Looking for Snake Exercises Answers CBSE Class 10? Find comprehensive answers to questions from the Class 10 CBSE Literature Reader as part of the English Communicative (101) Curriculum. These solutions help students understand the poem, improve their analysis skills, and prepare effectively for exams.
Short Summary: Snake by D. H. Lawrence
In D. H. Lawrence’s poem “Snake,” the speaker encounters a snake at a water trough on a hot day. The snake, moving slowly and peacefully, comes to drink, and the speaker watches in awe. Although the speaker feels the snake is a majestic creature of nature, he is torn by the belief that dangerous creatures like snakes should be killed.
After struggling with his thoughts, the man throws a log at the snake to scare it away. As soon as the snake retreats, the man regrets his action and feels ashamed for not respecting the snake. The poem highlights the conflict between fear and admiration, showing how people sometimes make wrong choices due to fear or social expectations.
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Class 10 English Literature Reader (101): Snake Exercises Answers
Get detailed Snake Exercises Answers from the Class 10 English Literature Reader (101) to enhance your understanding of the poem and excel in your CBSE exams. These answers are crafted for the English Communicative (101) Curriculum.
Snake Exercises Answers On Page 128-129
4 Given below is the summary of the poem Snake in short put the summary into a logical sequence. paragraphs. However they are jumbled. Work in pairs and put the summary into a logical sequence.
(a) After drinking water to his satisfaction, the snake raised his head dreamily and flickered his forked tongue and licked his lips. The snake looked around like a God and then slowly proceeded to curve round and move away from the water trough. – 6
(b) The poet felt much like the ancient mariner who had killed the albatross for no reason. He wished that the snake would come back. He thought of the snake as a king in exile who had to be crowned again. He also regretted having missed his opportunity of knowing and understanding one of the lords of life. – 9
(c) As the snake put his head into the hole to retreat into the earth, the poet was filled with a protest against the idea of the snake withdrawing into his hole. The poet put down his pitcher, picked up a log and hurled it at the snake. The snake twisted violently and with great alacrity vanished into the hole in the wall. – 7
(d) A snake visited the poet’s water trough on a hot afternoon to quench his thirst. The poet who had also gone to the trough to fill water in a pitcher waited for the snake to depart since he had come at the trough prior to the poet. – 1
(e) The voice of education inside the poet which tells him that it was the fear for the snake that made him refrain from killing him. However, the poet felt that though he was quite afraid of the snake, he did actually feel honoured that a snake had come to seek his hospitality from the deep recesses of the earth. – 3
(f) He is guilt-ridden and feels that he has to atone for the meanness of his action of throwing a log at the snake. – 10
(g) The snake rested his throat upon the stone bottom and sipped the water into his slack long body. After drinking water, he raised his head just like cattle do and flashed his forked tongue, thought for a moment and then bent
down to drink some more water. – 2
(h) Education and social conventions make the poet think that the golden brown poisonous snake must be killed and that as a brave man he must undertake the task of killing the snake. – 4
(i) The poet instantly felt sorry for his unrefined and contemptible act and cursed the voices of education and civilisation that had shaped his thought process and
urged him to kill the snake. – 8
(j) However, the poet instinctively likes the snake, treats him like a guest and feels honoured that it has come to drink at his water trough. The poet questions himself and wonders whether his not daring to kill the snake proves that he is a coward and whether his desire to talk to the snake reflects his perversity. – 5
Ans. The logical sequence is (d) (g) (e) (h) (j) (a) (c) (i) (b) (f)
Snake Exercises Answers On Page 129
5 Based on your reading of the poem, answer the following questions by selecting the correct options.
(i) he lifted his head from his drinking as cattle do’-The poet wants to convey that the snake is …….
(a) domesticated
(b) innocent
(c) as harmless as cattle
(d) drinking water just like cattle
Ans: (d) drinking water just like cattle
(ii) ‘Sicilian July’, ‘Etna smoking’ and ‘burning bowels of the earth’ are images that convey that.
