The Snake and the Mirror — Class 9 English Notes

Topics covered in The Snake and the Mirror

1. 1.The Snake and the Mirror

   Short Summary

   "The Snake and the Mirror" is a humorous story about a doctor, a snake, and a mirror. The story is narrated by a homeopath who recounts an incident where a snake coiled around his arm while he was admiring himself in a mirror. The doctor, petrified yet thoughtful, contemplates his fate. Surprisingly, the snake gets distracted by its reflection in the mirror and eventually slithers away, allowing the doctor to escape unharmed.
   
   

   Long Summary

   The story begins with a doctor narrating an encounter he had with a snake. One hot summer night, the doctor, who lived in a poorly lit, rat-infested rented room, was sitting in front of a mirror, preening himself. As he made grand decisions about his appearance and future, a cobra landed on his shoulder and coiled around his arm. The doctor sat still, terrified, thinking about the proximity of death. However, the snake got distracted by its reflection in the mirror and moved towards it. Seizing the opportunity, the doctor fled the room. Later, he humorously recounts that his subsequent actions included running to a friend's house, taking a bath, and discovering the next day that a thief had cleaned out his room, leaving only a dirty vest behind.
   
   

   
   Key Events

   1. The doctor hears familiar sounds of rats in his room.
   2. He admires himself in the mirror and makes decisions about his appearance.
   3. A cobra lands on his shoulder and coils around his arm.
   4. The doctor remains still, contemplating his situation.
   5. The snake gets distracted by its reflection in the mirror.
   6. The doctor escapes the room and runs to a friend's house.
   7. The next day, he finds his room ransacked, with only a dirty vest left behind.
      
      

   Lessons to Learn

   1. Composure in Crisis: The doctor's ability to stay still and composed likely saved his life.
   2. Humor in Retrospection: The humorous retelling of the incident shows the importance of finding humor even in frightening situations.
   3. Vanity and Distraction: The story contrasts human vanity with the snake’s reaction to its reflection, highlighting how both can be distracted by appearances.

   
   Solve "Find out" Section - Question & Answer

   1. The Sound: The doctor hears the sound of rats in his room multiple times. The sounds stop after the snake enters the scene.
      
      
   2. Important Decisions: The doctor decides to shave daily, grow a thin mustache, and always keep an attractive smile to look more handsome.
      
      
   3. Opinion about Himself:
      • First Smile: He feels confident and handsome.
      • Second Smile: He smiles feebly at his foolishness, realizing the gravity of his situation.
        
        
   4. Humor in the Story: The humor arises from the doctor’s vanity and his grandiose thoughts contrasted with the reality of the snake incident.

   
   Character Analysis

   • The Doctor: The protagonist, a vain yet humorous character, who learns the importance of composure in a crisis. His transformation from a vain bachelor to a petrified man provides the story's humor.
     
     
   • The Snake: Serves as a catalyst for the doctor’s realization. Its distraction by its reflection adds to the humorous tone.

   
   Important Quotes

   1. “I was turned to stone.” - Reflects the doctor's fear and inability to move.
   2. “I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.” - Shows the doctor’s vanity.
   3. “The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness...! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.” - Highlights the humorous tone of the story.

   
   Essay:
   "The Snake and the Mirror"

   "The Snake and the Mirror," a humorous and engaging story from the Class 9 NCERT English textbook "Beehive," narrates an unforgettable experience of a doctor with a snake. The story is written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and is translated from Malayalam. Through the tale of a doctor's encounter with a cobra, the story explores themes of vanity, fear, and humor.

   The narrative begins with a homeopath recounting his encounter with a snake. One hot summer night, the doctor returns to his poorly lit, rat-infested rented room after having his meal at a restaurant. As he prepares for bed, he sits in front of a mirror and starts admiring himself. The doctor, a bachelor at the time, is preoccupied with thoughts about his appearance. He decides to shave daily and grow a thin mustache to enhance his looks. As he continues to admire himself, he hears a familiar sound of rats, which he ignores.

   
   

   The doctor's vanity and grandiose thoughts are humorously depicted as he contemplates his future. He imagines marrying a wealthy woman doctor who is fat, so that if he ever needed to run away, she would not be able to catch him. As he sits engrossed in his thoughts, he suddenly feels a dull thud and realizes that a cobra has landed on his shoulder and is coiling around his arm.

   The story takes a tense turn as the doctor, now petrified, sits still, contemplating his proximity to death. The cobra's hood is spread out, and its head is only a few inches away from his face. The doctor is frozen with fear, yet his mind remains active. He reflects on the presence of God and the possibility of his imminent death. He imagines writing "O God" in bright letters outside his heart as a plea for divine intervention.

   
   

   In an unexpected twist, the cobra gets distracted by its reflection in the mirror. The snake seems to be fascinated by its own image, possibly admiring its own beauty. This moment of distraction provides the doctor with a chance to escape. He carefully gets up, moves towards the door, and runs out into the veranda. From there, he leaps into the yard and runs to a friend's house.

   The next day, the doctor returns to his room with a friend, only to find that a thief has stolen most of his belongings. The only item left behind is his dirty vest, which adds a touch of humor to the story. The doctor reflects on the incident with a sense of amusement, noting the irony that the snake, taken with its own beauty, allowed him to escape unharmed.