This post covers the full The Rattrap Summary (Class 12 Flamingo Chapter 4) in simple words, along with important previous year questions (PYQs), the main theme, central idea, and character sketches of the key figures in the story – the peddler, Edla, and the ironmaster. Whether you’re revising for exams or trying to understand the chapter better, everything you need is right here in one place.
📝 The Rattrap Chapter Overview Table
| Chapter Name | The Rattrap |
| Book | Flamingo (Class 12 English – NCERT) |
| Author | Selma Lagerlof |
| Themes | Compassion, Redemption, Human Nature, Transformation |
Table of Contents
The Rattrap Theme
The Transformative Power of Love, Compassion, and Human Dignity:
This is the universal theme running through the story. The narrative highlights a belief that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through understanding and love. Edla’s unwavering kindness and belief in the peddler’s potential for good lead to his redemption and change of heart.
The World as a “Rattrap” and Human Predicament:
The peddler’s central philosophy is that the world is a giant rattrap, luring people with “baits” of material possessions and comforts. The story demonstrates how easily humans can fall into this trap due to their proneness to material benefits and temptations. The peddler himself experiences being caught in this trap after stealing the kronor.
Redemption from Dishonest Ways:
The story explores the “human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways”. Edla’s actions provide the peddler with the “power to clear himself” and return to an honest path, demonstrating that everyone deserves a second chance.
Human Loneliness and the Need for Connection:
The story implicitly touches upon human loneliness and the need to bond with others. The crofter’s willingness to host the peddler stems from his solitary life. The peddler’s own transformation begins when he experiences genuine human connection and is treated with dignity, rather than being “chased away”.
View also: The Last Lesson Summary
The Rattrap Character Sketches
1. The Rattrap Peddler:
Poor and Vagabond: He leads a difficult life, earning just enough to “keep body and soul together” by selling small, homemade rattraps. He is often hungry.
Philosophical yet Cynical: He sees the entire world as a “big rattrap” designed to trap people with “baits” of material things. This thought gives him “unwonted joy” due to the world’s unkindness to him.
Tempted and Fallible: Despite his philosophy, he succumbs to temptation and steals the crofter’s money, proving his own theory correct about himself.
Lonely: His isolated life contributes to his cynical outlook.
Intelligent and Self-Aware: He understands his own actions and their consequences, realizing he has been caught in his own trap when lost in the forest. He possesses a “subtle sense of humour”.
Transformable and Redemptive: His character undergoes a significant change due to Edla’s unconditional kindness and belief in his good nature. He returns the stolen money and leaves a note, showing he has been “raised to captain” and gained the “power to clear himself”.
2. The Old Crofter:
Lonely and Hospitable: He lives alone and is genuinely happy to have company, even that of a stranger like the peddler.
Generous and Trusting: He not only offers supper and tobacco but also shows the peddler his earned thirty kronor, openly sharing personal details due to his loneliness and trusting nature.
Talkative: His need for companionship leads him to be very open and talkative with the peddler.
3. The Ironmaster:
Prosperous and Influential: He owns the Ramsjö Ironworks, a large plant, and is a prominent figure in the area.
Observant yet Mistaken: While generally keen, he is fooled by the peddler’s appearance in the poor light of the forge, mistaking him for an old acquaintance.
Proud and Authoritative: He expects his orders to be followed, initially demanding the peddler leave once the mistake is revealed.
Caring (for his comrades): His invitation to the peddler stems from a genuine desire to help an old “regimental comrade”.
Practical and Skeptical: He is less sentimental than his daughter, initially doubting her compassion and worrying she might “regret this”.
4. Edla Willmansson:
Kind and Compassionate: She treats the peddler with warmth and respect from their first meeting, even when her father realizes he’s a stranger.
Empathetic and Insightful: She immediately senses the peddler’s fear and understands he is a fugitive, yet chooses to extend kindness rather than judgment.
Persuasive and Determined: She successfully convinces her father to allow the peddler to stay, using logic and appealing to human decency.
Believes in Human Goodness: She embodies the central theme of the story, demonstrating that love and understanding can awaken the inherent goodness in people.
Embodiment of Christmas Spirit: Her actions of selflessness, forgiveness, and fostering a “day of peace” reflect the true spirit of Christmas.
The Rattrap Summary
The story revolves around a poor, wandering peddler who sells rattraps and has a unique philosophical outlook on the world.
The Peddler’s Life and Philosophy
The protagonist is a poor vagabond who makes and sells small rattraps out of wire, often struggling to earn enough to survive.
He often thinks of the entire world as a giant rattrap. He believes it offers “baits” like riches, joys, food, and shelter to trap people, just as a rattrap lures rats with cheese and pork.
He finds “unwonted joy” in thinking negatively about the world this way, observing others already caught or circling the bait.