(a) there are snakes in volcanic areas
(b) the poet lives in a hot area
(c) it is a really hot day when the snake comes
(d) Sicilian snakes are dangerous
Ans: (c) it is a really hot day when the snake comes
(iii) ‘A sort of horror, a sort of protest overcame me’- The poet is filled with protest because.
(a) he doesn’t want to let the snake remain alive
(b) he fears the snake
(c) he doesn’t want the snake to recede into darkness
(d) he wants to kill it so that it doesn’t return
Ans: (c) he doesn’t want the snake to recede into darkness
(iv) In the line ‘And as he slowly drew up, snake-easing his shoulders, and entered farther’, the phrase snake easing his shoulders means
(a) loosening its shoulders
(b) slipping in with majestic grace
(c) moving slowly
(d) moving fast
Ans: (b) slipping in with majestic grace,
(v) ‘He seemed to me like a king in exile…’ The poet refers to the snake as such to emphasise that the snake
(a) is like a king enduring banishment
(b) is like a king due to be crowned
(c) is a majestic king who came for a while on earth
(d) is a majestic creature forced to go into exile by man
Ans: (a) is like a king enduring banishment
(vi) ‘I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act’-‘The poet is referring to
(a) the snake going into the dreadful hole
(b) the accursed modern education
(c) the act of throwing a log of wood at the snake
(d) the act of killing the snake
Ans: (c) the act of throwing a log of wood at the snake
Snake Exercises Answers On Page 131
6 Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) Why does the poet decide to stand and wait till the snake has finished drinking? What does this tell you about the poet? (Notice that he uses ‘someone’ instead of ‘something’ for the snake.)
Or, Why did the poet wait for the snake to drink first from the trough? CBSE 2020
Ans: The poet decides to stand and wait till the snake has finished drinking because he feels the snake was the first one to reach the water-trough and he himself cams second, so he must wait for his turn. This shows that the poet is civilised and well-mannered. He is treating the snake as his guest.
(b) In stanza 2 and 3, the poet gives a vivid description of the snake by using suggestive expressions. What picture of the snake do you form on the basis of this description?
Ans: On the basis of the poet’s description, we get a vivid and beautiful picture of the snake. The snake is yellow-brown or golden-brown in colour. It weakly trails its soft belly over the edge of the stone trough. It appears to be tired and thirsty and drinks water slowly. Just like cattle, it raises its head and then drinks some more water. It sips water while keeping its mouth straight. It has a ‘slack long body’ and a two-forked tongue, which it flickers while drinking.
(c) How does the poet describe the day and the atmosphere when he saw the snake?
Ans: The poet describes it as a very hot day. Humans and animals, all were turning to water to quench their thirst. The poet further uses words like ‘Sicilian July’, ‘Etna smoking’ and ‘burning bowels’ which highlight the hot atmosphere of the day.
(d) What does the poet want to convey by saying that the snake emerges from the ‘burning bowels of the earth?
Ans: By saying that the snake emerges from the ‘burning bowels of the earth,’ the poet wishes to convey that the snake lived inside the Earth which was heated up on that hot summer day. The insides of the Earth were so hot that they appeared to be burning.
(e) Do you think the snake was conscious of the poet’s presence? How do you know?
Ans: The snake was not conscious of the poet’s presence. It was very relaxed and moved leisurely and dreamily. If the snake had seen the poet, it would not be so relaxed. The poet uses the expression ‘dreamily, as one who has drunken’ to highlight this.
(f) How do we know that the snake’s thirst was satiated? Pick out the expressions that convey this.
Ans: We know the snake’s thirst was satiated as the snake lifted its head and smacked its tongue as if licking its lips in satisfaction.
The following expressions give us the information that the snake’s thirst was satiated
- He drank enough
- And lifted his head, dreamily, as one who has drunken,
- And flickered his tongue like a forked night on the air, so black,
- Seeming to lick his lips.
