POISON

Background

• "Poison" was set in India during British rule
• India was under British Control (1858-1947)

Characters

Harry Pope

• Harry, a british man, who thinks he has a snake on his stomach
• Central character, Vital to development & resolution of the conflict.
• Dynamic character, changes over the period of time.
• “'Why, you dirty little Hindu sewer rat!, 'Shut up, Harry!' I said’. 'You dirty black-‘ 'Harry!'”(Dahl 4)

Dr.Ganderbai

• He is a Indian village Doctor who treats Harry.
• Minor Character, Adds to the plot and complements Harry.
• Stock Character. Conventional, used similarly in other stories
• “'Mr Pope, you are of course quite sure you saw it in the first place?' (Dahl 4)
• There was a note of sarcasm in Ganderbai voice that he would never have employed in ordinary circumstances,..”

Timber-Harry's Servant

-Minor Character, Adds to the plot and complements the major character.

-Flat Character, Not notable or noteworthy in his characteristics.

"It must have been around midnight when I drove home, and as I approached the gates of the bungalow. I switched off the headlamps of the car so the beam wouldn't swing in through the window of the side bedroom and wake Harry Pope. " (Dahl 4)

Story map

PLOT

Timber is just getting home when he realizes his master, Harry, has a snake on his stomach. To take precautions, he calls the local doctor, Dr. Ganderbai to bring over anti venom. Once he gets there, he gives the anti venom to Harry. They slowly lift off the covers only to find no snake. Dr. Ganderbai questions Harry if there was ever any snake to begin with. Ganderbai leaves, frustrated that there was no snake.

Conflict

• Man vs Self
• Man vs Man
• Harry Pope is racist to Dr. Ganderbai, when he questions him.

Literary Elements

Simile

• "The question came so sharply it was like a small explosion in my ear." (Dahl 2)
• "He was still speaking like he'd been shot in the stomach." (Dahl 2)
• When Timber told Dr. Ganderbai that he needed a serum for a krait bite
• , Dr. Ganderbai responded very loudly because he thought someone was bitten and he was scared. (Dahl 3)

Imagery


"I saw the needle above his vein, Ganderbai holding the syringe almost flat against the arm, sliding the needle sideways through the skin into the blue vein, sliding it slowly but so firmly it went in smooth as into cheese." (Dahl 3)

Suspense

This whole story is very suspenseful but the best example is at the climax Timber and Mr. Ganderbai are about to take the blanket off. "'We must be careful,' he said. 'It may be anywhere. It could be up the leg of his pajamas.'" (Dahl 88) Suspense is a very important part of the story because it increases the tension of the story and makes the reader want to read more.

Irony
The expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for emphatic effect.

Irony

• In the Beginning, the reader is afraid the snake will bite Harry
• Towards the end, the reader discovers there is no snake.
• Situational Irony

THEME