Class : 9 – Lession (5) The Snake and the Mirror
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
📚 Introduction to the Story
“The Snake and the Mirror” by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is a delightful short story that blends humour 😂, suspense 😨, and irony 🎭. It is narrated by a homeopath doctor who recalls one unforgettable night when his vanity and pride were humbled by a snake 🐍. The story is funny, light-hearted, yet thought-provoking, making it a memorable piece in the Class 9 NCERT syllabus.
👨🎨 About the Author
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (1908–1994) was one of the most celebrated Malayalam writers. Known as “Beypore Sultan,” he wrote stories with simplicity ✏️, humour 😄, and satire 🎯. His works often reflected the ordinary life of common people 👥 and carried deep moral lessons hidden within playful narratives.
💡 Central Theme
The story highlights:
🟢 Human vanity and self-obsession.
🔵 The unpredictability of life.
🟡 The irony of fate.
🟣 Human helplessness before nature’s power.
🟠 The ability to laugh at oneself through humour.
🎬 Main Episodes of the Story
1️⃣ Life of the Young Doctor
The narrator begins by describing his modest rented room. It was sparsely furnished—just a chair, a table with a mirror, and a bed. This setting shows his simple lifestyle 🏚️ and financial struggles.
2️⃣ Vanity before the Mirror
On a hot summer night, after dinner, the doctor returned to his room, lit a lamp, and sat before the mirror. He admired his looks 😎, dreamed of his thick hair, and thought about marrying a rich, fat woman doctor 💍 so that she wouldn’t easily dominate him. He even planned to grow a moustache to look more attractive. This reveals his youthful pride and foolish daydreams.
3️⃣ The Snake Appears
Suddenly, a snake 🐍 fell from the roof, landed on his shoulder, and coiled around his left arm. Its hood was raised close to his face. The doctor sat frozen with fear 😨, realizing that any movement could be fatal. His earlier dreams vanished instantly. He thought of God 🙏 and accepted that death was near.
4️⃣ The Snake before the Mirror
Unexpectedly, the snake turned its head toward the mirror and seemed fascinated by its own reflection 👀. It uncoiled slightly and sat still, admiring itself. This was the climax ⚡ of the story. The mirror, earlier a symbol of the doctor’s vanity, now distracted the snake. Both man and snake became victims of self-obsession 🔄.
5️⃣ The Escape
The doctor seized this golden chance 🌟. Quietly and carefully, he got up and ran out of the room to save his life. He spent the night at a friend’s house, trembling with fear but thankful for survival.
6️⃣ The Twist Ending
The next morning, he returned with friends to his room. But to his surprise, thieves had broken in 🏚️💨. They had stolen everything, leaving only his old dirty vest hanging on the wall. This final twist adds a touch of humour, ending the story on a comic note.
🎭 Style, Tone, and Devices
✨ Tone – Humorous, ironic, suspenseful.
✨ Irony – The doctor dreamt of his looks and marriage but was humbled by a snake.
✨ Humour – Exaggerations (marrying a fat woman doctor, old vest) make the story amusing.
✨ Imagery – The mirror reflects both vanity and distraction.
✨ Symbolism – The snake = nature’s power; the mirror = human pride.
✨ Contrast – Vanity vs. fear, pride vs. helplessness.
🕊️ Takeaways and Lessons
✔️ Vanity is fragile when faced with real danger.
✔️ Life is uncertain; fate can change in seconds.
✔️ Nature is powerful; humans are small before it.
✔️ Humour can make even frightening experiences memorable.
✔️ Self-mockery is a strength; the doctor laughs at his own foolishness.
🌟✨ Summary (Approx. 150 words) ✨🌟
“The Snake and the Mirror” by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is a humorous and ironic story narrated by a doctor. One summer night, the young doctor admired himself in the mirror, dreaming of marriage and wealth. Suddenly, a snake fell on him and coiled around his arm, raising its hood close to his face. Terrified, the doctor sat motionless, convinced that death was near. Unexpectedly, the snake noticed its own reflection in the mirror and became absorbed in looking at itself. The doctor seized the opportunity, escaped from the room, and spent the night at a friend’s house. When he returned the next morning, he found his house robbed, with only his old vest left behind. The story humorously conveys human vanity, the unpredictability of life, and the irony of fate. It teaches that pride can be destroyed in moments and fear reveals the true fragility of human beings.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
PASSAGE
📖 Passage
“Suddenly there came a dull thud as if a rubber tube had fallen to the ground… A fat snake wriggled over the back of the chair and landed on my shoulder. The snake coiled itself around my left arm. The hood was spread out and its head was hardly three or four inches from my face.”