(g) The poet has a dual attitude towards the snake. Why does he experience conflicting emotions on seeing the snake?
or What is the dilemma that the poet faces when he sees the snake? CBSE 2014
or Why does the poet experience conflicting emotions on seeing the snake? CBSE 2012
Ans: The poet experiences conflicting emotions on seeing the snake because his education, tells him that Sicilian snakes of earth-brown or golden-brown colour are poisonous and must be killed.
He feared the snake, but at the same time thought of the snake as his guest. His humanity and thinking of the snake as a guest conflicted with his education and inner voice. This led to his dual attitude towards the snake.
(h) The poet is filled with horror and protest when the snake prepares to retreat and bury itself in the “horrid black’, “dreadful’ hole. In the light of this statement, bring out the irony of his act of throwing a log at the snake.
Ans: The thought of the snake returning to the place it had just come out of, filled the poet with protest and fear. He hated the idea of the snake going away and throws a log at the snake. He, thus, scares it, forcing it to escape and hide in
its hole. The irony of the situation is that he forces the snake into the same hole to which he did not wish the snake to return earlier.
(i) The poet seems to be full of admiration and respect for the snake. He almost regards him like a majestic God. Pick out at least four expressions from the poem that reflect these emotions.
Ans: The following expressions show the poet’s admiration for the snake
- (i) But must I confess how I liked him
- (ii) How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet
- (iii) And looked around like a God
- (iv) For he seemed to me like a king
(j) What is the difference between the snake’s movement at the beginning of the poem and later when the poet strikes it with a log of wood? You may use relevant vocabulary from the poem to highlight the difference.
Ans: The snake’s movement at the beginning is very leisurely and relaxed. It takes a lot of time to drink water and sips and enjoys it. After drinking water, it moves very slowly and dreamily and goes back to the crack in the wall. Later when the poet throws a log at it, it vanishes very quickly. with the speed of lightning and in an undignified manner.
(k) The port experiences feelings of self-derision, guilt and regret after hitting the snake. Pick out expressions that suggest this. Why does he feel like this?
Ans: The expressions such as ‘I thought how paltry’, ‘how vulgar’, ‘what a mean act!’, ‘I despised myself’, ‘to expiate’, ‘A pettiness’ suggests that the poet experiences feelings of self-derision, guilt and regret after throwing a log at the snake.
He feels so because he had no reason to kill the snake. He regrets his action and realises that he shouldn’t have thrown a log to hit the snake. He despises himself and accuses his human education for hitting the snake.
(l) You have already read Coleridge’s poem “The Ancient Mariner’ in which an albatross is killed by the Mariner. Why does the poet make an illusion to the Albatross? CBSE 2012
Ans: The Ancient Mariner’s act of killing the albatross was similar to the poet’s attempt to kill the snake. Just as killing of the harmless bird was a cruel and inhuman act of the mariner, the poet feels that his own act was also equally despicable as the snake was as harmless as the albatross. Hence, he makes an illusion to the albatross.
(m) “I have something to expiate” Explain. In the poem ‘Snake’, why does the poet say “I have something to expatiate? CBSE 2018
Ans: The poet regrets his petty act of throwing a log at the snake and feels that this was something he had done which needed to be atoned for or made amends for. He wishes that the snake would return so that he could apologise to it.
7 The encounter with the snake and the dual response of the poet to his presence at the water-trough reflect a conflict between civilised social education and natural human instincts. The poet writes a diary entry highlighting how he was torn between the two voices. Write his diary.
Ans.
Wednesday, 15th July, 20XX
10:30 PM
Dear Diary
Today I experienced something which made me realise that man is not always good or bad. His actions are guided by his civilised social education and natural instincts. It was a very hot day today and I was feeling thirsty. I picked up the pitcher and went to fetch water from the trough. As I approached the trough, I saw a long earth-brown and golden snake drinking the water which had collected near the trough. My civilised education had taught me that in Sicily such snakes are poisonous and should be killed.
