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Why does Douglas as an adult recount a childhood experience of terror and, , 3., conquering of it? What larger meaning does he draw from this eopetie®, , 4, What were the series of emotions and fears that Douglas experienc@, thrown into the pool? What plans did he make to come tothe surface, , 4. THE RATTRAP, , About the Author:, Selma Ottilia Lovisa Lagerl6f (20 Nov. 1858-16 Mar 1940) - she was, the first female writer who won the Novel Prize in Literature in, 1909. She was a Swedish writer whose stories have been translated, into many languages. A universal theme runs through all of them: @, belief that the essential goodness in a human being can be, awakened through understanding and love., , ABOUT THE LESSON:, Selma Lagerlof, The protagonist (hero) of the short story ‘The Rattrap’ makes small, , rattraps of wire at odd moments to sell but the unlucky fellow’s business is not especially, , profitable for him so that he has to resort to both either begging or stealing to keep his body, , and soul together. His sunken cheeks, hunger that gleams in his eyes and his rags describe, , how sad, monotonous and miserable life he spends., , Once he steals three-ten kronor notes of the old crofter, the man who gives him shelter,, food and tobacco for the night and escapes by adopting the path of woods. He loses in the, big and confusing forest and compares the jungle to the rattrap., , Hearing the sound of hard regular thumping, he reaches at Ramsjo ironworks where the, ironmaster mistakes him as old regimental comrade and invites him to spend Christmas, cheer in the manor house. He refuses the proposal but cannot deny when Edla convinces, himin a friendly manner that he feels confidence in her words., , The rattrap peddler’s splendour comes to an end when the ironmaster sees him in the, broad day light. The ironmaster wants him to leave the house but Edla keeps him at home., , She treats as if he isa real captain., In church, the ironmaster and Edla come to know that he is a thief. Edla becomes sad but, when she opens the gift left by him she becomes delighted. The gift is a small rattrap, , including thirty kronor notes and a letter of regret. It is signed as captain von Stahle., , *Metahor*: - (It is a figure of speech that identifies something as being the same as some, , unrelated thing). The story ‘The Rattrap’ is a metaphor*. It highlights the human, , predicament. i.e. “The whole world with its lands and seas, its cities and villages -— was, , nothing but a big rattrap”., 108, , , , , , i

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The Rattrap offers: ~_ Cheese and pork., , Message: The story displays the belief that the essential goodness of ahum, , awakened through love and understanding. anbeingcan be, , CHARACTERS:, i THE RATTRAP SELLER: - He is the protagonist of the story who sells small rattraps of, wireat odd moments but he Is not able to satisfy even his hunger with this profession, so that he sometimes he depends upon both beg, ', , ging and stealing thieve is, shat Snseee g thievery to keep his, , 2, EDLAWILLMANSSON: - She is the female protagonist of the story. She is not so pretty, but quite modest and shy. She entertains the peddler even after knowing his true, identity that heis not a regimental comrade., , 3, _THEIRONMASTER: - He is Edla’s father who runs the Ramsjé ironworks. He mistakes, the peddlerasa regimental comrade., , 4, THE OLD CROFTER: He is the retired person from the Ramsjé Ironmill who gives, shelter to the peddler for a night steals his three lin know notes: , |. THINKAS YOU READ:1, Fromwhere did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?, , , , Ans- The peddler was a rattrap seller. He used to make small rattraps of wire at odd, moments from the materials he got by begging in the stores or at the big farms. One, day when he was checking the rattraps made by him suddenly an idea struck in his, mind that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap. He couldn't stop comparing, the world with the rattrap. As the world offered riches and joys, shelter and food heat, and clothing, exactly the rattrap offered cheese and pork., , 2. Whywasheamused by this idea?, , Ans- The peddler lived in a very missrable condition but no body showed sympathy to him., So, the idea that the whole world was nothing but a big rattrap gave him an, unexpected joy. It was amusing that as soon as anyone let himself be tempted to, touch the bait, it closed in on him, and then everything came to the end. Moreover, it, became a cherished pastime of him. He thought of the people knew who had let, themselves be caught in the dangerous snare, and of others who were still circling, , around the bait., , 3. Didthe peddler expect the kind of hospital, Ans- The peddler in search of shelter knocked the door of a cottage. The owner not only, welcomed him with porridge and tobacco but also played mjalis with him till bed, time. The guest never expected the kind of hospitality that he received from the, 109, , ity that he received from the crofter?

