The Rattrap by Selma Lagerlöf
Class 12 English Core | Flamingo, Chapter 4
NCERT Solutions, Summary, Character Analysis, Themes and Important Questions
The Rattrap is a short story by Swedish writer Selma Lagerlöf. It explores temptation, loneliness, kindness and the possibility of change. These NCERT solutions for Class 12 English explain the story in clear language and cover the textbook questions and language activities.
1. About the Author
Selma Lagerlöf (1858–1940) was a Swedish writer and the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, in 1909. Her writing often explores human goodness, moral choices and the power of compassion.
The Rattrap is set in Sweden, where ironworks and forest paths form an important part of the story. Its fairy-tale-like narrative presents a serious idea through a simple comparison: the world can tempt people into traps, but kindness may help them change.
2. Summary of The Rattrap
A poor peddler travels from place to place selling small rattraps made of wire. He also survives by begging and sometimes stealing. One day, he thinks that the whole world is like a giant rattrap. It offers attractive baits such as food, money, shelter and comfort. People who give in to these temptations may become trapped by them.
An old crofter welcomes the peddler into his cottage, gives him food and shelter, and talks to him because he is lonely. The crofter shows him the thirty kronor he has earned from selling milk. After leaving the cottage, the peddler returns and steals the money.
To avoid being caught, he enters a forest. He loses his way and becomes frightened. The forest seems like a prison, and he feels that he has fallen into the very trap he had imagined.
He eventually reaches an ironworks. The ironmaster mistakes him for an old regimental comrade and invites him home for Christmas. The peddler refuses at first, fearing that the ironmaster may discover his identity and the stolen money. The ironmaster's daughter, Edla Willmansson, visits him and invites him with genuine concern. Her respectful manner persuades him to go with her.
At the house, the ironmaster discovers that the peddler is not the person he thought he was. He becomes angry and wants the man to leave. Edla, however, argues that the peddler should be allowed to stay for Christmas because she has already promised him safety and hospitality.
After being treated with respect, the peddler leaves a rattrap as a Christmas present for Edla. Inside it are the stolen thirty kronor and a letter asking her to return the money to the crofter. He signs the letter as Captain von Stahle. Edla's kindness has helped him act with honesty and dignity.
3. Main Characters
A poor, homeless man who sells wire rattraps. He is distrustful, resourceful and capable of humour. His theft shows his weakness, while his final act shows that he can change.
A lonely old man who welcomes the peddler, shares his food and tells him about his earnings. His trust is repaid with theft.
The owner of the ironworks. He mistakes the peddler for an old army comrade. His kindness is closely linked to that mistaken identity, and he becomes angry when he learns the truth.
The ironmaster's daughter. She treats the peddler with sympathy and respect even after learning who he really is. Her kindness helps bring about his change.
4. Themes and the Rattrap Metaphor
The world as a rattrap
The peddler imagines the world as a rattrap that offers attractive baits. Money, food, shelter and other comforts tempt people. Once they give in, they may become trapped by their choices. The stolen thirty kronor become the bait that traps the peddler in the forest and fills him with fear.
Kindness and human dignity
The crofter is kind, but the peddler steals from him. The ironmaster offers hospitality because he believes the peddler is his old comrade. Edla's kindness is different: she continues to treat the peddler respectfully even after the mistake is discovered. Her trust gives him a chance to behave honestly.
Loneliness and companionship
The crofter welcomes a stranger partly because he has no one to talk to. The peddler, too, lives on the margins of society. The story suggests that loneliness can make human contact especially valuable.
Change and redemption
The peddler's final action shows a moral change. He returns the stolen money and leaves a gift for Edla. He does not change because he is threatened; he changes after someone treats him as a person worthy of trust.
Irony
The peddler believes that the world traps people through temptation, yet he becomes trapped by the money he steals. The ironmaster thinks he has found an old friend but discovers a stranger. Edla, who suspects the peddler may have done something wrong, is the person whose kindness helps him do something right.
