THE RATTRAP

SELMA LAGERLOF
1. What is a rattrap?
2. What was the business of the peddler?
3. What sort of like did the peddler live?
4. What was peddler’s strange idea about the world?
5. What was the business of the crofter?
6. What did the peddler do after leaving the crofter’s house?
7. Wher3e did the peddler go to get shelter?
8. How was he caught?
9. Who did the ironmaster tell the peddler about his family?
10. What did Edla do when she brought the peddler home?
11. What happened when the peddler got a changed look?
12. What was the reaction of Edla at the annoyance of her father, the ironmaster?
13. What happened on the next day of Christmas?
14. What did the peddler write in the letter to Edla?
15. From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?
16. Why did the iron master speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?
17. Why did the peddler decline the invitation?
18. What made the peddler accept Edla’s invitation?
19. What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?
20. When did the iron master realize his mistake?
21. What did the peddler say in his defense when it was clear that he was not the
person the iron master had taken him for ?
22. Why did Edla entertain the peddler even after hue had known the truth about
him?
23. What was the thought that took hold of his fancy? What consolation did he
derive from this thought?
24. Describe the evening that the tramp spent with the owner of the cottage?
25. “The man was just as generous with his confidences as with his porridge and
tobacco” What was the outcome of this?
26. What were the precautions that the peddler took to remain undetected as the
thief?
27. Why was the peddler-surprised when he knocked on the door of the cottage?
28. What does the peddler’s reaction to the hospitality of the old man form the
cottage tell you about the peddler’s character?
29. Why did the peddler have to keep to the woods after leaving the cottage? How
did he feel?
30. What were the peddler’s feelings as night fell in the woods?
31. Why did the blacksmith at Ramsjo iron works not pay any attention to the
peddler?
32. Who did the ironmaster mistake the peddler to be? Why did the latter not
reveal his identity? How did his true identity come to light?
 33. What was the ironmaster’s reaction to the poor condition of the peddler? What
light does it throw on the character of the ironmaster?
34. Why was the tramp reluctant to avail of the opportunity to spend the night in
the comfort of the ironmaster’s house?
35. How did the ironmaster’s daughter convince the peddler to come to the house
to spend Christmas with them?
36. What were the peddler’s feelings as he drove over to the ironmaster’s house?
37. What was the ironmaster’s daughter’s assessment of the peddler? What
rationale did her father give for the coarse ways of the peddler? Was he
proved right?
38. What was the peddler5’s explanation for withholding his true identity form
the ironmaster? How did he manage to convince the latter not to bring in the
law to sort out the matter?
39. What was the sentiment that urged Edla to keep the peddler in their house
despite knowing who really was?
40. What was the sentiment expressed by the tramp in the letter that he left for
Edla? Why had he signed himself as Captain VonStahle?
41. Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?
42. Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle?
43. Why was the peddler amused by the idea of the world being a rattrap?
44. Did the peddler accept the hospitality he received from the crofter?
45. Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly towards the peddler?
46. Why did the crofter show the 30 kronors to the peddler?
47. Did the peddler value the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?
48. What made the peddler think that he had fallen into a trap?
49. How did the peddler make his living?
50. What was the comparison that the peddler drew between the world and the
rattrap?
51. Why did the peddler make no effort to undeceive the ironmaster?
52. Why did the peddler think the crofter’s hospitality was bait?

Your passion will define your limits….strive for more.

53. Why does Edla say to the peddler ‘you may be sure, captain. You will be
allowed to leave us just as freely as you came?
54. What qualities does Edla show by volunteering to go and get the peddler and
by the way she approaches him?
55. How does the peddlers’ reaction differ form his response to the ironmaster’s?
How do the attitude of the father and daughter toward the peddler differ
before they discover his identity?
56. Do you accept the peddler’s argument that the case of mistaken identity is not
his fault?
57. Why is the daughter’s decision to let the peddler stay a turning point in the
story?
 58. Why does the father say, I only hope you won’t have to regret this. Were there
any regrets later?
59. What reasons did Edla give to allow the peddler for staying on even after his
identity was revealed?
60. What feelings about the world does the peddler’s rattrap theory express? What
experiences have led him to evolve the theory?
61. Based on the peddler’s final action, what seems to have become of his theory?
Why does he sign his letter ‘Captain Von Stahle?
62. What message about human behaviour does the story convey?
63. Why did the daughter intercede and stop the peddler? What was the idea? Was
it crazy?
64. What became the cherished pastime of the peddler in the story the rattrap?
65. What was the first impression that Edla formed of the peddler?
66. Does the rattrap theory of the world make sense to you? What does this theory
reveal about the peddler’s view of life? Is the ironmaster a generous man?
What other motivations might he have for his offer of hospitality? L
67. After learning how the peddler had treated the old man, what does the
ironmaster wonder on the way home from church? What do he and daughter
find at home?
68. How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality by the
crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter (Long)
69. What are the instances in the story that show that the character of the
ironmaster is different form that of his daughter in many ways? L
70. Do you tyhink that one act of kindness can rally change a person’s view of the
world? Discuss in the light of the story. L

Lali Mathew M.M.Ed. Sheeshmahal Apartment, 9810312549