In life, people face hardships and difficult times to shape and build them, and this is shown in “The Rat Trap.” The theme of the story is revealed through the characters, symbols, and the situations that the main character faces. The title of this short story is quite fitting because it is a symbol of the theme of the story. All of the experiences that the main character faces represent a bigger idea about life, and the character realizes this at the end of the story. The physical rattrap that is presented in the story actually symbolizes that life itself is a rattrap. Life often puts obstacles or “bait” in the paths of humans, and this can come in many different forms. At the beginning of the story, the peddler blames all of his problems
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He knows that this is a bad decision to make; however, he chooses to make it anyway because he is desperate for a place to go. Although he does not accept the ironmaster’s invitation immediately, he does later on when he is invited again. He regrets this decision later on when the ironmaster realizes that he is not who he thought that he was, and the vagabond realizes that he is only moving further and further into the trap. This trap involves luxuries in life because he is offered a place to stay and expensive clothing. His materialistic way of thinking quickly gets him into trouble, and by the end of the story, he learns a valuable lesson. Although outward appearance and luxuries are minor things in life, many people become obsessed with these things, and they can fall into a trap. When he gives the rattrap to the ironmaster’s daughter at the end of the story, this is showing that the main character has moved past his former way of thinking about rattraps. Also, he gives her the money that he stole because he wants her to give it back to the man. This shows that he has realized that money cannot make a person happy, and that luxuries are not everything in life. Even though this situation was bad at first, it helped him to evolve into a better person
He knows that this is a bad decision to make; however, he chooses to make it anyway because he is desperate for a place to go. Although he does not accept the ironmaster’s invitation immediately, he does later on when he is invited again. He regrets this decision later on when the ironmaster realizes that he is not who he thought that he was, and the vagabond realizes that he is only moving further and further into the trap. This trap involves luxuries in life because he is offered a place to stay and expensive clothing. His materialistic way of thinking quickly gets him into trouble, and by the end of the story, he learns a valuable lesson. Although outward appearance and luxuries are minor things in life, many people become obsessed with these things, and they can fall into a trap. When he gives the rattrap to the ironmaster’s daughter at the end of the story, this is showing that the main character has moved past his former way of thinking about rattraps. Also, he gives her the money that he stole because he wants her to give it back to the man. This shows that he has realized that money cannot make a person happy, and that luxuries are not everything in life. Even though this situation was bad at first, it helped him to evolve into a better person