NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5 – The Snake and the Mirror
NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5 “The Snake and the Mirror” help students understand the story in a simple and effective way. Written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, the chapter is a humorous and suspenseful account of a young doctor’s unexpected encounter with a snake. The story beautifully combines fear, self-admiration, and humour, making it an interesting chapter for Class 9 students.
“The Snake and the Mirror” begins with a young doctor who lives alone in a small rented room. One night, while sitting in front of a mirror, he starts admiring his appearance. He thinks about his looks, his hairstyle, and even imagines how he could improve his personality. At this point, the story takes a sudden turn when a snake falls from the roof and lands on him.
The doctor becomes completely still with fear as the snake coils around his arm. The situation becomes even more frightening when he notices the snake looking at its own reflection in the mirror. Instead of remaining focused on the doctor, the snake seems fascinated by its image. This unexpected moment gives the story its comic touch.
The NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5 cover important textbook questions based on the story, including questions about the doctor’s character, his reactions, the role of the mirror, and the humorous elements of the narrative. Studying these solutions can help students understand the chapter thoroughly and frame clear answers for examinations.
The chapter also conveys an important message about human nature. The doctor is initially proud and concerned about his appearance, but his encounter with the snake makes him realise how helpless he can be in a dangerous situation. His thoughts change instantly from vanity to survival. The story therefore shows how quickly circumstances can change a person’s priorities.
For students, Class 9 English Chapter 5 NCERT Solutions are useful for revising the story, understanding difficult portions, and preparing answers in a structured manner. Along with learning the question answers, students should pay attention to the humour, irony, character development, and descriptive style used by the author.
Overall, “The Snake and the Mirror” is a memorable story that teaches an important lesson while keeping readers entertained. It reminds us that pride and self-admiration can disappear in an instant when we face a genuinely frightening situation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
“The Snake and the Mirror” is a humorous and suspenseful story written by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer. It tells the story of a young doctor who lives alone in a small rented room. One night, while admiring himself in a mirror, he suddenly encounters a snake that falls from the roof and coils around his arm. The doctor remains completely still out of fear. Interestingly, the snake becomes attracted to its own reflection in the mirror, giving the doctor a chance to escape. The story highlights fear, vanity, humour, and the unpredictable nature of life. NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Chapter 5 help students understand these ideas clearly.
The important questions in NCERT Class 9 English Chapter 5 mainly focus on the doctor’s character, his experience with the snake, the significance of the mirror, and the humorous elements of the story. Students may also be asked why the doctor remained motionless, why the snake moved towards the mirror, and what happened after the snake left him. Questions related to the theme and message of The Snake and the Mirror are also important for examinations. Reading the NCERT Solutions helps students understand the textbook questions and prepare well-structured answers without missing important points from the chapter.
The main theme of “The Snake and the Mirror” is the contrast between human vanity and the reality of fear. At the beginning of the story, the young doctor is busy admiring his appearance and imagining his future. However, his thoughts change completely when a snake suddenly coils around his arm. The incident shows that even a confident person can become helpless in a dangerous situation. The story also uses humour to make this lesson enjoyable. The message of The Snake and the Mirror is that pride and self-admiration are temporary, while unexpected situations can quickly change our priorities.