🌟 Questions and Answers
1️⃣ Question: Why does the narrator compare the sound to a “rubber tube” falling? What effect does this description create for the reader?
🟢 Answer: The narrator uses the comparison to a “rubber tube” to make the incident appear ordinary at first. This contrast heightens the shock when the reader realises it was actually a snake.
2️⃣ Question: How did the doctor’s state of mind change when the snake landed on him?
🟢 Answer: The doctor instantly shifted from vanity and daydreaming about his appearance to complete terror. His earlier pride vanished, replaced by helplessness and silent prayer for survival.
3️⃣ Question: What was the exact distance of the snake’s head from the doctor’s face?
🔵 Options:
A. About one foot
B. Three or four inches
C. Half a metre
D. Ten inches
🟢 Answer: B. Three or four inches
4️⃣ Question: What does the snake’s act of coiling around the doctor’s arm suggest about the suspense of the situation?
🟢 Answer: The snake’s coiling around the arm made the doctor immobile and intensified the suspense. It showed the closeness of death and the extreme vulnerability of the narrator.
5️⃣ Question: Assertion (A): The doctor continued his self-admiration even after the snake landed on him.
Reason (R): The presence of the snake made him more confident.
🔵 Options:
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is false, but R is true.
D. Both A and R are false.
🟢 Answer: D. Both A and R are false.
6️⃣ Question: What lesson about human vanity and the unpredictability of life does this passage highlight?
🟢 Answer: The passage shows how fragile human vanity is—while the doctor was busy admiring himself, life suddenly placed him in mortal danger, proving that nature’s power outweighs human pride.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
OTHER QUESTIONS: –
1️⃣ Question: Who is the author of The Snake and the Mirror?
🟢 Answer: The story is written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer.
2️⃣ Question: What profession did the narrator belong to?
🟢 Answer: The narrator was a homeopath doctor.
3️⃣ Question: What thoughts occupied the doctor as he sat before the mirror?
🟢 Answer: He admired his looks, planned to grow a moustache, and dreamed of marrying a rich, fat woman doctor who would not dominate him easily.
4️⃣ Question: How does the mirror function as a symbol in the story?
🟢 Answer: The mirror symbolizes vanity and self-obsession. It first reflects the doctor’s pride and later distracts the snake, ironically saving his life.
5️⃣ Question: What change came over the doctor when the snake coiled around him?
🟢 Answer: He instantly lost his pride and confidence, becoming motionless, terrified, and filled with prayers, realizing how powerless he was before danger.
6️⃣ Question: Why did the snake move towards the mirror?
🟢 Answer: The snake became fascinated by its own reflection, loosening its grip on the doctor and turning its head towards the mirror.
7️⃣ Question: How did the doctor escape from the snake?
🟢 Answer: When the snake turned its attention to the mirror, the doctor seized the chance, quietly got up, and ran out of the room to safety.
8️⃣ Question: What happened to the doctor’s house during the night?
🟢 Answer: Thieves broke in and looted the house, leaving behind only his old vest.
9️⃣ Question: What role does irony play in the ending of the story?
🟢 Answer: Irony is seen when the doctor survives the snake only to lose his belongings to thieves, showing how unpredictable and humorous life can be.
🔟 Question: Why is the story considered humorous despite its suspenseful incident?
🟢 Answer: The doctor candidly mocks his own vanity and fears, exaggerates his silly dreams, and narrates the terrifying encounter with comic honesty, making it humorous.
1️⃣1️⃣ Question: What does the doctor’s wish to marry a “fat woman doctor” reveal about him?
🟢 Answer: It reveals his immaturity, vanity, and desire to dominate, exposing the foolish side of his personality.
1️⃣2️⃣ Question: How does the story highlight the theme of human helplessness?
🟢 Answer: The educated doctor, proud of his appearance, is rendered helpless before a snake, showing that human strength and knowledge are insignificant before nature’s power.
1️⃣3️⃣ Question: What message does The Snake and the Mirror convey to readers?
🟢 Answer: The story conveys that vanity and pride are meaningless when faced with real danger. Life is unpredictable, and humour can help us accept our weaknesses.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————