However, I felt the snake was not there to harm me; it was simply drinking water to quench its thirst. I was torn between my education and sentiments. It was a difficult situation and I struggled to argue with myself, but my education won and I threw a log at the snake, although it slithered away immediately without being hurt.
David
Snake Exercises Answers Extract-based
Looking for Snake Exercises Answers for extract-based questions from Class 10 CBSE English Literature Reader (101)? These concise answers help you analyze key extracts from the poem and prepare effectively for the English Communicative (101) Curriculum.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 1
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
1. I came down the steps with my pitcher
And must wait, must stand and wait, for
there he was at the trough before me.
(a) Who came down the steps and why?
(b) Which word in the extract means ‘a large container for storing water’?
(c) Who was there at the trough before him?
(d) Why was he carrying the pitcher?
Ans. (a) The poet came down the steps because he wanted to quench his thirst.
(b) The word ‘trough’ means ‘a large container for storing water’,
(c) The snake was there at the trough before him.
(d) The poet was carrying the pitcher to fill it with water which could then be drunk.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 2
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
2. He reached down from a fissure in the earth-wall in the gloom
And trailed his yellow-brown slackness soft-bellied
down, over the edge of the stone trough
(a) What is meant by ‘trailed’ here?
(b) Where had ‘He’ come from?
(c) Where was ‘He’ at the moment?
(d) How has ‘he’ been described?
Ans. (a) The word ‘trailed’ means ‘carried behind it’.
(b) The snake had come from a hole in the wall.
(c) The snake was quenching its thirst at the water-trough.
(d) The snake has been described as yellow-brown in colour and having a soft-bellied and slack body.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 3
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
3. Someone was before me at my water-trough,
And I, like a second comer, waiting.
(a) Who was at the water-trough before the poet?
(b) Where had it come from?
(c) Why did the poet wait?
(d) Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?
Ans. (a) A snake came to the water-trough before the poet.
(b) It came from the burning bowels of the Earth.
(c) The poet was a civilised person and so, he waited for his turn because the snake had reached the water trough before him.
(d) The figure of speech used is simile.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 4
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
4. He lifted his head from his drinking, as cattle do,
And looked at me vaguely, as drinking cattle do,
(a) Give the meaning of ‘vaguely’.
(b) Which poetic device has been used in the above lines?
(c) What does the comparison indicate?
(d) Explain- ‘as drinking cattle do’.
Ans. (a) ‘Vaguely’ means ‘in an uncertain manner’.
(b) Simile has been used here.
(c) The comparison indicates that the snake was as harmless as cattle are.
(d) The given lines indicate that the snake was drinking water like cattles. In other words, it was as harmless as cattle.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 5
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
5. And flickered his two-forked tongue
from his lips, and mused a moment,
And stooped and drank a little more,
(a) Whose lips and tongue are being referred to here?
(b) What was ‘he’ doing?
(c) Give the meaning of ‘mused’.
(d) Why did ‘he’ muse?
Ans. (a) The snake’s lips and tongue are being referred to here.
(b) The snake was quenching its thirst.
(c) The meaning of ‘mused’ is ‘to be absorbed in thought’.
(d) The poet thought that the snake must be musing because it paused for some time while drinking the water.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 6
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
6. The voice of my education said to me
He must be killed,
For in Sicily the black, black snakes are innocent, the gold
are venomous.
(a) Whose ‘voice of education’ is being referred to here?
(b) Who is ‘He’ in the above lines?
(c) Which word from the extract is a synonym of ‘poisonous’?
(d) What does the word ‘innocent’ suggest here?
Ans. (a) The speaker’s ‘voice of education’ is being referred to here.
(b) The word ‘he’ refers to the snake.
(c) The word ‘venomous’ is a synonym of ‘poisonous.