5. Important Expressions and Word Meanings
| Expression | Meaning in context |
|---|---|
| Keep body and soul together | To manage to stay alive, especially by meeting basic needs. |
| Plods along | Moves slowly and heavily, with effort. |
| Things have gone downhill | Things have become worse. |
| Hunger gleamed in his eyes | His expression showed that he was very hungry. |
| Unwonted joy | Unusual or unexpected happiness. |
| Impenetrable prison | A place from which escape seems impossible. |
| Eased his way | Moved slowly and carefully. |
| Nodded a haughty consent | Agreed in a proud or superior manner. |
| Fallen into a line of thought | Begun thinking along a particular line of reasoning. |
| Rags | Old, torn and worn-out clothes. |
| Ragamuffin | A person, often a child, dressed in old and untidy clothes. |
| Crofter | A person who owns or rents a small farm, especially in Scotland. |
| Valet | A personal attendant who helps someone with clothing and other needs. |
| Mjölis (Mjolis) | A card game mentioned in the story. |
6. NCERT Solutions: Think as You Read
These short answers follow the questions in the textbook. They focus on the main point of each question.
Part I
1. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
Answer: The idea came to him while he was thinking about the small wire rattraps he made and sold. He imagined that the world itself was a giant rattrap offering tempting baits to people.
2. Why was he amused by this idea?
Answer: The world had not treated him kindly. He found satisfaction in imagining that people who enjoyed its riches and comforts could also be caught by its temptations.
3. Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?
Answer: No. He was used to being treated with suspicion and often had difficulty finding shelter. The crofter's warm welcome, food and friendly conversation were unexpected.
4. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?
Answer: The crofter lived alone and had no one to talk to. He was pleased to have a visitor and wanted to share his thoughts and experiences with someone.
5. Why did he show the thirty kronor to the peddler?
Answer: The crofter was proud of the money he had earned from selling milk. He wanted to show the peddler that his claim was true, as the peddler had seemed doubtful about it.
6. Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?
Answer: No. The crofter trusted him and offered him shelter, but the peddler returned later and stole the thirty kronor.
Part II
1. What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?
Answer: After stealing the crofter's money, he entered the forest to avoid being caught. He lost his way and could not find a way out. He felt trapped, just as he had imagined people could be trapped by the world's baits.
2. Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
Answer: In the dim light of the forge, the ironmaster mistook the peddler for an old regimental comrade. Believing that he was an old acquaintance in need, he invited him home for Christmas.
3. Why did the peddler decline the invitation?
Answer: He feared that the ironmaster might discover his real identity and the stolen money. He suspected that accepting the invitation could lead to trouble.
Part III
1. What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson's invitation?
Answer: Edla spoke to him with genuine concern and respect. She assured him that he would be free to leave whenever he wished. Her manner made him feel that he could trust her.
2. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
Answer: She noticed that he seemed frightened and wondered whether he had stolen something or escaped from prison. Despite these doubts, she continued to treat him kindly.
3. When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?
Answer: He realised it in daylight, when he saw the peddler properly at home. The man's appearance made it clear that he was not the old regimental comrade the ironmaster had believed him to be.
4. What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was?
Answer: The peddler argued that he had not asked to be treated as the ironmaster's old comrade. He warned that the ironmaster should not blame him for accepting an invitation given on a mistaken identity. He also used his rattrap idea to suggest that the ironmaster might himself be caught by a temptation.
5. Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?
Answer: Edla had invited him for Christmas and felt that he should not be turned away after being promised hospitality. She wanted him to enjoy one peaceful day and believed he should be treated with dignity, despite his poverty and suspected wrongdoing.
6. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
Answer: The gift showed that the peddler had changed. He had returned the stolen thirty kronor and left a rattrap for Edla. His letter showed gratitude and respect, proving that her kindness had made a difference.
7. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?
