Chapter-4. THE RATTRAP Selma Lagerlof(PROSE)

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.

Mjolis is a card game of Sweden.

Name a few indoor games played in your region. 'Chopar' could be an example.

1. He made them himself at odd moments.

2. He raised himself.

3. He had let himself be fooled by a bait and had been caught.

4. … a day may come when you yourself may want to get a big piece of pork.

Notice the way in which these reflexive pronouns have been used (pronoun + self)

In 1 and 4 the reflexive pronouns "himself" and "yourself" are used to convey emphasis.

In 2 and 3 the reflexive pronoun is used in place of personal pronoun to signal that it refers to the same subject in the sentence.

Pick out other examples of the use of reflexive pronouns from the story and notice how they are used.

Notice the words in bold in the following sentence.

"The fire boy shovelled charcoal into the maw of the furnace with a great deal of clatter". This is a phrase that is used in the specific context of an iron plant.

Pick out other such phrases and words from the story that are peculiar to the terminology of ironworks.

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?

How does the metaphor of the rattrap serve to highlight the human predicament?

The story is both entertaining and philosophical.

What made the peddler finally change his ways?

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? 

The story has many instances of unexpected reactions from the characters to others' behaviour. Pick out instances of these surprises.

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.

The story also focuses on human loneliness and the need to bond with others.

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?

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?

Discuss the following in groups of four. Each group can deal with one topic. Present the views of your group to the whole class.

The reader's sympathy is with the peddler right from the beginning of the story. Why is this so? Is the sympathy justified?

How does the peddler interpret the acts of kindness and hospitality shown by the crofter, the ironmaster and his daughter?

Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?

Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain von Stahle?

Why was Edla happy to see the gift left by the peddler?

Why did Edla still entertain the peddler even after she knew the truth about him?

What did the peddler say in his defence when it was clear that he was not the person the ironmaster had thought he was?

When did the ironmaster realise his mistake?

What doubts did Edla have about the peddler?

What made the peddler accept Edla Willmansson's invitation?

Why did the peddler decline the invitation?

Why did the ironmaster speak kindly to the peddler and invite him home?

What made the peddler think that he had indeed fallen into a rattrap?

Did the peddler respect the confidence reposed in him by the crofter?

Why did he show the thirty kroner to the peddler?

Why was the crofter so talkative and friendly with the peddler?

Did the peddler expect the kind of hospitality that he received from the crofter?

Why was he amused by this idea?

From where did the peddler get the idea of the world being a rattrap?