Class 9 English - ODISHA
Prose: The Snake and the Mirror
The Snake and the Mirror is a humorous and engaging story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, translated from Malayalam. It is narrated by a young, unmarried homoeopathic doctor who shares a terrifying yet funny encounter with a venomous snake that drops from the roof into his rented room. The chapter explores themes of vanity, self-admiration, and the humbling realization of human helplessness in the face of nature. For BSE Odisha Class 9 exams, students must focus on the chronological events of the story, the character's thoughts, ironies, and the moral lessons, as questions frequently test comprehension, textual details, and vocabulary.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Setting the Scene
The story takes place in a small, rented, poorly lit room with no electricity, infested with rats, which establishes a backdrop for the unexpected climax.
Theme of Vanity
The doctor is deeply admiring of his own appearance, making a daily choice to grow a thin mustache and keep smiling to look attractive, which highlights youthful narcissism.
The Mirror Incident
While looking into the mirror and making grand plans about his future marriage and career, a snake silently slithers down and coils around his left arm.
Encounter with the Snake
Paralyzed with fear and acting like a stone statue, the doctor reflects on his mortality, realizing the presence of God and his own foolishness.
The Snake's Reflection
The snake unwraps from the doctor's arm, creeps onto the table, and looks into the mirror, seemingly admiring its own beauty or wanting to make important decisions, adding a humorous twist.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the BSE Odisha Class 9 English board examinations, prose chapters like 'The Snake and the Mirror' typically carry around 5 to 8 marks. Common question types include multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short answer questions based on the plot, character sketches, and reference-to-context questions testing vocabulary and comprehension.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the doctor look into the mirror so often?
The young doctor was newly married/unmarried and vain about his appearance, enjoying admiring his own looks, mustache, and smile.
What did the snake do when it saw its reflection in the mirror?
The snake uncoiled from the doctor's arm, crept onto the table, moved towards the mirror, and stared into it, as if trying to admire its own reflection.
Did the doctor ever see the snake again?
No, the next morning when the doctor returned with friends to pack his things, most of his belongings had been stolen by a thief, and the snake never returned.
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