Encounter with the Old Crofter and the Theft
One evening, the peddler seeks shelter at a lonely old crofter’s cottage. The crofter, living alone, welcomes him warmly, sharing his supper and tobacco.
The crofter also openly tells him about his cow and even shows the peddler thirty kronor (money) that he keeps in a leather pouch hanging on a nail by the window frame.
The next morning, the peddler betrays the crofter’s trust by stealing the thirty kronor.
Lost in the Forest: The Peddler’s Own “Rattrap”
To avoid being caught, the peddler takes a less-traveled forest path.However, he gets lost in the “big and confusing forest”. He then realizes that he has fallen into his own “world’s rattrap”, trapped by the “bait” (the stolen money), feeling like he is in an “impenetrable prison” from which he could never escape.
Encounter with the Ironmaster
Hearing hammer sounds, the desperate peddler seeks refuge at a nearby iron mill (Ramsjö Ironworks).The Ironmaster, due to the poor light in the forge, mistakes the peddler for an old regimental comrade, Captain von Stahle. He invites the peddler to his home for Christmas Eve, but the peddler declines, fearing his true identity will be exposed.
Edla Willmansson’s Kindness and Persuasion
The Ironmaster sends his daughter, Edla Willmansson, who is described as kind and compassionate, to persuade the peddler. Edla is observant and empathetic; she immediately senses the man is afraid, not because he is a former captain, but because he has stolen something or is trying to escape.
Her gentle approach and respectful treatment convince him to accept the invitation, as she offers him a “day of peace” from the constant fear of being arrested and cross-examined.
The Revelation and Edla’s Steadfast Compassion
The next morning, in bright daylight, the Ironmaster realizes his mistake and furiously orders the peddler to leave.However, Edla defends the peddler, arguing that they invited him as a guest and should not turn away a “human being” on Christmas Eve. She emphasizes that he deserves a “day of peace”.
Her unwavering kindness and human touch are crucial. She even invites him back for Christmas the next year, demonstrating her continued belief in his inherent goodness.
The Peddler’s Transformation and Redemption
Edla’s profound kindness leads to a complete change of heart in the peddler.Before leaving, he leaves a small rattrap as a Christmas present for Edla .Inside the rattrap, he places the thirty kronor he had stolen from the crofter, along with a letter.In the letter, he explains that because she treated him like a “real captain,” he wanted to “be nice to you, in return, as if I was a real captain”. He admits he was a “rat” who would have been “caught in this world’s rattrap” if not for her, as she gave him the “power to clear himself”.He signs the letter as “Captain von Stahle,” signifying his redemption and newfound dignity. This act confirms the transformative power of compassion and respect.
The Rattrap Previous Year Questions With Hints and Analysis
Theme 1: The Transformative Power of Kindness and Compassion
Question 1: CBSE SQP-2022
“If the Christmas spirit is about selflessness, forgiveness and becoming ‘better’ versions of ourselves amongst other things, Edla Willmansson is the epitome of this spirit. Justify with two points of evidence from The Rattrap.”
Answer: Edla truly shows the Christmas spirit through her actions with the peddler. Here are two clear examples:
First, she shows selfless kindness when she invites the peddler to stay for Christmas even after learning he’s a thief. Most people would have thrown him out immediately, but Edla thinks about his loneliness during the holiday season. She doesn’t care about her own safety or what others might think.
Second, she demonstrates forgiveness and belief in human goodness by treating him with respect and dignity. When her father wants to call the sheriff, Edla stops him. She gives the peddler nice clothes and treats him like an honored guest. Her actions show she believes people can change and become better, which is exactly what the Christmas spirit teaches us.
Question 2: CBSE QB, 2021
“How does the story Rattrap highlight the idea that human goodness and compassion can transform people? Elaborate. Provide relevant textual details to support the analysis.”
Answer: The story beautifully shows how kindness can completely change a person’s life. The peddler starts as a bitter, dishonest man who steals money and has no hope in life.
When Edla shows him unconditional kindness, everything changes. She doesn’t judge him for being poor or looking rough. Instead, she welcomes him warmly and makes him feel like he belongs somewhere. This is the first time in years that someone has treated him with respect.
The real transformation happens when Edla continues to be kind even after discovering he’s a thief. She could have easily turned him away, but she chooses compassion instead. She says he should stay because it’s Christmas, and everyone deserves kindness during this time.
This kindness awakens something good inside the peddler. He realizes that someone believes in him, and this makes him want to be worthy of that belief. By the end, he returns the stolen money and signs himself as “Captain von Stahle” – the honorable person Edla saw in him. This shows that one person’s goodness can inspire another to become their best self.
Question 3: CBSE Delhi Set-II, 2019
“What made the peddler finally change his ways?”
Answer: The peddler changed because of Edla’s unexpected kindness and the way she treated him with dignity.
