Question

Who was the rattrap seller? How did he make them?

Hint:

For character-based answers, describe the character’s life, occupation, and philosophy to make the solution more complete.

Answer 1

Step 1: Identity of the rattrap seller.
The rattrap seller was a poor, homeless vagabond who lived a life of utter poverty and loneliness. He had no permanent shelter and wore ragged clothes. Often, he depended on begging and petty thievery to survive, as his main occupation of selling rattraps brought him very little income. His miserable life reflected the hardships faced by those at the margins of society.

Step 2: His business of making rattraps.
To earn a living, he collected old and discarded wires from various places. With skill and patience, he cut, bent, and shaped these wires into small rattraps. The process was simple but time-consuming, and the finished product hardly earned him enough money for food. Nevertheless, it gave him a sense of occupation and a way to pass his time.

Step 3: Symbolic view of rattraps.
Over time, the man developed a unique philosophy. He came to see the whole world as a rattrap, where riches, shelter, and luxuries were like pieces of bait to trap human beings. This symbolic idea reflected his own experiences of being trapped in poverty and misery. His occupation, therefore, not only gave him bread but also shaped his worldview.

Step 4: Conclusion.
Thus, the rattrap seller was not only a poor tradesman but also a thinker. While he made rattraps by collecting and twisting wires, he also carried a deeper thought that life itself was a trap, where people were caught by their own desires.