Quick Insights: Characters, Plot, and Theme of The Snake and the Mirror
The Snake and the Mirror is a fascinating story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer who comes face-to-face with a snake while resting in his chamber. This story is part of Chapter 5 in the Class 9 Beehive English textbook. Does the doctor manage to stay safe, or does the snake bite him? To find out, read The Snake and the Mirror Summary in the CBSE English Notes. Written in simple language, these notes are ideal for revision and exam preparation. Students can also improve their essay-writing skills by visiting Vedantu's Essay page to score better in their Class 9 English paper.
Introduction to “The Snake and The Mirror Lesson”
Before proceeding to the explanation of the lesson, read this brief introduction to the narrative to have a better understanding of the lesson and its characters.
The story is a smaller part of a larger story. The writer talks about a homoeopathic doctor who shares an experience. The snake and the mirror, as the title suggests, are the main characters. The doctor encounters a snake that bites him, but the snake becomes distracted by its own reflection in a mirror, which ends up saving the doctor's life. The doctor also recalls a time from his youth when he was alone. On a hot summer night, he was deep in thought when he entered his room. While lost in thought, a snake suddenly attacked him and landed on him. The doctor went into shock, but the snake, noticing its reflection in the mirror, was more interested in that than the doctor. This distraction saved the doctor's life.
The Snake and the Mirror Summary in English
The summary of The Snake and The Mirror is about a story within a story. The writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer shares a tale he heard from a homoeopathic doctor. The story mainly focuses on two things: the snake and the mirror. In this tale, the doctor remembers a day from his youth when he was still unmarried. The doctor reaches his compartment on a hot summer night and then he persuades in deep thought. In the centre of it, the doctor had a sudden clash with a snake as it dropped on the doctor. The doctor drove into shock, but soon the snake saw its contemplation on a mirror and made a move towards it. It appears that the snake was also more eager in his reflection than the doctor. Accordingly, the doctor’s life was saved.
The Snake and The Mirror Summary Class 9 in EnglishThis is a story about a homoeopathic doctor during his earlier job days. The narrator of this storytelling is the doctor himself, where he describes this story to some people. In this story, the doctor explains to us that he lived in a small and shady rented room during that period.Also, the tiles of the compartment were benefited by gables which in turn were supported by the glare. Further, rats were gliding all over the room and there was no electricity supply.
Therefore, the room was in a horrible state. In the doctors’ story, it was a hot summer season's night. The doctor reached back in his compartment after completing his dinner at a cafeteria. The room was dark as there was no electricity. The doctor made use of a kerosene lantern to lighten up his room. The doctor also took off his suit and shirt.There existed two windows in the room that were unlocked by him. After relaxing on a chair, the doctor took a medical book to glance at. On the table, there was a huge mirror and a lantern. Proper to the immense summer warmth, it was too heated for the doctor to take a nap. So, he began to stare in the mirror and became forfeited in appreciating himself. While admiring himself, a fondness appeared in him to look more presentable.
Deliberately, there was a movement of his thoughts from self-admiration to forthcoming marriage. The doctor was thinking of marrying a rich and beautiful doctor. The doctor didn’t spend great scrutiny on the immediate silence and the scampering from the rats appeared to break. Then, there was a sound of something plunging but the doctor was slow to respond. By the moment he had a peek, there was a snake wiggling on the back of the chair. Quickly, the snake twined on the left arm of the doctor.
The snake existed barely inches away from his face. By witnessing that incident, he went into shock and became like a statue. At this time, the doctor felt the existence of God. It looks like this snake stood like retribution from God to the doctor due to his being too aggressive. Immediately, he understood that he should not be so arrogant and mean.
Snake and The Mirror summary is the real story of the doctor and the realization of his true worth. After that, the snake left the doctor and further moved towards the mirror.
The doctor silently ran from there and saved his life. After this everyone just loved the Snake and The Mirror story summary. And further the short summary of the Snake and The Mirror, he concluded that his narrative and many people were interested to ask him more questions related to the incident.
The Snake and the Mirror Summary in 100 to 150 Words words
The Snake and the Mirror by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is a humorous and thought-provoking story narrated by a homoeopathic doctor. The story revolves around an unforgettable encounter he had with a snake. One night, while living in a modest rented house, the doctor reflects on his ambitions and dreams of becoming wealthy and handsome.
As he admires himself in the mirror, a snake suddenly drops onto his shoulder and coils around his arm. Frozen with fear, the doctor silently prays for his life, realizing the futility of his vanity. Unexpectedly, the snake notices its reflection in the mirror, slithers off him, and focuses on its image instead. Taking advantage of this distraction, the doctor escapes to safety.
The story humorously highlights the unpredictability of life and the importance of humility, blending wit with a deeper philosophical message.
The Snake and the Mirror Summary in 200 words
The Snake and the Mirror is a story told by a homoeopathic doctor about a frightening experience from his early days. One hot summer night, he was sitting in his simple room after dinner. With no electricity, he lit a kerosene lamp and sat in front of a mirror, lost in thoughts about his appearance and future. He admired his looks and dreamed of becoming rich and marrying a beautiful woman.