Throughout his life, people had always looked down on him or been suspicious of him. But Edla was different. She welcomed him into her home, gave him good food and clothes, and most importantly, she treated him like he was worth something.
Even when she found out he had stolen money, she didn’t become angry or throw him out. Instead, she showed understanding and compassion. She said he should stay because it was Christmas, and she wanted him to feel the warmth of human kindness.
This touched his heart deeply. For the first time, someone had faith in him and saw the good person he could be. Edla’s kindness made him realize that he didn’t have to remain a thief – he could choose to be better. Her belief in him gave him the strength to return the stolen money and try to become the honorable person she thought he was.
Question 4: CBSE Term II, Delhi Set-1, 2022
“In Edla’s dealing with the peddler, she was compassionate and generous. Discuss with reference to the story “The Rattrap”.”
Answer: Edla shows amazing compassion and generosity throughout her interactions with the peddler.
Her compassion is evident from the moment she meets him. While her father invited him mainly for entertainment, Edla genuinely cares about his well-being. She notices he looks tired and hungry, and she makes sure he gets proper food and rest. She doesn’t judge him by his appearance or social status.
Her generosity goes beyond just material things. She gives him clean clothes, a warm bed, and good food. But more importantly, she gives him something he hasn’t had in years – respect and dignity. She treats him like an honored guest rather than a burden.
The greatest example of her compassion comes when she learns about the theft. Instead of being angry or scared, she chooses to understand his situation. She realizes he must have been desperate and lonely. She asks him to stay for Christmas because she believes everyone deserves kindness, especially during the holiday season.
Her generous spirit transforms him completely. She gives him not just material comfort but also hope and self-respect. This is why he’s able to change his ways and become a better person.
Theme 2: The Metaphor of the World as a Rattrap
Question 5: CBSE SQP, 2020-21
“Explain the metaphor of the rattrap in the context of the story by Selma Lagerlöf.”
Answer: The rattrap metaphor is the central idea of the story that compares the world to a big trap that catches people.
According to the peddler, the world works just like a rattrap. Just as a rattrap uses cheese to attract and catch rats, the world uses various temptations to trap people. These temptations can be money, comfort, pleasure, or anything that people desire.
The peddler explains that people get attracted to these baits without realizing they’re walking into a trap. Once they give in to temptation, they become trapped and can’t escape easily, just like rats in a rattrap.
The irony is that the peddler himself falls into this trap. He talks about how the world traps people, but then he gets tempted by the thirty kronor he sees at the old man’s house. The money becomes his “bait,” and after stealing it, he becomes trapped in the forest, unable to find his way out.
This metaphor shows that life is full of temptations that can lead us astray. The peddler’s experience proves his own theory – that it’s easy to get caught in the world’s “rattrap” when we let greed and desperation guide our actions.
Question 6: CBSE Outside Delhi Set I/II/III, 2017
“The peddler believed that the whole world is a rattrap. How did he himself get caught in the same?”
Answer: The peddler’s own experience perfectly proves his rattrap theory about the world.
His belief was that the world tempts people with good things, just like a rattrap uses cheese to catch rats. He thought this happened to others, but he didn’t realize he was also vulnerable to such temptations.
He got caught when he met the old man who showed him the thirty kronor. The money became his “bait” – the tempting cheese that he couldn’t resist. Even though he knew better, his poverty and desperation made him steal the money during the night.
The trap closed when he tried to escape through the forest. He got completely lost and couldn’t find his way out for three days. The forest became like the walls of a rattrap, keeping him trapped inside. He was cold, hungry, and scared, just like a rat caught in a real trap.
The irony is clear – the man who understood how the world traps people became a victim of his own wisdom. His greed for the thirty kronor led him into a situation where he was physically and emotionally trapped, proving that no one is immune to the world’s temptations.
Frequently Asked Questions From The Rattrap Summary
What is the short summary of The Rattrap?
The Rattrap by Selma Lagerlöf is a story about a poor rattrap seller who lives a lonely and miserable life. He believes the world is a giant rattrap that tempts people with material things. One day, he is shown kindness by a young girl named Edla, which transforms him. He returns the stolen money and leaves a note saying he has become a better man. The story shows how love and compassion can bring change in even the most hardened people.
What is the theme of the lesson The Rattrap?
The central theme of The Rattrap is the power of kindness and redemption. It teaches us that no one is too bad to change, and a little compassion can bring out the goodness in anyone. It also reflects on the temptations of the material world and how people get trapped in them, just like rats in a rattrap.
What is the message of The Rattrap?
The main message of The Rattrap is that human beings often fall into the trap of greed and materialism, but kindness and understanding can help them realize their mistake and become better individuals. It encourages us to treat others with empathy and give them a chance to change.
This Summary is created with the reference of The Rattrap NCERT PDF