Class 9 English - UP
Prose: The Snake and the Mirror
The Snake and the Mirror by Vaikom Basheer is a humorous and engaging story about a young, poor homoeopathic doctor. The narrative revolves around a dramatic encounter with a deadly snake that coils around the doctor's arm while he is admiring himself in a mirror. This chapter holds great importance for Uttar Pradesh (UPMSP) Class 9 board exams as it tests reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the student's understanding of irony and humor. Questions from this chapter frequently appear in the English Beehive literature section as short-answer questions and reference-to-context passages.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
First-Person Narrative
The story is told by the narrator himself, making the humorous events feel personal, direct, and conversational.
Theme of Vanity
The doctor is proud of his profession, looks, and unmarried status, but the snake's arrival humbles his vanity completely.
Use of Irony
Humor is created through situations where the doctor thinks he is brave or handsome, only to be paralyzed with fear moments later.
Self-Realization
Facing death makes the doctor realize his own foolishness and poverty, transforming his perspective on life.
Climax and Resolution
The tension peaks when the snake looks into the mirror instead of attacking, and resolves when the doctor escapes safely.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Uttar Pradesh (UPMSP) Class 9 English exam, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Questions usually include long-answer questions about the theme, short-answer questions based on the doctor's reaction to the snake, and extract-based multiple-choice questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the two 'important' decisions the doctor made?
The doctor decided to shave daily and grow a thin mustache to look more handsome, and always keep a attractive smile on his face.
Why did the snake look into the mirror?
The snake was probably admiring its own reflection or trying to make an important decision, just like the doctor did earlier.
Did the doctor ever see the snake again?
No, when the doctor returned to his room the next morning along with some friends, only some of his things had been stolen by a thief.
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