The Snake and the Mirror MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This is an MCQ quiz for Class 9 English Language and Literature (Code 184), from Section C: Literature (Beehive Prose). It focuses on the chapter “The Snake and the Mirror,” covering topics like humour, irony, plot, character analysis, and interpretation. Attempt all questions and click submit to see your score, then download the PDF answer sheet for your records.
The Snake and the Mirror: Detailed Analysis
“The Snake and the Mirror” by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer is a delightful and humorous story from the Class 9 English textbook, Beehive. It’s a first-person narrative by a homeopath who recounts a terrifying yet comical encounter with a cobra. The story masterfully blends fear with humour, highlighting the vanity of human beings and the unpredictability of life.
Key Themes and Literary Devices
Humour and Irony
The primary element of the story is its gentle humour, which arises from the contrast between the doctor’s thoughts and the grave situation he is in. Key instances of humour and irony include:
- The Doctor’s Vanity: Before the snake appears, the doctor is deeply engrossed in admiring his own reflection, making “earth-shaking” decisions about growing a moustache and smiling more attractively. This vanity is ironically mirrored by the snake, which becomes equally fascinated by its own image.
- The Snake’s Distraction: The very thing that saves the doctor’s life is not his intelligence or strength, but the snake’s own vanity. The deadly cobra is “taken with its own beauty,” giving the doctor a chance to escape.
- The Thief’s “Insult”: The final irony is that after surviving a near-death experience, the doctor finds his house robbed. The thief took almost everything but left behind the doctor’s dirty vest as a final “insult,” which the doctor finds amusing.
Character Sketch: The Homeopath
The narrator is a young, poor homeopath who has just started his medical practice. His character is revealed through his thoughts and actions:
- Ambitious and Vain: He dreams of a prosperous future, including marrying a wealthy, fat lady doctor. He is very conscious of his looks, despite his meagre earnings.
- Honest and Self-Aware: He openly admits his fears and his foolishness, both during the incident and while narrating it. When the snake is on him, he feels “the presence of God” and accepts his own helplessness.
- Humorous Narrator: He has a great sense of humour, turning a terrifying experience into an entertaining story for his listeners and readers.
Plot Summary
The story follows a clear sequence of events that build up tension and then resolve it with an ironic twist.
| Event | Doctor’s Reaction / Thought | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| The doctor sits admiring himself in the mirror. | He makes plans to improve his appearance and marry a rich woman. | Establishes his vanity and sets the stage for the ironic encounter. |
| A full-blooded cobra lands on his shoulder. | He is frozen with fear, feels helpless, and thinks of God. | This is the climax of the story, a direct confrontation with death. |
| The snake sees its reflection and moves towards the mirror. | The doctor sees a chance and silently escapes. | The turning point, where the snake’s vanity ironically saves the doctor. |
| He returns the next day to find his house has been robbed. | He is amused that the thief left his dirty vest behind. | The resolution, reinforcing the theme that life is unpredictable and material possessions are fleeting. |
Quick Revision Points
- Narrator: A young, poor homeopath.
- Setting: A small, rented room with a tiled roof, infested with rats.
- Central Conflict: The doctor’s encounter with a cobra that coils around his arm.
- Turning Point: The snake gets distracted by its own reflection in the mirror.
- Resolution: The doctor escapes, and his house is later robbed by a thief.
- Main Themes: Vanity, fear, humour, irony, and the presence of God in times of crisis.
Practice Questions
- Describe the narrator’s financial condition at the beginning of the story. How do we know he is not wealthy?
- What were the two “important” and “earth-shaking” decisions the doctor made while looking into the mirror?
- “I was but a poor, foolish, and stupid doctor.” Why does the narrator say this about himself?
- What is the significance of the thief leaving behind the doctor’s “one solitary thing,” the dirty vest?
- Discuss the dual role of the mirror in the story. How does it affect both the doctor and the snake?
