NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 5 – The Snake and the Mirror

Who is the narrator of the story?
Answer: The narrator is a homeopathic doctor, who shares a humorous yet scary personal experience involving a snake in his rented room.

What is the profession of the narrator?
Answer: The narrator is a young doctor practicing homeopathy. He has recently started his career and lives alone in a small, rented room.

What was the narrator doing when the snake appeared?
Answer: He was sitting in front of a mirror, admiring himself and dreaming about his future, when a cobrasilently coiled around his arm.

What kind of person did the doctor want to marry?
Answer: He wanted to marry a rich and fat woman doctor, assuming she would not be able to run after him if he ever did something wrong.

What is the significance of the mirror in the story?
Answer: The mirror symbolizes the doctor’s vanity and self-obsession. He admires his appearance, imagining himself as handsome and desirable.

Describe the setting of the doctor’s room.
Answer: The room had a tiled roof with rats running above, a wooden table, a mirror, and an oil lamp—all very simple and modest.

How did the snake enter the room?
Answer: The snake silently slithered down from the roof and coiled itself around the doctor’s left arm, causing him great fear and shock.

What was the doctor’s reaction when he saw the snake?
Answer: He was terrified, sat motionless, and mentally prepared for death, regretting his vanity and foolish thoughts just moments before.

Why didn’t the doctor move when the snake was on him?
Answer: The doctor feared that any movement might provoke the snake to bite him, so he remained absolutely still and calm.

What was the snake attracted to?
Answer: Surprisingly, the snake moved toward the mirror, as if it were admiring its own reflection, just as the doctor had done earlier.

What happened when the snake moved away from the doctor?
Answer: The doctor took the opportunity to flee the room, running barefoot into a friend’s house nearby, leaving everything behind.

What did the doctor discover when he returned to the room?
Answer: When he returned the next day, he found that all his belongings were stolen, except for his dirty vest, which was untouched.

How does the story reflect irony?
Answer: The story is full of irony, as the doctor who considered himself brave and smart was completely helpless and panicked in front of the snake.

Why is the story humorous despite the danger?
Answer: The doctor’s vanity, foolish thoughts, and the snake’s unexpected behavior add humor, even though the situation was genuinely dangerous.

What lesson did the doctor learn from the incident?
Answer: He learned the value of humility, realizing how foolish and self-obsessed he was. The encounter made him more grounded and wise.

What does the snake symbolize in the story?
Answer: The snake represents sudden danger, unpredictability of life, and serves as a reality check for the doctor’s false pride.

How did the doctor escape the snake?
Answer: He waited patiently. Once the snake moved away and became interested in the mirror, the doctor seized the moment to run out.

Why did the doctor say the snake was a “god”?
Answer: He believed that fate or god had saved him, as the snake chose not to bite him and gave him a second chance at life.

What role do rats play in the story?
Answer: The rats were present on the roof and indicated that the room was not safe or clean, adding a sense of chaos and suspense.

What was the doctor thinking before the snake appeared?
Answer: He was thinking about his looks, future wife, and how handsome he appeared. His thoughts were filled with self-love and vanity.

Why is the story titled “The Snake and the Mirror”?
Answer: Both the snake and the mirror are central symbols—one of fear and the other of vanity. Together, they reflect the doctor’s journey.

How is the story an example of narrative storytelling?
Answer: The story is shared in first-person, with a casual and humorous tone, drawing readers into a personal experience full of emotion.

What is the climax of the story?
Answer: The climax is when the snake coils around the doctor’s arm and stares into his face, bringing the tension to its peak.

Why does the doctor laugh while telling the story?
Answer: With time, the scary incident turned into a funny memory, especially due to his own ridiculous thoughts and reactions.

What message does the story convey?
Answer: The story reminds us that vanity and pride are meaningless in the face of life and death, and that humility is a better path.