Students can also check English Summary to revise with them during exam preparation.
Very Short Summary of The Snake and The Mirror Analysis and Explanation
About the Poet Vaikom Muhammad Basheer
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer (1859-1927) was an Indian independence activist and writer of Malayalam literature. In the Malayalam Literary arena, the legend Vaikom Muhammad Basheer owns a remarkable position. With his profound and simple writing, a touch of satire, sarcasm and black humour. He is regarded as one of the prominent literary figures ever existed in india. He was a legend in Kerala.
| Poet Name | Vaikom Muhammad Basheer |
| Born | 21 January 1908, Thalayolaparambu |
| Died | 5 July 1994, Beypore |
| Parents | Kaye Abdul Rahiman |
| Movies | Mathilukal, Bhargavi Nilayam, Balyakalasakhi, House of Stories |
| Awards | Vallathol Award, Muttathu Varkey Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, Kerala State Film Award for Best Story |
The Snake And The Mirror Summary In English
The Snake and the Mirror Introduction
This is a humorous story about a doctor, a snake, and a mirror. The doctor has just started his practice in homeopathy and is a bachelor. He lives in a small rented room which is an outhouse. One night he has an encounter with a snake. His death seems to be imminent. But the mirror in his room helps him and he escapes death.
The Snake and the Mirror Summary of the Lesson
It was a hot summer night; about ten o’clock. A homeopathic-doctor, who was a bachelor, had just returned from the work to his small rented room. The room had two windows and a tiled roof. The tiles were supported by gables which rested on the beam over the wall. There were countless rats living in that room. The doctor was familiar with the sound they used to make.
He lighted the kerosene lamp on the table as the house was not electrified and took off his coat and shirt and opened the two windows. He sat down on the chair and took out a book called the Materia Medica to read. There was a large mirror on the table on which stood the lamp.
He felt tempted to look into the mirror. He sat down in front of it, admiring his looks and smile. He felt he should make himself more presentable because he was unmarried and was a doctor. He picked up the comb and ran it through his hair and adjusted the parting.
He took a close look at his face in the mirror and decided to shave daily and grow a thin mustache. Then came a lovely thought in his mind. He began planning his future marriage. He would marry a woman doctor who had plenty of money 3hd a good medical practice. He was so engrossed in his daydreaming that he did not give much importance to the sudden silence.
The rats had stopped making noise and there were no more sounds from above. Suddenly the doctor felt the sound of something falling behind him. He turned around to have a look and was surprised to see that it was a fat cobra.
The snake wriggled over the back of the chair and with great alacrity landed on the doctor’s shoulder. The dreadful creature slithered along his shoulder and coiled around his left arm above the elbow. The hood was spread out and its head was hardly three or four inches from his face.
The doctor found himself very close to death. He turned to stone. He could not move because any such action would prompt the snake to strike him. What would he do if he was bitten by the cobra? There were no medicines in the room for snakebite.
He then realised that he was a foolish and stupid doctor. He smiled at helplessness. He prayed to God because only God could save him in the face of danger. And the God appeared pleased on the doctor whose thoughts changed after his encounter with the snake. From being a proud doctor he moved on to accept his stupidity. The snake turned its head. It looked into the mirror on the table and saw its reflection.
It then unwound itself from his arm and slowly slithered into his lap. From there it crept onto the table and moved towards the mirror.
The doctor heaved a sigh of relief. He got up carefully and escaped from the house. He ran fast and reached a friend’s house where he smeared oil all over himself and took a bath. Next morning, he came back to his room to vacate it but found nothing except his dirty vests. Some thief had stolen all his belongings seeing the room open.
The story conveys a very important message. One should not be proud of oneself. We are nothing without God’s benign support. The moment the doctor realised his true worth, the snake was recalled and his life was saved.
What is the summary of the snake and the mirror?
The Snake and The Mirror summary is the story within a story. The writer tells us a story that he heard from a homoeopathic doctor. And similarly, the story rotates around the two factors of the Snake and The Mirror. Moreover, in this story, a doctor reflects on a day in his youth, when he was unmarried.
What is the summary of the snake trying?
The poem revolves around a snake that is struggling after being hit by a stick. Furthermore, the stick is held by a person who intends to kill this snake. Moreover, the snake is trying to escape from this predicament. The message that the poet wants to convey is that not all snakes are harmful.
What kind of story is the snake and the mirror?
The story is a narrative within the narrative. The writer tells us the story which was told to him by a homeopathic doctor. As we see from the title, the snake and the mirror are the two most important things in the story. This homeopathic doctor encountered a snake, the snake fell on the doctor.
What is the theme of the lesson the snake and the mirror?
The humorous anecdote revolves around the theme of human vanity and fears and how they affect people. The narrator is a homoeopath doctor who is struggling with his poverty and sluggish practice.
Why did the listeners fall silent the snake and the mirror?
The audience became silent due to the fear of the cobra snake. Then the doctor narrated his story. It was a hot summer night, almost 10 o’clock, he was returning home after having his dinner at the restaurant.
Why did the snake move towards the mirror?
Answer: The snake settled in the writer’s lap after uncoiling from the writer’s arm. The snake moved towards the mirror to have a closer look of its image.