Answer: Edla had treated him with the respect she would have shown a captain, even after learning that he was a poor peddler. By signing as Captain von Stahle, he acknowledged the dignity she had given him and showed that he wanted to live up to it.
7. NCERT Solutions: Understanding the Text
1. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?
Answer: The peddler sees the crofter's kindness as an unexpected comfort, but he abuses the crofter's trust by stealing his money. He is suspicious of the ironmaster's invitation because he fears being exposed. Edla's kindness affects him differently. She continues to respect him even after his identity is known. Her trust encourages him to return the money and act honestly.
2. What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the ironmaster is different from that of his daughter in many ways?
Answer: The ironmaster mistakes the peddler for an old comrade and invites him home on that basis. When he discovers the truth, he becomes angry and wants the peddler to leave. Edla also initially accepts the mistaken identity, but her concern is more personal. Once she has promised hospitality, she insists that the peddler should be allowed to stay, even after the truth is known. The ironmaster's response depends largely on identity and appearances; Edla's response is guided by compassion and her sense of responsibility.
3. The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to other characters' behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.
Answer:
- The crofter welcomes a stranger warmly, although the peddler later betrays his trust.
- The ironmaster mistakes the peddler for an old comrade and invites him home.
- Edla continues to offer hospitality even after learning that the peddler is not the person her father thought he was.
- The peddler, who has stolen money, returns it and leaves a gift for Edla.
These surprises show that people do not always act as others expect. In particular, Edla's kindness brings out a better side of the peddler.
4. What made the peddler finally change his ways?
Answer: Edla's kindness and respect helped the peddler see himself differently. She did not humiliate him or turn him away after discovering the truth. Her trust gave him a chance to act honourably. He responded by returning the stolen money and leaving her a Christmas gift.
5. How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?
Answer: The rattrap represents the temptations that can trap people. Just as bait attracts a rat, money, comfort and pleasure can lead people into trouble. The peddler's theft of the crofter's money becomes his own bait: it makes him afraid, forces him into the forest and leaves him feeling trapped. The metaphor suggests that people can become prisoners of their own choices.
6. The peddler comes out as a person with a subtle sense of humour. How does this serve in lightening the seriousness of the theme of the story and also endear him to us?
Answer: The peddler presents his rattrap theory in a playful way, imagining that the world has set traps for people. He also uses the same idea to warn the ironmaster that he, too, could be caught by a temptation. His humour makes him more than a simple villain. Although he commits a theft, his wit, fear and final change make him a more complex and sympathetic character.
8. NCERT Solutions: Talking About the Text
These questions invite discussion. The following are sample points that students can develop in their own words.
1. The reader's sympathy is with the peddler right from the beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is the sympathy justified?
Sample response: The peddler is poor, homeless and often treated with suspicion. His circumstances make the reader understand his hardship. However, understanding his poverty does not make his theft right. Our sympathy becomes more justified when he recognises his mistake and returns the money. The story asks us to judge his actions without denying his ability to change.
2. The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.
Sample response: The crofter welcomes the peddler because he is lonely and wants someone to talk to. The peddler himself lives without a stable home or close relationships. Edla's concern offers him a rare experience of acceptance. The story shows that human connection can restore hope and encourage better choices.
3. Have you known/heard of an episode where a good deed or an act of kindness has changed a person's view of the world?
Sample response: A student may describe a time when a person was helped without being judged for a mistake. Such an act can make the person feel trusted and encourage them to behave more responsibly. Like Edla's kindness, the act should give the person a genuine chance to make amends. Students may use a real example they know, rather than inventing a personal experience.
4. The story is both entertaining and philosophical.
Sample response: The story is entertaining because of the mistaken identity, the peddler's humour and the unexpected ending. It is philosophical because the rattrap represents temptation and the traps people create through their choices. The ending also raises a question about human nature: a person who has done wrong may still change when treated with respect.
9. NCERT Solutions: Working with Words
Question 1
The man selling rattraps is referred to by many terms such as “peddler, stranger” etc. Pick out all such references to him. What does each of these labels indicate of the context or the attitude of the people around him?