(d) The word ‘innocent’ here means ‘not poisonous’.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 7
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
7. But must I confess how I liked him,
How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet, to drink at
my water-trough
(a) Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?
(b) Who is being referred to as a ‘guest”?
(c) Give an antonym of ‘confess’,
(d) Which figure of speech is used in the second line?
Ans: (a) I refer to the poet.
(b) The snake is being referred to as a ‘guest.
(c) Deny’ or ‘conceal’ is an antonym of ‘confess.
(d) The figure of speech used is a simile.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 8
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
8. Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?
Was it perversity, that I longed to talk to him? Was it
humility, to feel so honored?
(a) Who is the poet referring to as “him”?
(b) What can you say about the poet’s feelings here?
(c) Give the antonym of ‘perversity.
(d) Why was the poet feeling honoured?
Ans: (a) The poet is referring to the snake as ‘him’.
(b) The poet is experiencing mixed feelings about the snake’s presence. He feels honoured but also feels like a coward
(c) The antonym of ‘perversity’ is logical.
(d) The poet was feeling honoured because he thought of the snake as a royal guest which had come to drink water from the poet’s water-trough.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 9
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
9. And truly I was afraid, I was most afraid,
But even so, honoured still more
That he should seek my hospitality
From out the dark door of the secret earth.
(a) Why was the poet afraid?
(b) Why did the poet feel honoured?
(c) What do you mean by ‘hospitality’?
(d) Explain- ‘the dark door of the secret earth’.
Ans. (a) The poet was afraid because he had been taught that golden-brown snakes are poisonous and could be a threat to him.
(b) The poet felt honoured because such a fascinating creature as a snake, whom humans were afraid of, had sought his hospitality.
(c) Hospitality means a friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.
(d) The phrase signifies the dwelling place of snakes, a hole below the ground which is usually dark.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 10
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
10. I looked round, I put down my pitcher,
I picked up a clumsy log
And threw it at the water-trough with a clatter.
(a) The log was thrown at whom?
(b) Why did the poet throw a log?
(c) Was the poet right in throwing the log at the snake?
(d) What do you understand by ‘clumsy’?
Ans. (a) The poet threw a log of wood at the snake.
(b) The poet was overpowered by the voice of education that taught him that the snake was poisonous and must be killed. Hence, the poet threw a log at the snake to kill it.
(c) No, the poet was not right in throwing the log at the snake, as it was going away quietly without having any intentions of harming the poet.
(d) The word ‘clumsy’ here means heavy.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 11
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
11. But suddenly that part of him that was left behind
convulsed in undignified haste.
Writhed like lightning, and was gone
(a) Who is ‘him’ in the above lines?
(b) Why did it convulse?
(c) Give the meaning of ‘writhed’.
(d) Which figure of speech is used in the last line?
Ans. (a) The word ‘him’ in the above lines is the snake.
(b) It convulsed as it had sensed that the poet had thrown a log at it.
(c) The meaning of ‘writhed’ is twisted and turned.
(d) The figure of speech used is simile.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 12
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
12. Into the black hole, the earth-lipped fissure in the
wall-front, At which, in the intense still noon, I stared
with fascination. And immediately I regretted it.
(a) Why did the poet stare with fascination?
(b) What did the poet immediately regret his action?
(c) ‘fissure’ means
(d) What has been described here?
Ans. (a) The poet stared with fascination because the snake had its own beauty and grace while moving.
(b) The poet immediately regretted his action as his act of throwing the log at the snake while it was retreating was mean and cruel.
(c) a narrow opening made by cracking or splitting
(d) The snake going away after drinking water at the poet’s water-trough has been described here.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 13
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
13. I thought how paltry, how vulgar, what a mean act!
I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human
education.
(a) Who is ‘I’ in the above lines?
(b) Which ‘mean act’ had he committed?
(c) Give the synonym of paltry.
