1. What was the topic that came up for discussion between the doctor and his friends?
The topic of discussion was snakes. The conversation began when the homeopath asked if a snake had ever coiled itself around any part of their body, specifically mentioning a full-blooded cobra.
2. What does the expression 'a full-blooded cobra' suggest?
The expression 'a full-blooded cobra' suggests a genuine, pure-bred, and dangerous cobra - not a harmless snake, but a real venomous cobra that poses a serious threat.
3. 'The sound was a familiar one.' What was the sound?
The sound was of rats moving around in the room. The doctor mentions that "rats and I shared the room," indicating that the noise from above was caused by rats running across the beams.
4. 'In those days I was a great admirer of beauty....' Pick out phrases and expressions from the story to justify the statement.
Several phrases justify this statement:
- "I believed in making myself look handsome"
- "I picked up the comb and ran it through my hair and adjusted the parting so that it looked straight and neat"
- "I would shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome"
- "I looked into the mirror and smiled. It was an attractive smile"
- "I would always keep that attractive smile on my face... to look more handsome"
5. What are the two 'important' and 'earth-shaking' decisions that the doctor takes while looking into the mirror?
The two decisions were:
- To shave daily and grow a thin moustache to look more handsome
- To always keep an attractive smile on his face to look more handsome
6. 'Again came that noise from above.' Did the doctor pay much attention to the noise? Why?
No, the doctor did not pay much attention to the noise. He was too preoccupied with admiring himself in the mirror and thinking about his appearance. He was absorbed in his vanity and self-admiration.
7. What kind of a woman does the doctor want to marry? Why?
The doctor wanted to marry a woman doctor who had plenty of money and a good medical practice, and who was fat. He wanted her to be fat for a peculiar reason - if he made some silly mistake and needed to run away, she should not be able to run after him and catch him!
8. What happened when the doctor was sitting on his chair?
When the doctor was sitting on his chair, he heard a dull thud as if a rubber tube had fallen to the ground. When he turned around to look, a fat snake wriggled over the back of the chair and landed on his shoulder.
9. How did the doctor react when the snake landed on him?
The doctor reacted with complete stillness and composure:
- He didn't jump, tremble, or cry out
- There was no time to do any such thing
- He sat there holding his breath and was turned to stone
- He remained motionless like a stone image in the flesh
10. Why did the doctor sit in the chair 'like a stone image in the flesh'?
The doctor sat like a stone image because:
- Any slight movement could provoke the snake to strike him
- Death lurked just four inches away (the snake's head was very close to his face)
- He was paralyzed with fear and knew that remaining absolutely still was his only chance of survival
11. In the story the snake is compared to three objects. What are they?
The snake is compared to:
- A rubber tube - "a dull thud as if a rubber tube had fallen to the ground"
- A thick leaden rod - describing the pain in his arm
- A rod made of molten fire - describing the crushing sensation in his arm
12. Why did he feel that he was a stupid doctor?
He felt he was a poor, foolish and stupid doctor because:
- There were no medicines in the room to treat a snake bite
- Despite being a doctor, he was helpless in a medical emergency
- He realized his inadequate preparation and poor financial condition
- He was powerless to help himself in a life-threatening situation
13. 'I was suddenly a man of flesh and blood.' What does the doctor mean by this statement?
This statement means that the doctor regained his ability to move and act. He was no longer frozen like a stone statue - he became a living, breathing person again who could move, think, and take action to save himself.
14. Why did the doctor run to his friend's house? Did the snake harm the doctor? Why?
The doctor ran to his friend's house because:
- He needed immediate safety and shelter
- He wanted to take precautionary measures (smearing oil and taking a bath)
- He needed help to retrieve his belongings
No, the snake did not harm the doctor because the snake was more interested in admiring its own reflection in the mirror than in attacking the doctor.
15. '...the thief had left behind one thing as a final insult!' What was the insult?
The insult was that the thief left behind the doctor's dirty vest. The doctor felt insulted because the thief had such a sense of cleanliness that he rejected the dirty vest, implying that even a thief found it too dirty to steal. The doctor sarcastically comments that the thief could have at least taken it and washed it with soap and water before using it.