Sample answer: The story uses several descriptions for the main character. Some identify his work or situation, while others reveal how people see him. The precise wording can vary by edition, so check each term against your copy of the NCERT text.
| Reference | What it suggests |
|---|---|
| Peddler | Describes his work of travelling around and selling small goods. |
| Stranger | Shows that he is unknown to the people he meets. |
| Tramp or vagabond | Suggests a person who moves from place to place without a settled home. |
| Ragamuffin | Emphasises his shabby appearance and worn-out clothes. |
| Captain | Reflects the ironmaster's mistaken belief about his identity and the respectful role Edla allows him to occupy. |
The labels shift with the situation. Some focus on his poverty, while “Captain” reflects the identity others mistakenly give him and the dignity Edla continues to show him.
Question 2
You came across the words, plod, trudge, stagger in the story. These words indicate movement accompanied by weariness. Find five other such words with a similar meaning.
Sample answer: Shuffle, stumble, limp, lumber and drag can describe slow, heavy or difficult movement. Their exact meanings differ: for example, limp often suggests an injury, while stumble suggests unsteady movement.
10. NCERT Solutions: Noticing Form
Reflexive pronouns include myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves and themselves. They can refer back to the subject of a sentence or add emphasis.
1. “He made them himself at odd moments.”
Explanation: “Himself” adds emphasis. It stresses that he made the rattraps on his own, rather than having someone else make them.
2. “He raised himself.”
Explanation: “Himself” refers back to the subject “he”. It shows that the person raised his own body.
3. “He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught.”
Explanation: “Himself” refers back to “he”. The peddler recognises that he allowed himself to be tempted and trapped by the bait.
4. “… a day may come when you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork.”
Explanation: “Yourself” adds emphasis to “you”. It highlights the person being addressed and suggests that even that person might one day be tempted.
Practise with your own examples
- Emphasis: “I prepared the display myself.”
- Referring back to the subject: “She blamed herself for the mistake.”
11. NCERT Solutions: Thinking About Language
Question 1
Notice the words in bold in the sentence: “The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter.” This phrase is used in the specific context of an iron plant. Pick other such phrases and words from the story peculiar to the terminology of ironworks.
Sample answer: The story includes terms connected with the ironworks and the work done there. Examples to look for in your textbook include forge, furnace, charcoal, pig iron and ironworks. These refer to the workplace, fuel, equipment or material used in iron production. The word maw is figurative: it presents the furnace as if it were a mouth swallowing fuel.
Question 2
Mjolis is a card game of Sweden. Name a few indoor games played in your region. ‘Chopar’ could be an example.
Sample answer: Indoor games include chess, carrom, ludo, cards and snakes and ladders. Chopar is a traditional board game. Students can add games commonly played in their own region.
Question 3
A crofter is a person who rents or owns a small farm especially in Scotland. Think of other uncommon terms for a small farmer including those in your language.
Sample answer: A smallholder is a person who owns or works a small farm. A tenant farmer cultivates land rented from its owner. In Hindi, छोटा किसान is a general expression for a small farmer. Local terms may differ across regions and languages.
12. Literary Devices and Narrative Techniques
1. Central metaphor
The idea that the whole world is a rattrap is the story's central metaphor. The world is imagined as a trap, while money, food, shelter and comfort act as bait. This comparison explains the peddler's view of human behaviour.
2. Simile
The forest is described as closing in around the peddler like an impenetrable prison. The comparison helps the reader understand his fear and helplessness.
3. Irony
The peddler's theory becomes real in his own life: the stolen money traps him. The ironmaster's mistaken identity also creates irony, as his invitation turns into anger when he learns the truth.
4. Symbolism
The rattrap symbolises temptation and the consequences of giving in to it. The Christmas gift and returned money symbolise the peddler's change and his wish to make amends.