(d) Explain ‘accursed human education’.
Ans. (a) ‘I’ refers to the poet.
(b) The poet had committed the mean act of throwing a log at his guest, the snake.
(c) The synonym of ‘paltry’ is ‘worthless’.
(d) Human education teaches us to kill the snake as and when it is seen, as it may be venomous. That is why the poet calls human education to be ‘accuresed’.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 14
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
14. For he seemed to me again like a king,
Like a king in exile, uncrowned in the underworld,
Now due to be crowned again.
(a) How did the poet look at the snake?
(b) Why is the snake described as ‘a king in exile’?
(c) Give a synonym of ‘exile’.
(d) Which poetic device has been employed in the first and second lines?
Ans. (a) The poet looked at the snake like ‘a king in exile’.
(b) The snake is described as one of the lords of life who has lost his crown under the ground, waiting to be crowned again.
(c) ‘Banishment’ is a synonym of ‘exile’.
(d) The poetic device employed is simile.
Snake Exercises Answers Extract 15
Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
15. And so, I missed my chance with one of the lords
Of Life.
And I have something to expiate
A pettiness.
(a) What chance has been missed by the poet?
(b) What does ‘pettiness’ refer to in the given lines?
(c) What does the word ‘expiate’ mean?
(d) What is the feeling of the poet at this time? CBSE 2012
Ans: (a) The poet has missed the chance to honour such a fascinating creature as a snake.
(b) The word ‘pettiness’ refers to the poet’s mean act of throwing a log at the snake while it was going away.
(c) The word ‘expiate’ means ‘to make amends’.
(d) The feeling of the poet at this time is one of repentance for his mean act of throwing a log at the snake without any provocation.
Snake Exercises Answers Short Answer (SA) Type
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words.
1. How does the poet call the snake? What does this imply about the poet?
Or The poet refers to the snake as ‘someone’ not ‘it’. Why does he do so? CBSE 2012-
Ans. He calls the snake ‘someone’ rather than ‘something’ and considers it as a ‘guest’ rather than an ‘intruder’. He regards it as an individual. It shows that the poet has respect in his heart for nature’s all creations.
2. What was the poet’s reaction when he saw the snake at the water trough?
Ans. When the poet saw the snake at the water trough, he stopped immediately but was not afraid of it. Rather, he was curious. He observed its movements closely and was fascinated by the snake.
3. Why did the poet have to wait near the water-trough? CBSE 2015
Ans. The poet had to wait near the water-trough because a snake was drinking water at the trough. Out of respect for the snake, whom the poet considered his guest, the poet decided to wait as he considered the snake as an equal co-owner of the earth’s resources.
4. Why did the poet allow the snake to finish drinking water? CBSE 2012
Ans. It was a very hot day. The poet came to the water-trough to have some water but found that the snake was already present there. He thought that he must wait as a ‘guest’ was there before him. He did not want to disturb the snake.
5. What is very special about the poet that makes him think that he was a second comer? What was his world view?
Ans. The poet was different from most men. He believed that he had reached the water-trough after the snake, thus he was second. He believed that snakes are God’s beautiful creations and should be respected and treated equally with humans. The poet’s views reflect his attitude.
6. What does the poet compare the snake’s drinking habits to? Why? CBSE 2016
Ans. The poet compares the snake’s drinking habits to that of cattle. Cattle, while drinking water, are not aware of their surroundings, nor are they worried about any possible threats.
They drink peacefully and do not cause any harm to anyone. Just like them, the snake in the poem drinks peacefully and lifts his head like a cattle.
7. What picture of the snake do you form on the basis of the poem?
Ans. From the poet’s description, we can gather that the snake had a straight mouth, slack long body, a two-forked tongue, and it was earth-brown and golden in colour.
