"The Snake and the Mirror" is a humorous short story narrated by a homeopathic doctor to his friends. The tale combines elements of suspense, humor, and irony while exploring themes of vanity, human nature, and the unexpected parallels between humans and animals.
Main Characters
- The Doctor (Narrator): A young, unmarried homeopathic doctor who has recently started his practice
- The Snake: A cobra that becomes fascinated with its own reflection
Setting
The story takes place on a hot summer night in the doctor's small, rented room without electricity. The room is sparsely furnished with basic necessities and shares space with rats that live in the roof beams.
Plot Summary
The Doctor's Vanity
The young doctor, despite his meager earnings of about sixty rupees and minimal possessions, is extremely vain about his appearance. After returning from dinner, he sits before a mirror and makes several "earth-shaking" decisions:
- He will shave daily and grow a thin mustache to look more handsome
- He will always maintain an attractive smile
- He will marry a wealthy, fat woman doctor (fat so she couldn't chase him if he made mistakes and needed to escape)
The Encounter
While admiring himself in the mirror, the doctor hears familiar sounds from above (rats moving in the roof). Suddenly, a large cobra drops from the roof beam onto his shoulder and coils around his left arm. The snake's hood is spread dangerously close to his face.
The Moment of Terror
The doctor becomes paralyzed with fear, sitting "like a stone image in the flesh." He realizes that any movement could provoke the snake to strike, and death lurks just inches away. In this moment of extreme danger, he feels the presence of God and reflects on his helplessness as a "poor, foolish and stupid doctor" with no medicines to save himself.
The Unexpected Turn
In a moment of divine intervention or pure coincidence, the snake notices the mirror on the table. Fascinated by its own reflection, the cobra unwinds from the doctor's arm and slithers toward the mirror, apparently admiring its own beauty just as the doctor had been doing moments before.
The Escape
Once freed, the doctor quietly escapes from the room, runs to a friend's house, and takes precautionary measures by bathing in oil and changing clothes.
The Aftermath
When the doctor returns the next morning with friends to collect his belongings, they discover that thieves have stolen almost everything from his room. In a final insult, the thieves left behind only his dirty vest, apparently finding it too unclean to steal.
Themes and Literary Significance
Irony and Humor
The story's central irony lies in the parallel between the doctor and the snake - both are captivated by their own reflections in the mirror. This creates a humorous commentary on human vanity.
Human Nature
Basheer explores the universal human tendency toward vanity and self-absorption, showing how even in poverty, the doctor prioritizes his appearance and romantic fantasies.
Divine Intervention
The story suggests themes of fate and divine protection, as the doctor's survival seems to depend more on luck and the snake's vanity than his own actions.
Social Commentary
Through humor and irony, the author gently mocks human pretensions and the gap between our self-image and reality.
Author's Style
Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's signature style is evident in:
- Simple, conversational narrative tone
- Blend of humor with suspense
- Focus on ordinary people and situations
- Gentle satire of human follies
- Integration of local cultural elements
Conclusion
"The Snake and the Mirror" is a masterful short story that uses a simple incident to explore deeper truths about human nature. The parallel drawn between the doctor's vanity and the snake's apparent fascination with its reflection creates a memorable and thought-provoking tale that combines entertainment with subtle social commentary. The story's enduring appeal lies in its ability to make readers laugh while simultaneously reflecting on their own vanities and pretensions.