traps.
Alliteration	“With a twitching chirrup” (from earlier section).
Imagery	Descriptions of the forest and the forge create strong visuals.
Personification	“The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat…”

Title Justification

The title "The Rattrap" is highly symbolic and apt. It reflects the central metaphor of the story—the idea that the world, with its material attractions, is like a rattrap, luring people into sin and suffering. The protagonist's life mirrors this philosophy, but ultimately, it is the same metaphor that helps him realise his mistake and transform. Thus, the title encapsulates both the downfall and redemption of the peddler, making it highly relevant and meaningful.

One-Mark Questions

Why did the peddler compare the world to a rattrap?
He believed the world offered material temptations like a rattrap offers cheese. People who fall for them get trapped just like in a rattrap.
Why did the crofter welcome the peddler warmly?
The crofter was lonely and happy to have company. He treated the peddler kindly and shared his food and secrets.
How did the ironmaster react on discovering the peddler’s real identity?
He was angry and felt deceived. He asked the peddler to leave immediately.
Why did Edla want the peddler to stay even after knowing the truth?
She believed everyone deserves kindness and a chance to change. She wanted him to enjoy Christmas in peace.
What gift did the peddler leave behind?
He left behind a rattrap containing thirty kronor and a note. It was a token of his transformation and gratitude.

Three-Mark Questions

How did Edla’s kindness affect the peddler?
Edla treated the peddler with warmth and respect despite knowing he was not a captain. Her unconditional kindness made him feel valued for the first time. He felt remorseful about his actions and wanted to redeem himself. He returned the stolen money and wrote a heartfelt note. This shows how genuine compassion can transform even the most lost souls.
Why did the peddler consider himself caught in a rattrap after stealing the money?
After stealing from the crofter, the peddler got lost in the forest. He realised he had fallen for material temptation and was now trapped, just as he had imagined others being trapped. This moment was a turning point in his self-awareness. He understood his philosophy applied to him too. It made him reflect on his life choices.
Compare the ironmaster’s and Edla’s behaviour toward the peddler.
The ironmaster was quick to judge and invite the peddler home based on mistaken identity. He was more interested in appearances and status. On the other hand, Edla saw the man’s true condition and still showed compassion. She treated him with dignity and respect. This contrast highlights Edla’s greater emotional maturity and humanity.

Value-Based Question

Q: What does the story teach us about judging others and the power of compassion?

The story teaches us not to judge people by their appearances or past mistakes. The peddler was a thief, yet when he was treated with respect and kindness by Edla, he felt human again. This love and trust inspired him to change. It reminds us that empathy and non-judgmental behaviour can bring out the best in others and help them reclaim their dignity. Compassion has the power to transform lives.

Notes Improvement Credit: We would like to extend our gratitude to Ms. Saraswathi, Vice-Principal of Ithaka, for pointing out that some character sketches were missing from this lesson. We have updated the notes to include them. Thank you for your valuable feedback, Saraswathi Ma'am!

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