The story would lose its charm and reality without the mirror because it fascinates both the characters i.e., doctor and the snake. The doctor makes two important decisions – saving daily and growing thin moustaches to make himself more handsome and keeping a smile on the face all the time while looking at himself in the mirror. The snake also feels attracted to look at his face in the mirror and leaves the doctor’s arm. It sits on the table in front of mirror and the doctor finds an opportunity to move away to save himself. Thus, the story does revolve around the mirror and therefore its important.
Overview: The Snake and the Mirror
A young homeopathic doctor, living alone in a small room, sits before a mirror one night admiring his appearance and making plans about his future wife. A cobra falls from the ceiling and coils around his arm. Terrified and frozen, he cannot move. The snake eventually slides off and moves towards the mirror, apparently admiring its own reflection. The doctor escapes. When he returns, his room has been robbed — everything taken except a dirty vest. The story uses self-deprecating humour to explore vanity and fear.
Key Points
- Narrator is a young, vain homeopathic doctor living alone
- Sits before a mirror admiring himself; plans to find a wife
- A full-blooded cobra falls from the ceiling onto his shoulder
- The snake coils around his arm — he freezes in terror
- He reflects on the irony: he was thinking about beauty while facing death
- The snake slides off and moves towards the mirror
- The snake appears to admire its own reflection — comic irony
- The doctor escapes; returns to find room robbed
- Only a dirty vest was left — thieves took everything else
- Themes: vanity, fear, humour in adversity, self-awareness
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the narrator doing when the snake appeared?
What is the significance of the mirror?
Common Mistakes
- Not reading the text carefully before attempting questions.
- Giving vague answers without specific textual references.
- Confusing characters, events, or themes from different chapters.
- Writing too much for short-answer questions (should be 30-40 words).
Scoring Tips
- For extract-based MCQs: read the passage carefully; eliminate wrong options systematically.
- For short answers: be concise (30-40 words), use key vocabulary from the text.
- For long answers: structure with introduction, body, conclusion. Quote from the text.
- Always identify the chapter/poem name and author when answering.