Chapter 4: The Rattrap by Selma Lagerlöf:
1. What is the central theme of “The Rattrap”?
Answer:
The story presents human loneliness, redemption, and compassion. It shows how even a petty thief can reform through kindness and how life traps people like rats in worldly temptations.
2. Why did the peddler compare the world to a rattrap?
Answer:
He believed the world offers bait like riches and shelter to trap people. Once tempted, they get caught in struggles, just like rats in a rattrap.
3. Describe the peddler’s life before meeting the ironmaster’s daughter.
Answer:
The peddler was a lonely, poor man, wandering and selling rattraps. He survived by begging and stealing. He trusted no one and believed the world was cruel.
4. What did the peddler steal and how did he feel afterward?
Answer:
He stole thirty kronor from the old crofter. Though initially happy, guilt and fear consumed him, making him feel like he was trapped in a rattrap himself.
5. How did Edla Willmansson treat the peddler?
Answer:
Edla treated him with kindness and dignity. She believed in his goodness and insisted he be treated as a guest. Her compassion deeply touched and transformed him.
6. How did Edla’s behavior change the peddler’s life?
Answer:
Her genuine care and trust awakened his conscience. He realized his worth and chose to live honestly. He left a gift and note, returning the stolen money.
7. Why did the peddler sign himself as ‘Captain von Stahle’?
Answer:
He wanted to honor the trust Edla showed. The name symbolized his inner transformation—from a thief to a dignified, reformed man, worthy of respect.
8. What is the role of the ironmaster in the story?
Answer:
The ironmaster acted impulsively, judging by appearance. Unlike his daughter, he lacked empathy. His role highlights how kindness, not status, brings true change in people.
9. How is the theme of redemption shown in the story?
Answer:
The peddler is given a chance to correct his path through Edla’s kindness. His transformation proves that every human being deserves a second chance in life.
10. What message does Selma Lagerlöf convey through this story?
Answer:
She emphasizes compassion, human dignity, and transformation. Everyone, even the most flawed, can reform if treated with love, trust, and respect.
11. How did the peddler react to Edla’s hospitality?
Answer:
He was surprised, grateful, and ashamed. Her kindness melted his tough exterior. It moved him to return the stolen money and express his desire to change.
12. Why did the peddler feel trapped after stealing the money?
Answer:
He believed he had fallen into life’s metaphorical rattrap. Fear of getting caught, guilt, and his conscience created a psychological trap he couldn’t escape from.
13. What was the significance of the gift left by the peddler?
Answer:
The rattrap and note symbolized his gratitude and transformation. It proved he valued Edla’s kindness and wanted to start anew with honesty and dignity.
14. What qualities make Edla a central figure in the story?
Answer:
Her empathy, patience, and moral strength drive the story. Unlike others, she sees beyond appearances and helps the peddler rediscover his humanity.
15. How is irony used in “The Rattrap”?
Answer:
The man who believed in the rattrap theory falls into his own trap. Ironically, the thief reforms when treated with trust by a stranger.
16. What role does poverty play in the peddler’s choices?
Answer:
Poverty pushed him into loneliness, distrust, and crime. His struggle for survival made him cynical, but compassion gave him hope for a better path.
17. How does the story reflect social prejudices?
Answer:
The ironmaster judged the peddler by appearance and treated him differently after knowing his identity. It reflects how society values status over character.
18. What is the significance of Christmas in the story?
Answer:
Christmas symbolizes forgiveness, generosity, and hope. Edla’s gesture and the peddler’s redemption align with the festive spirit of humanity and renewal.
19. What is the symbolic meaning of the rattrap?
Answer:
The rattrap represents life’s temptations and how people get caught in the pursuit of material things, forgetting compassion and truth until it’s too late.
20. How does the story explore human loneliness?
Answer:
The peddler’s rootless life and distrust reflect deep loneliness. His transformation shows that human connection, not material things, brings real fulfillment and change
