If you are keen to go through the lesson The Rattrap Class 12th you are on the right page. We will provide you with a detailed summary of the author’s viewpoint so that you can make your own sense while reading the text.
Here on this page while intensively reading you can get an idea of the prose so that you would be able to write answers with an explanation of your own.
About the Author: The Rattrap
Selma Lagerlof belonged to Sweden whose stories have been translated into many languages. This story “the Rattrap” is set in the middle of the mines of Sweden, rich in iron ore. It gives us the message that the emotions of love and acceptance can permeate anyone. Selma was the first woman to win Nobel Prize in literature in 1909. Her famous works include Jerusalem; Marbacka.
Main theme: The Rattrap Class 12th English
The beautiful and emotional story is about a rattrap seller who is very poor and hapless. To make both ends meet he inclined towards bad practices like thievery and begging.
He is all alone in this world and is leading a vulnerable and disturbed life. To avoid negative thoughts he says that the whole world is a big rattrap and this big rattrap offers everyone the comforts of life using various types of baits.
These baits in return make their lives uncomfortable and often lead us to miseries. Every night, he used to search for shelter because he has no place to live. One evening he was offered shelter by an old crofter but he instead stole his money.
To protect himself, the hawker chose to elude into the forest but very soon he realized that he himself caught in a rattrap.
Later on, he finds a way and took shelter in an ironmaster’s home where he disguised as Captain Stalhe. The ironmaster thought that he was his old friend and invites him to his house. Initially, he rejected the offer but accepted it when her daughter pleaded with him.
The following day, he was stopped by the ironmaster’s daughter for celebrating Christmas even though he was caught by her as she came to know that he was not Captain Stalhe but a peddler.
When they visited the church both the ironmaster and her daughter came to know that he was a thief who had stolen money from the old crofter. They ere shocked as now they regret to give shelter to a thief and wondered what things he must have stolen from their house too.
But to their surprise instead of stealing this time, the peddler had left a gift for her daughter, a rattrap, and left a note of thanking requesting her to return the money to the crofter.
This story tells us that a person can be revamped by showing goodness towards him, his/her conscience can be awakened at any time.
Characters: The Rattrap Class 12th Flamingo
- The peddler
- Old crofter
- Ironmaster
- Daughter Edla
The peddler
The rattrap seller was a tall man, who lives in his own world of imagination, and instead of possessing some kind of goodness, he in fact inclined towards thievery and bad practices. He wore rags and hunger and poverty are reflected through his gleamy eyes.
He makes both ends meet by making and selling rattraps of wire. He doesn’t own a house and knocks at anyone for shelter. According to him, all the world is a bid rattrap, and happiness, joys, goods all are baits anyone touches the baits get fallen into the rattrap forever.
He also fell for the same rattrap and stole30 krona of an old crofter; ran away deep into the woods. With that money, he went to Ramsjo Ironworks where he disguised himself as an acquaintance of the ironmaster. Her daughter’s sympathetic and noble attitude changed him forever.
An old crofter
An old man provides him shelter to spend the night and was blissful to have company. He offers him food, tobacco, and conversation.
The old man many years back, works at Ramsjo ironworks but now makes both ends meet by selling milk from an extraordinary cow.
This old crofter is very generous and kind-hearted, but what did he get in return for his good deed towards the peddler. The peddler stole his 30 kronor from him and ran away deep into the forest.
Ironmaster
The ironmaster was a rich man and the owner of a large factory named Ramsjo Ironwork. He was kind and amiable and mistakes the peddler as his old acquaintance. Initially, he helped him and did not look down upon him for his miserable condition.
He invited him to his own house and care for him. But as soon as he realized his mistake, he wanted to bish him out. But at his daughter’s request, he keeps calm and behaved nicely with him.
Daughter Edla
Edla Wilmannson, lovely and beautiful daughter of ironmaster pleaded with the peddler to stay with them for Christmas. Even after knowing about his past she kept quiet and convinced her father also to behave nicely with him.
Her positive and generous attitude towards the peddler became the reason for his transformation. She was the most compassionate and positive figure in the story” The rattrap”.
Chapter Analysis: The Rattrap
Once there was a man who is vagabond and sells rattrap made of wires. This business was not profitable so he engaged in begging and thievery.
He wore rags and looks like undernourished poverty and sadness can be judged through his gleamy eyes. One day, he got an idea and told himself that the whole world is a big rattrap and all the joyous things are like bait just like cheese for the rats and if anyone fallen for these baits, the world is over for them.
No one had ever been kind to him. One dark evening he was walking with heavy steps thinking the same and soon he saw a little old cottage. So he knocked at the door in order to ask for shelter.
The owner of the cottage was an old crofter who had worked for Ramsjo ironworks living there all alone and wish if he could get a company. The old man served him supper and invited him to play mjolis till bed.
He also showed him 30 kronor which he has received by selling milk from an extraordinary cow. The money he showed to him kept in a leather pouch hanging on a nail in the window frame.
When the old man was not at home the peddler initially went away but he returned and smashed the window frame and got hold of the leather pouch and ran away deep into the woods.
He was proud of his smartness and felt happy but soon he was confused at first and didn’t know where it will lead.
After that, he realized that talking about the world being rattrap, he himself got stuck in one of them fooled by one bait and got trapped from which he could not release.
It was late December evening and very soon he got tired and suddenly he heard a hammer stroking. He gathered up his strength and went following the direction.
He reached near the furnaces where the fire boy shoveling charcoal. The blacksmith took notice of him. He looked dirty covered with rags all over his body and a bunch of rattraps covered his chest.
The ironmaster thought him to be his old friend and called him’Nilos Olof’. He invited him to his manor but the peddler didn’t like this idea as he was escaping and had a fear of being caught.
It was only after the ironmaster’s eldest daughter Edla Wilmannson implored him to stay with them and addressed him as captain.
She said in a friendly tone that the peddler couldn’t refuse. On the other hand, the ironmaster thought him to be his old comrade and wants to take very good care of him, so he feeds him well and told him to sleep and take care.
As soon as the peddler entered in a good-looking suit, a white shirt, and collar the ironmaster realized his mistake. Though the stranger was not at fault, he didn’t say anything to him. The rattrap seller was ready to leave.
The ironmaster thought of calling the sheriff but the peddler told him about his idea of the world being a rattrap and all the joyous things are like cheese rinds.
He warned him that a day might come that sheriff would get hold of him in search of getting a new big bait. Just then Edla entered the room and requested her father to let him stay for Christmas eve.
The very next day both of them got up early and went for the Christmas service and there at church they got to know that the peddler was a thief and escaping police.
Now to their surprise, they both were afraid that might he stole silver spoons from the manor. But on reaching home they got to know that he had left a package for miss wilmannnson and on opening, she was elated to find out a small rattrap with three wrinkled notes and told her to return the old man.
The rattrap was her present shows how he himself caught like a rat, if not raised and taken care of as captain he would not be able to release himself.
Conclusion
In the above story, The Rattrap Class 12th Flamingo we came to know that if we give respect, care, and love we can see a transformation, and this way the life is worth living. Materialistic things are just like baits and inclination towards these would lead us to a rattrap.
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