8. What did the voice of education say to the poet? CBSE 2015
or What ‘voice of education’ does the poet refer to? What did the ‘voice’ tell him?
or What did the ‘voice of education’ say to the poet of the poem, ‘Snake’? What did he do then? CBSE 2012
Ans. The ‘voice of education’ refers to the knowledge that the poet had learned through books or by hearing things. The ‘voice’ told him that the snake was a poisonous one and hence it must be killed. So, the poet picked up a log of wood and threw it at the snake.
9. Why do the voices in the poet’s mind advise him to kill the snake?
Ans. The voices in the poet’s mind are due to his education, which taught him that snakes with yellow brown skin colour are poisonous. These voices advise him to kill the snake, as otherwise the snake may harm the poet if it feels threatened.
10. What is the poet’s dual attitude towards the snake? CBSE 2014
Ans. On one hand, the poet feels an instinctive fascination for the snake and thinks of it as a guest who has come to his place to quench his thirst. While on the other hand, his voice of education tells him that it is a poisonous snake and he throws a log at it. This shows the poet’s dual attitude towards the snake.
11. Why was the poet glad to have the snake in his garden?
Ans. The poet was an educated man. He was of the opinion that a snake is a beautiful creation of God and should be respected. To have a snake in his garden was an honour to him. The snake was his guest and he felt honoured to extend his hospitality to it.
12. Why did the narrator want to hit the snake? CBSE 2012
or Why did the poet try to harm the snake? CBSE 2015
or Why did the poet throw the log at the snake? CBSE 2014
Ans. The narrator wanted to kill the snake because the voices of education in his head told him that it was a poisonous snake that could harm him. He was so overpowered by the voice of his education that when the snake was going back to his home in the Earth he threw a log at the snake to try to kill it.
13. What does the poet do which he calls as ‘paltry, vulgar and mean? Why?
Ans. The poet attacked the snake by throwing a log at it, when it was going away. The poet initially considered it a ‘guest’ and yet committed this vulgar and mean act. The snake had done nothing to deserve such a treatment; hence the act was paltry.
14. Why does the poet call his human education ‘accursed’?
Ans. The poet calls his human education ‘accursed’ as it takes him away from the generosity of man, from the bond between human beings and other species.
His education teaches him to hurt a harmless, innocent animal. It builds barriers between him and the other creatures. Therefore, he calls it ‘accursed’.
15. “I despised myself and the voices of my accursed human education”. What made the poet despise these voices?
Ans. The poet despised himself and the voices of his education because they made him stoop so low as trying to kill a ‘guest’, the snake. The snake had done nothing to harm him; still the poet committed this inhuman act.
16. Why is the snake said to be one of the lords of life?
Ans. The snake is said to be one of the lords of life by the poet because he considers it as a majestic creature and as a beautiful creation of God, and thus calls it one of the lords of life.
Snake Exercises Answers Long Answer (LA) Type
Answer the following questions in 150 words.
1. Why does the poet experience feelings of self-derision, guilt and regret after throwing a log at the snake?
Ans. The poet experiences guilt and regret because he felt he had tried to hurt a creature which had caused him no harm. In fact, the snake was not even aware of his presence. Yet, the poet acted small and petty by attacking it when it had turned its back. The snake was just drinking water to quench its thirst on a hot day and the poet had been mean to attack it. He even compared the snake to cattle, which are harmless. Thus, he regrets getting overpowered by the ‘voice of education which told him that the snake was poisonous and must be killed. Later, when the snake escapes and the poet reflects on his action, he condemns his act. He is filled with guilt and regrets his action.
2. The poem, ‘Snake’ by DH Lawrence reminds us of the fact that animals too have a right to life and we have no right to deny them their life. Elaborate.
Ans. The poem, ‘Snake’ reminds us of the fact that animals too have a right to life and we have no right to deny them their life. One should always listen to the voice of one’s conscience that does not allow us to play with these innocent creatures. Man cannot afford to tamper with ecology as it has been carefully planned and laid out by nature. It may result in the extinction of wild animals and in the depletion of forests and their wealth. Further, man will have to face dire consequences like landslides, floods, droughts and famines. Nature has supplied living creatures with abundant resources and man in particular has been able to co-exist with the least discomfort. So, it is our moral duty to have mutual respect for these creatures and believe in the principle of peaceful co-existence.
