Every human being is a creature of his circumstances’. How does the story The Rattrap bear out this fact?
Answers
The Rattrap man happens to get refuge for a night shelter at the Ramsjo Iron works. By chance the owner mistakes him as an old acquaintance and inuites to spend for the Christmas eve but the Rattrap declines his offer. The ironmaster sends his daughter Edla to bring and persuade the mar at their house. Haring milk of human kindness flowing in her body, she finds the peddler in a very miserable condition through her kind, considerate and persuasive power, she gets success in taking the peddler alongwith her. She promises to him to leave as and when he desires. Being a perfect host, she takes every care to make her guest feel comfortable at home. She is a practical and fine observer of people. She immediately tells her father that the peddler seems to be both an uneducated and thief. But the father points out that the stranger will be fine after properly dressed.
When the truth is known, the ironmaster becomes ugly and threatens to call the shrieft. He orders to peddler to leave away at once. But Edla intercedes for the vagabond and lets her father concede for his proper stay till the Christmas Eve. She is against chasing away a person whom they have invited for a promised “Christman Cheer”. Her persuasive powers make the stranger surrender to her wish. She is happy when the peddler leaves for her with a Christmas present and a thirsty kroner note. In his letter to Edla, he thanks for being so, nice to him. He finally thanks her saving him from falling into the “world’s rattrap”. It is thus, the love and understanding brings out a basic human goodness in the peddler.