Greed Depicted In The Rat Trap By Selma Lagerof

Greediness across the world

Humans are not perfect; people strive on new objects, and qualities to make people feel better. This may not be true for everyone but humans are greedy. Some short stories show this aspect of greediness, “The Rat Trap” by Selma Lagerof explains of a poor greedy man who has to steal to sell his rat traps. In “Rules of the game” however, it is about a Chinese mother who wants her daughter (who is new to America) to win at chess, badly. Another short story, “Pig”, shows the tale of a man befriending a pig, but in the end the pig is ran over by his own best friend and he eats the pig after, why waste? All of these short stories are from around the world, showing that problems like this don’t just occur in one area.

These stories, “Rat trap”, “Rules of the Game”, and “Pig”, all exemplify the fact that humans are greedy.
“The Rat Trap” provides examples of humans being greedy.

In the beginning of the story, it shows the rat trap seller, and it narrates, “He had to resort to both begging and pretty thievery…” (1198) Just because the man couldn’t sell his rat traps, doesn’t mean he had to steal the materials used to make them. It is still greedy to steal to sell for his own profit. Again, when he gets stuck in the forest, the rat trap seller says, “It just all feels like one stolen rat trap” (1200) This proves that he stole the parts in order to get his materials. Now he feels like he is stuck in a rat trap because of everything that has been happening to him. This story shows an old man who is greedy and has to steal to get his

way.
The story, “Rules of the game” shows a greedy mother trying to show off her own daughter. While Waverly and her mother were visiting shops she says, “My mother would proudly boast with me, visiting many shops buying very little.” (5) Waverly’s mother is just going around shops bragging about her daughter because of her chess skills. When Waverly is in her chess tournament, she narrates herself, “During my first tournament, my mother sat with me in the front row as I waited for my turn.” (4) Her mother obviously wants her to do really well in this chess competition so she has something to brag about. “Rules of the game” shows a mother who is greedy for having the most to brag about, showing how humans can get way ahead of themselves.
Finally, in “Pig”, Kimbaka befriends a pig but ends up betraying his own best friend.

When Kimbaka his standing next to the pigs dead body, he thinks to himself, “…that eating ones good friends was a practice reserved for barbarians: and then, he suddenly had a clear picture of him struggling to dig a grave.” (1361) He would rather eat his own best friend by helping himself not do the back breaking work of digging a grave. While he is eating his own best friend he thinks to himself, “Kimbaka realized he was thoroughly enjoying the succulence of his friend…” (1361) He was not thinking right of being greedy and not doing what he should have done in the first place, buried the pig. Instead he is enjoying the taste of his friend that he killed. “Pig” shows a man who would rather eat his diseased friend instead of burying it all caused by

greed.
Greed is a psychological something that is found all around the world, different people, different places. The human race can strive to be less greedy, but it is true that greediness found throughout the world. It is important to learn about greed so it can be stopped from spreading even more. If humans can stop being greedy then it can set a better model for children. Stealing and other bad things are shown in the stories “The Rat Trap”, “Rules of the game” and “Pig”.