5. Contrast
The ironmaster's reaction is contrasted with Edla's response. He withdraws his hospitality after discovering the truth, while she stands by her promise. This contrast helps develop the theme of compassion.
13. Important Lines and Their Significance
The world as a rattrap
This idea explains the peddler's view of life. Temptations can trap people, just as bait catches an animal in a rattrap.
The forest as a prison
After stealing the money, the peddler loses his way. The forest reflects his fear and the consequences of his own decision.
The peddler's final letter to Edla
The letter expresses gratitude. By returning the money and signing as Captain von Stahle, the peddler acknowledges the respect Edla showed him and signals his moral change.
14. Important Questions for Class 12 English
Use these questions to practise answers beyond the short textbook responses.
1. Why is Edla the most important influence on the peddler's change?
Answer: Edla treats the peddler with respect even after she learns that he is not the ironmaster's old comrade. She does not humiliate him or withdraw her promise of hospitality. Her trust gives him a chance to act honourably. His decision to return the stolen money shows that her kindness has helped him change.
2. Is the peddler responsible for his own suffering in the forest?
Answer: Yes. Although he is poor and has faced hardship, he chooses to steal the crofter's money. His fear of being caught leads him into the forest, where he loses his way. The incident shows how a tempting gain can lead to trouble.
3. How does the ending support the story's message?
Answer: The peddler returns the stolen money and leaves Edla a gift. This unexpected action shows that he has not remained trapped in his earlier behaviour. The ending supports the idea that compassion and trust can help a person choose honesty.
4. Why is the title The Rattrap suitable?
Answer: The title refers to the peddler's trade and his belief that the world is like a rattrap. It also reflects the trap created by his theft. The title connects the story's events with its central message about temptation and human choices.
5. Compare the crofter's kindness with Edla's kindness.
Answer: The crofter welcomes the peddler, shares food and shelter, and trusts him with personal information. The peddler repays this kindness with theft. Edla offers hospitality too, but her kindness remains even after the peddler's identity is exposed. Her steady respect helps bring about his change.
15. Teacher's Insight
The story should not be reduced to the lesson that “kindness is good”. Its deeper point is that people can be shaped by the way others treat them. The peddler is responsible for stealing the crofter's money, but Edla refuses to define him only by his wrongdoing. Her trust gives him an opportunity to make a better choice.
When writing an answer, connect the event to the theme. For example, do not merely state that Edla is kind. Explain that she keeps her promise even after the truth is known, and show how this affects the peddler's final decision.
16. Tips for Exams
- Remember the sequence: the crofter's cottage, the forest, the ironworks and the ironmaster's home.
- Explain the rattrap metaphor using the ideas of bait, temptation and consequences.
- Distinguish between the ironmaster's mistaken identity and Edla's continued kindness.
- Use the peddler's return of the money as evidence of his change.
- For character-comparison questions, discuss actions and explain what they reveal.
- For long answers, make a clear point, support it with an incident and connect it to the theme.
- Use your prescribed NCERT edition to check exact wording when quoting the text.
17. Quick Revision
| Key element | Remember this |
|---|---|
| Author | Selma Lagerlöf, Swedish writer. |
| Main character | A poor peddler who sells wire rattraps. |
| Central metaphor | The world is imagined as a rattrap offering tempting baits. |
| The crofter | Offers shelter and food; loses thirty kronor to the peddler. |
| The ironmaster | Mistakes the peddler for an old regimental comrade. |
| Edla Willmansson | Shows kindness even after learning the truth. |
| The turning point | Edla's respect encourages the peddler to change. |
| The ending | The peddler returns the money and leaves Edla a rattrap as a Christmas gift. |
| Main message | Compassion and trust can help people recognise their better selves. |
Textbook Reference
For the original story and the exact wording of the exercises, consult the Class 12 Flamingo textbook and the CBSE Class XII English Core Question Bank.
These notes are a study aid. Read the full story in your prescribed textbook before attempting the questions.
