Beehive (Prose): The Snake and the Mirror

Topics in this chapter

• Plot, Climax, and Resolution
• Narrator’s Character and Vanity
• Setting and Room Details
• Fear, Humour, and Irony
• Mirror Symbolism and Themes
• Literary Devices and Imagery

Cheat sheet

Practice questions

1. Question 1Q-6564C5

   What does the narrator's initial thought about his profession and finances reveal about him in 'The Snake and the Mirror'?

   1. A.He was extremely wealthy and satisfied.
   2. B.He was a poor, newly established doctor with big dreams.
   3. C.He was a retired physician living a luxurious life.
   4. D.He was forced into medicine by his family.
   See the answer and solution
2. Question 2Q-CBE75D

   Why did the narrator keep a large mirror on the table in his room?

   1. A.To make the small room look spacious.
   2. B.To check his patients' throats.
   3. C.Because he was an admirer of beauty and enjoyed looking at himself.
   4. D.It was left behind by the previous tenant.
   See the answer and solution
3. Question 3Q-1095C7

   What sudden sound made the narrator think of a familiar companion in his room before the snake appeared?

   1. A.The howling of wind outside.
   2. B.The sound of rats scurrying across the beam.
   3. C.A knock on his wooden door.
   4. D.The ticking of his wrist watch.
   See the answer and solution
4. Question 4Q-0CBB4A

   Describe the immediate physical reaction of the narrator when the snake landed on his shoulder.

   See the answer and solution
5. Question 5Q-CD5EFC

   What humorous thought crossed the narrator's mind regarding his medical profession while the snake was coiled around his arm?

   1. A.He thought about prescribing medicine for the snake.
   2. B.He considered himself a poor, foolish, and stupid doctor with no medicines in the house for snakebite.
   3. C.He wondered if snakes had a separate medical council.
   4. D.He planned to perform surgery on the reptile.
   See the answer and solution