Literatus

The Rattrap - Selma Lagerlof Characters   A tramp with rattraps. A crofter Master Smith in the Ramsjo Iron Mill in Sweden Helpers in the Mill – blacksmiths Iron mill owner Edla Willmansson – daughter of the Iron Mill owner. Justification of Title “The Rattrap” is an appropriate title as it is the story of a rattrap peddler. The author has used the metaphor of a Rattrap to highlight the human predicament. Just as a rat is fooled by the bait and gets trapped, most human beings also fall into the trap of material benefits. The story revolves around the incident of a man getting trapped due to his greed. Hence, the title is an apt one. THEME Human beings are prone to fall into the trap of material benefits. It is the human tendency to redeem oneself from dishonest ways. Hence, the whole world is called a big rattrap which tempts the people towards its materialistic benefits and brings about their doom and never-ending predicament. It also highlights the themes like human loneliness, st...

This chapter belongs to Mahatma Gandhi, a prominent political leader of India known as ‘Bapu’(The Father of The Nation). His role in the freedom movement of India is unforgettable.  About The Author  Louis Fischer was born on 29 February 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. First, he worked as a school teacher. Then he served as a volunteer in the British Army during the First World War and then he made a career as a journalist and wrote for ‘The New York Times’, ‘The Saturday Review’ and for  ‘European and Asian Publications’. As a journalist, he lived through and reported the Second World War. He was a Jewish‐American who was greatly influenced by Gandhiji’s use of non‐violence and spiritualism as political tools. He wrote highly acclaimed books on Gandhi and Lenin. He died at the age of 73 on 15 January 1970 in Princeton, New Jersey, USA.  About The Chapter  This chapter is an excerpt from Louis Fischer’s famous book ‘The Life of Mahatma Gandhi’. The writ...

  Characters Dr. Sadao Hoki – A Japanese doctor. He studied medicine in America and later returned to Japan. Hana – His wife, Japanese. The two met in America, became friends, and married there legally. It is unlikely that Hana was a medical student. Sadao’s father – A true, die-hard Japanese, blindly patriotic. He did not allow any foreign articles at home. The old General – Japan’s army General; Sadao’s patient. He was a cruel man in his prime years. Tom – An American soldier who got ashore near Sadao’s house following a serious injury. Tom was treated by Sadao. Yumi – Sadao’s maid, in charge of the babies. She was attached to the babies. Gardener – Sadao’s gardener, an old man, in service since Sadao’s father’s time. The cook – Sadao’s cook, an old man, in service since Sadao’s father’s time. An officer – A messenger of the General. Settings & Background The story happens in a coastal town of Japan. Most probably in the year 1941 following Japan attacking Pearl Harbor where ...