Suddenly, a snake fell from the roof and landed on his shoulder, wrapping itself around his arm. Terrified, he sat completely still, fearing the slightest movement might provoke the snake. As he stayed frozen in fear, the snake seemed to notice its reflection in the mirror. Mesmerized by the sight, it uncoiled and slithered down to the table. Seizing this chance, the doctor ran out of the room as fast as he could.
The incident left a lasting impression on him, reminding him of the unpredictability of life and the importance of humility. The story captures the contrast between human pride and the power of nature, making it a gripping and memorable chapter for Class 9 students in the Beehive English textbook.
Also Check
CBSE Class 9 English The Snake and The Mirror NCERT Solutions
CBSE Class 9 English The Snake and The Mirror Revision Notes
CBSE Class 9 English The Snake and The Mirror Important Questions
Conclusion
Summary of the chapter The Snake and The Mirror fully highlights the fact that someone should not be so much proud of oneself because of whatever God has gifted to them. Without any support you are nothing. The time he realized that God had recalled the snake who just left without hurting orbiting him. The summary of the Snake and Mirror Class 9 teaches how to not be so much overconfident about something because everything we have is by his grace so every time you don't need to show off.
You must know that overconfidence and pride sometimes lead to the deformation of success. The same thing happens in this story. The doctor was very proud of his achievements that he became arrogant and overconfident which leads to the bad thing.
After the snake incident happened to him, he realized the true importance of his life and also realized how badly he was behaving because he was having everything. Just when he realizes everything, he decides not to be ignorant at all and will just live life with happiness without being overly proud. Sometimes in life, after getting success some people just forget about everything and want to enjoy success only.
They sometimes behave arrogantly and aggressively in success. But they must understand the real meaning of success is not behaving arrogantly but sharing your happiness and success with everyone. Snake and The Mirror summary is the prime example of how not to be overconfident whenever you have everything. Just try to be good and make others happy with your best, is what we have learned from this the Snake and The Mirror story summary.
FAQs on The Snake and the Mirror Summary: Key Points for Class 9 English
1. What is a brief explanation of the story 'The Snake and the Mirror'?
This story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is about a young, unmarried homoeopathic doctor. One night, while admiring himself in a mirror and making plans for his future, a cobra lands on his shoulder. Frozen with fear, he thinks of God. The snake, however, sees its own reflection in the mirror, becomes fascinated by it, and slithers away. The doctor escapes, and upon returning the next day, finds that a thief has stolen everything except his dirty vest.
2. What is the main theme of 'The Snake and the Mirror'?
The central theme is the conflict between pride and humility. The doctor is initially very vain, proud of his looks and profession. However, his encounter with the snake serves as a humbling experience, shattering his pride and making him realize the fragility of life. The story shows how a moment of crisis can strip away one's ego and reveal what is truly important.
3. What is the importance of the two key objects in the title, the snake and the mirror?
The title 'The Snake and the Mirror' is highly significant as the two objects drive the entire narrative and theme.
- The mirror represents the doctor's vanity and self-admiration. He uses it to appreciate his looks and dream about his future.
- The snake represents a sudden, life-threatening reality and the power of nature. It acts as a humbling force that confronts the doctor's ego.
4. How does the author Vaikom Muhammad Basheer introduce humour into a frightening situation?
The author creates humour by highlighting the contrast between the seriousness of the situation and the doctor's comical thoughts. While a deadly snake is coiled around his arm, the doctor is thinking about what medicine he would need if bitten, noting that he didn't have any. He also amusingly describes himself as a "poor, foolish, and stupid doctor." The final irony of a thief stealing his belongings, leaving only his dirty vest, adds a humorous touch to his ordeal.
5. Why did the snake leave the doctor?
The snake left the doctor because it became captivated by its own reflection in the mirror. After uncoiling from the doctor's arm, it slithered towards the mirror, seemingly more interested in admiring itself. This suggests that vanity is not just a human trait but can be observed in other creatures too. The snake's fascination with its image provided the doctor the crucial opportunity to escape.
6. What were the two "important" and "earth-shaking" decisions the doctor made while looking in the mirror?
While admiring himself in the mirror, the doctor made two decisions that he humorously considered "earth-shaking":
- First, he decided he would shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome, as he was an unmarried doctor.
- Second, he decided he would always keep an attractive smile on his face to complement his looks.
7. How does the story's ending, with the thief, connect to its main theme?
The ending reinforces the theme of humility and the loss of vanity. The doctor, who was once proud of his few possessions and his professional coat, returns to find everything stolen by a thief. The only thing left behind is his "dirty vest," which the thief presumably considered too undignified to take. This final act strips the doctor of his material pride, leaving him with nothing but the humbling memory of his encounter. It shows that both nature (the snake) and man (the thief) have deflated his ego.
8. In what way did the doctor's opinion of himself change after the snake incident?
Before the incident, the doctor saw himself as a handsome, eligible bachelor and a knowledgeable professional. He was full of pride. After the snake coiled around his arm, his opinion changed drastically. He felt helpless and described himself as a "poor, foolish, and stupid doctor". The terror of the moment made him realize his human limitations and turned his thoughts to God, completely stripping away his earlier vanity and self-admiration.
