. ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁A ho ' s ▁first ▁" art istic ▁full ▁hit ". ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁W SO Y ▁published ▁a ▁perfect ▁copy ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 2 ▁colour ▁edition ▁illustrated ▁by ▁E ero ▁J är ne f elt . ▁A ▁TV ▁film ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁was ▁made ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁novel ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁The ▁novel ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁adapted ▁to ▁numerous ▁plays . ▁ ▁The ▁central ▁elements ▁in ▁R aut atie ▁are ▁the ▁imag in ations ▁of ▁small - time ▁agr ari ans ▁and ▁the ▁differences ▁between ▁poor , ▁far - away ▁places ▁and ▁rich er ▁places , ▁and ▁the ▁social ▁gap ▁between ▁the ▁" l ords " ▁and ▁the ▁" common ▁people ". ▁One ▁important ▁element ▁is ▁over - use ▁of ▁alco hol ic ▁be ver ages , ▁which ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁theme ▁in ▁Finn ish ▁literature ▁as ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁dec ad ent ▁events . ▁ ▁Background ▁R aut atie ▁was ▁written ▁in ▁spring ▁and ▁summer ▁ 1 8 8 4 ▁and ▁published ▁in ▁December ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁A ho ▁had ▁become ▁familiar ▁with ▁the ▁" common ▁people " ▁in ▁his ▁home ▁village ▁of ▁Vier em ä ▁in ▁I is al mi ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁Starting ▁from ▁his ▁mat ric ulation ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁he ▁had ▁frequently ▁travel led ▁by ▁train ▁between ▁his ▁home ▁and ▁Hels ink i . ▁People ▁living ▁in ▁far - away ▁places