The Snake And The Mirror Summary

“The Snake and the Mirror” is a captivating short story by Indian writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, often remembered for its wit, humor, and the profound underlying themes it subtly addresses. Composing a summary for a story like “The Snake and the Mirror” is an exercise in distilling its essence while preserving the narrative’s intrigue and the author’s stylistic charm. In this article, we will explore how to craft a comprehensive summary of this narrative, which entails understanding the plot, characters, themes, and the story’s cultural context.

Understanding the Plot

The first step in summarizing a story is to understand the plot. “The Snake and the Mirror” recounts the experiences of a homoeopathic doctor who encounters a snake in his room. The event unfolds one evening after the doctor returns to his rented accommodation. As he rests, reflecting on his life and his future, a snake enters the scene, creating an atmosphere of suspense and leading to a series of self-revelations for the protagonist.

Identifying the Characters

Character analysis is crucial. In this story, the central character is the doctor, who is also the narrator. His character is revealed through his thoughts and reactions, particularly his vanity and eventual humility. Other characters, such as the doctor’s wife, whom he plans to marry, are mentioned in his reflections but are not directly present in the story.

Recognizing Themes and Motifs

Identifying the themes is essential for a summary to capture the narrative’s deeper meanings. “The Snake and the Mirror” touches on themes such as vanity, fear, the unpredictability of life, and the transformation of character through crisis. These themes are woven into the plot, revealing themselves as the story progresses.

Analyzing the Setting and Style

The setting—a small, sparsely furnished room—and the time period—the story was published in 1957—provide a backdrop for the unfolding drama. Basheer’s style, characterized by humor and irony, adds to the story’s charm and depth. Recognizing this is important for a summary to reflect the tone of the story.

Crafting the Summary

With these elements in mind, you can begin crafting your summary. A well-written summary will introduce the story, provide a brief overview of the plot, touch upon key themes, and acknowledge the author’s narrative style without giving away every detail or the resolution.

Beginning the Summary

Start by introducing the story’s title, author, and a sentence about the central premise. For instance: “In Vaikom Muhammad Basheer’s short story ‘The Snake and the Mirror,’ a self-absorbed doctor faces a life-changing encounter with a snake in his room.”

Describing the Plot

Proceed to outline the plot. Describe the doctor’s mundane evening that turns extraordinary with the snake’s entrance. Discuss how the doctor’s confrontation with the snake serves as the narrative’s climax and leads to his reflection and transformation.

Highlighting Characters and Development

Discuss the doctor’s character and how his encounter with the snake prompts a change in his perspective. Mention his vanity, as illustrated by his plans for marriage and his desire for his wife to be as vain as he is, and how this is challenged by his confrontation with death.

Exploring Themes

Integrate the main themes into your summary. Explain how the doctor’s experience with the snake serves as an allegorical reference to the dangers of vanity and self-absorption and how the brush with death brings a newfound appreciation for life and humility.

Reflecting the Author’s Style

Incorporate Basheer’s narrative style into the summary, ensuring to convey the humor and irony that underpin the serious themes. It’s important to capture the essence of Basheer’s storytelling without losing the depth of the narrative.

Providing Cultural Context

Include a brief note on the cultural context of the story if relevant. Since Basheer’s work often reflects social issues in India, mention how this story, while humorous, also subtly comments on societal attitudes and behaviors.

Concluding the Summary

Wrap up the summary with a concluding sentence that encapsulates the story’s resolution and the protagonist’s transformation without revealing the final twist or turns. The conclusion should reflect upon the lasting impact of the story’s themes on the reader.

Revising and Editing

After writing your summary, revisit it for clarity, coherence, and conciseness. Ensure that it is free from personal opinions and interpretations while being true to the story’s narrative. Edit for grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

The Snake and the Mirror Example Summary

Example 1

“In ‘The Snake and the Mirror,’ Indian author Vaikom Muhammad Basheer crafts a tale of self-reflection and humility through the harrowing experience of a vain doctor. Set in a modest dwelling on a hot summer night, the story unfolds with the doctor contemplating his future marriage and material success, only to have his reverie shattered by the unexpected arrival of a snake. The reptile’s presence prompts a comical yet frightening introspection of thedoctor’s life and priorities. Throughout the encounter, Basheer skillfully interweaves humor with tension, leading the reader through a journey of fear, self-mockery, and existential realizations. The doctor, initially consumed by his appearance and the materialistic aspects of life, confronts his mortality, resulting in a profound transformation from vanity to humility. The snake becomes a catalyst for change, forcing the doctor to reckon with the superficiality of his desires and the randomness of fate.

As the narrative progresses, the doctor’s musings about his future wife—wishing for her to be docile and admiring of his supposed beauty—stand in stark contrast to the danger posed by the snake, symbolizing the unpredictability of life and the futility of human vanity. Basheer’s portrayal of the doctor’s character development serves as a critique of societal norms and the human tendency to prioritize trivial pursuits over more meaningful experiences.