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crofter. He only thought of the sour faces usually met him but the old ma, generous and talkative. Was, , 4. Whywasthe crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?, , Ans- The old man had no wife or child. He used to live alone in his cottage. He needeq ,, friend to talk to in his loneliness . At that very moment he found the peddler as bette,, companion. He welcomed him with food and tobacco. They played mijélis till beg., time and by talking with the man, the crofter tried to get rid of his loneliness for the, , night., 5. Whydidheshowthe thirty kronor to the peddler?, , Ans- The old crofter was a pure-hearted person. He was just as generous with his, confidences as with his porridge and tobacco. While talking he informed the peddler, that in this age he had earned thirty. Kronor by selling milk the man with the rattraps, did not believe in his words and made his face incredulous; this forced the old man, showing his money to the stranger. It also represents the old crofter’s self-pride but, , he never expected the manasa thief., 6. Didthe peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?, , Ans- The old crofter was the man who gave the peddler food, tobacco and shelter but, instead of praising, the peddler stole the money earned by the old man by selling the, milk and cream of the extra-ordinary cow. He was not expected to do so but he did, and did not respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter. He broke the trust, , and sympathy of the pure-hearted person., 7. What made the peddler think that he had fallen into a rattrap?, , Ans- The peddler, after stealing the money of the old crofter adopted the path of woods so, that the old man couldn’t catch him. It was a big and confusing forest. He tried to, come out of the forest but the way twisted him back, Suddenly, he thought about the, world being a rattrap. As a rat moved around the cage after touching the bait so as he, was moving around the same part of the forest after touching the hanging three-ten, wrinkled kronor notes., , 8. Whydidtheironmaster speak kindly to the peddler andinvite him home?, , Ans- The ironmaster, in the glowing light of the furnace mistook the peddler as his old, acquaintance who used to work as an army officer but resigned from the post due to, some personal reason. Now he was moving around the country selling rattraps of, wire. He was in rags. His sunken cheeks and the hunger that gleamed in his eyes, forced him to speak kindly and inviting him home for the Christmas Eve., , 9. Whydidthe Peddler decline the Invitation?, 4 Ans- First of all, the peddler afraid that he had stolen thirty kronor and going to the manor, , be :

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house with the ihe would be like throwing himself willingly Into the lion’s den., Secondly, he was neither an army officer nor a regimental comrade this made him, haunted and Hie was forced him not to g0 to the manor house. So, he declined the, invitation again and again., 40. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson’s invitation?, , Ans-The peddler had declined the first invitation given by the ironmaster but couldn’t deny, when Edla came to receive him herself. She convinced him in such a friendly manner, , that the peddler felt confidence in him and agreed to go to the manor house, He was, told that he would be made free whenever he would want a F, , Eve with them fter spending Christmas, , 11, What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?, , Ans- Edla wanted to take the peddler in manor house so that she came herself to convince, him to go with her. But when she met the peddler first she felt that the man was too, , afraid as if he had stolen something or he was an escapist from jail. These two doubts, haunted Edla in the forge., , 12. Whendid the ironmaster realise his mistake?, , Ans- The ironmaster mistook the peddler as his old acquaintance. It was all because of the, glowing light of the furnace at night but he realised his mistake when the peddler, came in the good looking suit belonged to the ironmaster. He was bathed and cleaned, by the valet. In the broad day light it was impossible to mistake him as an old, acquaintance., , 13. What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person, the ironmaster had thought he was?, , Ans- The peddler uttered not a single word in his defence. He only made the ironmaster, , realised that he pleaded and begged to be allowed to stay in the forge for the night, but he sent Edla to convince him. He urges no harm had been done yet. He said he was, , ready to put on his rags and leave the house., 14. Whydid Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?, Ans- Edla, the daughter of the ironmater still wished to entertain him even after she knew, the truth about him as she was a pure-hearted girl and wanted to give him peace fora, , single day. She wanted the poor hungry wretch to spend the Christmas Eve in the, manor house as she wanted to keep her promise, she had made to the man in the, , forge,, , 15, WhywasEdla happy tosee the gift eft by the peddler?, , Ans- Edla seemed disappointed when she heard at the church that the man with the, rattraps was a thief but when she was given the little package left by the peddler, she, , Il

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lrattrap with three-ten kronor wrinkled notes anda, , gave alittle cry of joy. Itwas asmal, letter in which he confessed his guilt and requested the young girl to return the, , moneyto the oldman living roadside., , ler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?, , ce meeting with Edla became a turning-point in his life. Her nice, behaviour, way of talking, love, care and sympathy even after knowing his true, identity touched his heart. In return, he also wished to behave nicely and not wanted, her to be embarrassed bya thief in the Christmas Eve. So, he left the stolen money in, the rattrap and in the letter he regretted his guilt. He signed himself as captain von, Stahle because in that way he got power to clear himself. This proved he was nowa, , changed person., , Il. UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT:41. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the, , crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?, elter knocks the door of the old crofter’s cottage,, , Without asking a single question he welcomes the man, gives him not only shelter but, also food and tobacco. The old man shows his generosity by talking and playing till, bedtime but the hanging money overpowers the host’s kindness and hospitality. He, betrays the old crofter. Secondly, in the forge, the ironmaster mistakes him as his old, regimental comrade. He requests him to go along with him his house to spend, Christmas Eve. When he refuses the proposal again and again he sends his daughter, to convince him. Eventually, Edla’s treatment like a captain totally changes the poor, vagabond’s heart. His letter of regret proves that he will bea different person., , es in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is, , 16. Whydidthe peddl, Ans- The peddler’s chan, , Ans- First of all, the peddler, inneed of sh, , 2. Whatare the instanc, different from that of his daughter in many ways?, © prove that the character of the ironmaster is, , rin many ways. First of all, in the forge, he was, house to spend Christmas cheer but Edla, , Ans- The story gives many instances t, different from that of his daughte!, , unable to persuade the peddler to go manor, convinced him to go. The ironmaster could not doubt that the man was not an, oung lady did. After knowing the truth the ironmaster wanted, , educated man as the y, ined, , the man to be chased away from the house but she not only kept but also enterta, him like a Captain his words. Her father warned her that she would have to regret for, , ranger at home but she didn’t care for that. Lastly, while returning from, , keeping the st!, ut she, , church the ironmaster claimed that he would have stolen silver spoons and all b, uttered not a single word. Her silence proved her trust for him that seemed true as, , she observed the stolen money andthe letter inside the rattrap, 3., The story has many Instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others, , > a, 119