The story is a first-person narrative by an unnamed homoeopathic doctor who is living in a rented room. The story takes place one hot summer night when the doctor returns to his room after having dinner at a nearby restaurant. As he sits down to read a book, he hears a noise from above and realizes that rats are frequent visitors to his room. He lights a .........
The snake and the Mirror - Beehive - Class 9 - English
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Unlock now 🔓Quiz - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
Vocabulary - Flashcards - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
About the Author - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer was a prominent Malayalam writer known for his simple and relatable writing style. He was born in Thalayolaparambu, Kottayam District, Kerala, India, in either January 19 or 21, 1908, and was the eldest child in his family. Basheer completed his primary education at a local Malayalam medium school and then joined an English medium school in Vaikom for higher education. It was during this time that he met Mahatma Gandhi and became his follower, inspired by the swadeshi ideals of Gandhi. Basheer's notable works include Balyakalasakhi, Shabdangal, Pathummayude Aadu, Ntuppuppakkoranendarnnu, Mathilukal, Janmadinam, and Anargha Nimisham. His works have been translated into several languages and have earned him worldwide acclaim. Basheer was also a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, Sahitya Academy Fellowship, and Kerala State Film Award for Best Story, among others. He passed away on July 5, 1994, leaving behind a rich legacy in Malayalam literature.
Back Questions - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Literature | English | Class 9
“The sound was a familiar one.” What sound did the doctor hear? What did he think it was? How many times did he hear it? (Find the places in the text.) When and why did the sounds stop?
The sound the doctor heard was a noise from above his room. He thought it was the sound of rats, as he mentioned that he shared the room with them. He heard the sound three times in the text - first when he had just entered the room, then again when he was combing his hair, and finally when he was thinking about getting married.
The sounds stopped after his imaginative thinking about getting married. The doctor supposed the sounds had stopped because there were no more rats moving on the beam above. However, it was followed by a dull thud, marking the arrival of the snake.
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What two “important” and “earth-shaking” decisions did the doctor take while he was looking into the mirror?
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Sign up now“I looked into the mirror and smiled,” says the doctor. A little later, he says, “I forgot my danger and smiled feebly at myself.” What is the doctor’s opinion about himself when:
(i) he first smiles, and
(ii) he smiles again?
In what way do his thoughts change in between, and why?
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Sign up nowThis story about a frightening incident is narrated in a humorous way. What makes it humorous? Think of the contrasts it presents between dreams and reality. Some of them are listed below.)
(i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
(ii) The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)(i) The person he wants to marry
(ii) The person he actually marries(i) His thoughts when he looks into the mirror
(ii) His thoughts when the snake is coiled around his arm.Write short paragraphs on each of these to get your answer.
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Sign up nowHere are some sentences from the text. Say which of them tells you that the author: (a) was afraid of the snake, (b) was proud of his appearance, (c) had a sense of humour, (d) was no longer afraid of the snake.
I was turned to stone.
I was no mere image cut in granite.
The arm was beginning to be drained of strength.
I tried in my imagination to write in bright letters outside my little heart the words, ‘O God’.
I didn’t tremble. I didn’t cry out.
I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile.
I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.
I was, after all a bachelor and a doctor, too on top of it!
The fellow had such a sense of cleanliness...! The rascal could have taken it and used it after washing it with soap and water.
Was it trying to make an important decision about growing a moustache or using eye shadow and mascara or wearing a vermilion spot on its forehead
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Sign up nowExpressions used to show fear Can you find the expressions in the story that tells you that the author was frightened? Read the story and complete the following sentences.
I was turned.
I sat there holding.
In the light of the lamp, I sat there like
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Sign up nowSummary - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
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Back Exercises - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Literature | English | Class 9
Match the meanings with the words/expressions in italics, and write the appropriate meaning next to the sentence. The first one has been done for you.
I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits. (very frightened)
I got a fright when I realised how close I was to the cliff edge.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him.
You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that.
Wait until I tell his story — it will make your hair stand on end.
Paralysed with fear, the boy faced his abductors.
The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle.
I knew a man was following me, I was scared out of my wits. (very frightened)
I got a fright when I realised how close I was to the cliff edge. (I was shocked or surprised)
He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the bull coming towards him. (He was very startled)
You really gave me a fright when you crept up behind me like that. (I was immediately, mentally shocked)
Wait until I tell his story — it will make your hair stand on end. (It will scare you or make you very nervous)
Paralysed with fear, the boy faced his abductors. (So scared that he could not move)
The boy hid behind the door, not moving a muscle. (Being very still, due to fear or caution)
Report these questions using if/whether or why/when/where/how/which/what. Remember the italicised verbs change into the past tense.
Meena asked her friend, “Do you think your teacher will come today?”
David asked his colleague, “Where will you go this summer?”
He asked the little boy, “Why are you studying English?”
She asked me, “When are we going to leave?”
Pran asked me, “Have you finished reading the newspaper?”
Seema asked her, “How long have you lived here?”
Sheila asked the children, “Are you ready to do the work?”
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Sign up nowThemes - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
Fear and Helplessness
The story highlights the feeling of fear and helplessness experienced by the protagonist when he finds a snake coiled around his arm. He is paralyzed with fear and is unable to move, leading to a sense of helplessness.
Mortality
The protagonist is faced with the reality of his mortality...
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Unlock now 🔓Extra Questions - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Literature | English | Class 9
The question came from a homeopath. The topic came up when we were discussing snakes. We listened attentively as the doctor continued with his tale.
The question came from a homeopath. The topic came up when we were discussing snakes. We listened attentively as the doctor continued with his tale.
(a) Who was the homeopath?
(b) Which topic came up while discussing snakes?
(c) Who are 'we' in these lines?
(d) What tale was related by the doctor?
(a) The homeopath being referred to here is the doctor or the speaker who is narrating his experiences in this story.
(b) The topic that came up while discussing snakes was about a snake coiling itself around a person's body.
(c) 'We' in these lines refers to the group of friends who were sitting together and discussing the snake.
(d) The tale related by the doctor or the homeopath was about a hot summer night when a snake entered his room, coiled around his arm, and then left the room to admire itself in a mirror.
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It was an outer room with one wall facing the open yard. It had a tiled roof with long supporting gables that rested on the beam over the wall.
(a) Whose room is being described here?
(b) Where was this room located?
(c) What kind of roof did the room have?
(d) What purpose was served by the gables?
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Sign up nowWhy did the doctor have difficulty sleeping on the night the snake came to his room?
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Sign up nowWhen and why was the doctor reminded of the presence of God?
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Sign up nowWhat does the narrator mean when he says that his room has been 'cleaned out'?
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Sign up nowImportant Lines - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
The following lines are important in "The Snake and the Mirror" because they showcase the protagonist's character, emotions and thoughts during the crisis moment when the snake coils around his arm:
- “HAS a snake ever coiled itself round any part of your body? A full-blooded cobra?”
- “Suddenly there came a dull thud as if...
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Unlock now 🔓Plot - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
1. Introduction
The homoeopath doctor narrates a story about a full-blooded cobra and asks if anyone has had any encounters with one. The setting is revealed...
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Unlock now 🔓Vocabulary - The snake and the Mirror | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | English
- Coiled: twisted or wound (something) into a series of connected rings or spirals.
- Cobra: a highly venomous snake that can expand the skin of its neck into a hood.
- Homoeopath: a practitioner of alternative medicine that believes in the use of highly diluted substances to treat ailments.
- Familiar: well-known from long or close association.
- Meagre: lacking in quantity or quality.
- Dhoti: a...
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