The story’s setting in post-independence India also subtly reflects the transformation of society, mirroring the personal change experienced by the protagonist. Basheer’s use of the local setting and the Malayalam dialect, translated into English, adds authenticity to the narrative while showcasing cultural nuances.

In the end, ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ concludes with the doctor’s newfound appreciation for life and a decision to embrace simplicity, leaving readers with a reflection on the essence of existence and the irony of human arrogance. Basheer’s masterful storytelling ensures that the story’s message resonates beyond its pages, making it a timeless piece of literature that critiques and entertains in equal measure.”

Example 2

“The Snake and the Mirror” is a short story by the Indian author Vaikom Muhammad Basheer that humorously explores themes of vanity, fear, and the unpredictability of life. The story is narrated by a doctor, who recounts a past experience that had a profound impact on his outlook on life.

The narrative begins with the doctor returning to his modestly furnished rental room after seeing his patients for the evening. As he sits alone, contemplating his future and admiring his own image in the mirror, he considers the qualities he hopes to find in a wife. The doctor is quite vain and wishes for a wife who would admire his looks and be proud of him.

However, his thoughts are abruptly interrupted when a snake slithers into the room through a gap in the ceiling. The snake coils itself around the doctor’s arm, and as he sits frozen in fear, it moves towards the mirror and seems to be admiring its own reflection. The situation becomes a tense standoff, as the doctor is too frightened to move, fearing that any sudden action might provoke the snake to strike.

In this moment of life-threatening danger, the doctor experiences an epiphany. He realizes the futility of his vanity and materialistic desires. The snake eventually uncoils itself and leaves the room as mysteriously as it came. The doctor, now sweating and shaken, reflects on the encounter and decides to change his ways.

The story concludes with the doctor abandoning his former vanity. He resolves to live a simpler life, no longer obsessing over his appearance or material possessions. The experience with the snake causes him to reevaluate his priorities, leading him to a path of self-improvement and humility.

“The Snake and the Mirror” is a story rich with irony and dark humor, using the frightening encounter with the snake as a metaphor for the sudden and often unexpected challenges that life can present. Basheer’s narrative skillfully combines the comic with the serious, leaving the reader with a memorable and thought-provoking message about the nature of human vanity and the importance of inner reflection.

Example 3

“The Snake and the Mirror” is a compelling short story by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer that delves into human vanity and the sudden shocks that life can bestow upon us, often leading to profound introspection and change.

The story unfolds with the narrator, a doctor, reminiscing about an incident that occurred early in his career. Living alone in a small, rented room, the doctor comes home after his work. As he relaxes in his sparsely furnished room, he looks into his mirror, combs his hair, and admires himself, contemplating his future. He is particularly focused on the qualities he desires in a wife—he wants her to be rich, beautiful, and admiring of him, reflecting his own vanity and superficiality.

As he sits absorbed in his thoughts, a snake unexpectedly enters the room. The doctor is initially unaware of its presence but soon notices the creature on the wall reflected in his mirror. Panic-stricken, he remains immobile, observing as the snake explores his surroundings and eventually finds its way onto the doctor’s lap.

The snake, perched on the doctor’s lap, watches itself in the mirror, much like the doctor had done moments before. The comparison between the man and the animal at this juncture is stark and laden with irony—the snake, typically seen as a symbol of evil or danger, is caught in a moment of vanity, while the doctor is rendered helpless and terrified.

In a desperate attempt to avoid provoking the snake, the doctor remains motionless, enduring the horror of the situation. The snake, after what seems like an eternity to the doctor, turns away from the mirror and slithers off, disappearing as suddenly as it appeared.

The encounter acts as a catalyst for self-reflection for the doctor. It strips away his vanity, leaving him to ponder the fragility of life and the shallowness of his earlier desires. The story concludes with the doctor deciding to live a life of simplicity and humility. He gives up his materialistic aspirations and acknowledges the profound impact of the experience, which has altered his perception of himself and the world around him.

In capturing the essence of “The Snake and the Mirror,” a summary must convey the suspense of the encounter, the humor and irony inherent in the narrative, and the transformation of the doctor’s character. The story serves as a reminder that life’s unexpected events can lead us to confront our deepest fears and, consequently, can also be the most enlightening, stripping away the veneer of vanity and leading to a more substantive understanding of ourselves.

Final Thoughts

The summary should be proofread to ensure accuracy and to maintain the integrity of Basheer’s original work. The goal is to provide a clear and engaging overview that captures the reader’s interest without diminishing the pleasure of discovering the story firsthand.

In summary, writing a summary of “The Snake and the Mirror” involves a careful balance of encapsulating the plot, understanding the characters, conveying the themes, and capturing the author’s unique style. A good summary should encourage readers to seek out the story for a complete experience while providing an insightful glimpse into its narrative heart.