The homoeopathic doctor is the central character in the story ‘The Snake and the Mirror’ written by the celebrated Malayalam writer Vaikom Muhmmad Basheer. He is unnamed in the story and is known by the designation. He is a self-loving but at the same time reflective and sensible man with lively expressiveness

The homoeopathic doctor was young and handsome and took pride on both his beauty and his status as a doctor. When he was sitting in front of the mirror, he had the tendency to look into the mirror and see his own beauty. He plans to shave daily, to keep up his handsome smile and to keep his fashionably trimmed moustache. Obviously, this act reveals his narcissism. The story presents narcissism as a positive moderating trait. Later, we the cobra repeating the same act and ‘forgetting’ to bite.

The doctor’s dream of his marriage is also significant in revealing his character. He entertains a fantasy of being protected by a rich wife who is a busy doctor. These wishes surely reveal a less masculine, less-big-brotherly character who is willing to accept a wife, who is stronger and more placed than himself

The homeopath is reflective and he keeps his live sense of humour and confident and frank enough to tease himself even when he has to describe something shabby. His self-joking admissions of his own follies and the reference to his ‘not-so-white vest move the readers to tender smile

However, he is a young man with composed nature who would not lose his presence of mind even at the face of imminent death. He is able to collect himself, think and act wisely, when he sees himself coiled by a cobra on the shoulder

Above all, he is expressive with a native good-natured humor, capable of looking at oneself with affectionate, but realistic appreciations

To put things in a nutshell, the homeopath is a live, sensible, well-meaning and expressive narcissist who is able to look at the world with a kind and a composed mind