3. Whenever we act against the voice of our conscience, the result is suffering. Explain with reference to the poet’s action against the snake and its consequences. CBSE 2017
Ans. Before the poet’s ‘voice of education’ advised him to try to kill the snake, the poet’s voice of conscience told him that the snake was his guest and was quenching its thirst at his water-trough. He felt that the snake was an honoured guest and should be satisfied by its visit. However, when the poet’s ‘voice of education’ took over his thinking, he felt that the snake should be killed, as it may be dangerous. So, the poet acted against the voice of his conscience by throwing a stick at the snake.
The result was that the snake suffered by having to slither away very fast away from the place. However, the poet suffered more because he felt that his action had been arbitrary in nature and he had no reason to throw the stick at the snake, as it was already going away after drinking water. The snake did not threaten the poet at all. So, the poet suffered remorse that he had listened to his ‘voice of education’ instead of listening to the voice of his conscience.
4. Keeping in mind the poem, ‘Snake’, write out a speech for the morning assembly on the topic, ‘Snakes – a beautiful creation of God, an object of our love and not hatred’. CBSE 2016
Ans. Good morning respected Principal, teachers and dear friends. Today I will speak on the topic, ‘Snakes – A Beautiful Creation of God, an Object of our Love and not Hatred.’
Snakes are perhaps the least understood reptiles. Most people are afraid of snakes, even those with an educated understanding of the environment and nature. This is unfortunate because the normal snakes that turn up in the backyard or the forest are usually harmless. Snakes, although much maligned, are very important companions on our planet, particularly when it comes to controlling rats and other vermin. Snakes are even kept as pets. Children show no fear of snakes but they are taught to fear snakes by their elders. Why not teach our children to respect 19W snakes and by extension our environment?
Shrinking of natural habitats due to development have brought us more and more in contact not only with snakes but with other wildlife as well. Snakes need not be our enemies.
We must realise their value and respect them, not only for the useful service they provide us but also for their right to occupy this planet. They need us and we need them!
Thank you.
FAQS on Snake by D. H. Lawrence
What does the poet want to convey by saying that the snake emerges from the burning bowels of the earth?
Ans: The poet conveys that the snake comes from deep within the earth, symbolizing its connection to the primal, mysterious forces of nature. The phrase “burning bowels of the earth” suggests a sense of ancient power and natural heat, linking the snake to the earth’s core and elemental forces.
What is the encounter with the snake and the dual response?
Ans: The poet’s encounter with the snake evokes both admiration and fear. He is fascinated by the snake’s calmness and grace, but societal conditioning tells him to kill it. This dual response represents the conflict between his natural instincts of awe and the ingrained fear of dangerous creatures.
How does the poet describe the day and the atmosphere when he saw the snake?
Ans: The poet describes the day as hot, with the earth burning and the air heavy. It was a still and silent atmosphere, perfect for the snake to appear at the water trough, contributing to the tension and anticipation of the encounter.
Was the snake conscious of the poet’s presence?
Ans: Yes, the snake was aware of the poet’s presence but remained calm and unbothered. It drank water without showing any fear or haste, displaying its natural grace and indifference to the poet’s presence.
What does the snake symbolize in the poem?
Ans: The snake symbolizes nature’s untamed beauty, mystery, and power. It also represents the conflict between societal teachings and natural instincts, as well as the idea of innocence being wrongly judged as dangerous or evil.
Why did the poet like the snake?
Ans: The poet liked the snake because of its peaceful and graceful demeanor. He admired its beauty and calmness, recognizing it as a noble and majestic creature of nature, despite societal teachings to fear and kill it.
