Poison (story)
Poison is a short story written by Roald Dahl that was originally published in June 1950 in Collier's. In 1950 it was adapted to the radio program Escape. In 1958 it was turned into an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, directed by Alfred Hitchcock himself.[1]
Plot summary
This short story is set in India during the time of British rule. The main character is Harry Pope and the narrator of the story is Timber Woods. He goes over to his friend Harry Pope's house. Harry is in bed, motionless, sweating, and in a panic. He claims to have a snake (the poisonous krait) on his stomach. He asks Timber to go get a doctor. He calls Dr. Ganderbai, a local Indian doctor. Timber and Ganderbai frantically try to get the snake off of Harry and save his life. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that there is in fact no snake on Harry; perhaps it has gone, perhaps Harry imagined the snake. After this becomes clear, Harry uses many racial slurs against Ganderbai. The real poison in the room is not the snake's; it is the racist's. Ganderbai walks out of the room and tells Timber that Harry needs a vacation.[2]
References
- ^ Gottlieb, Sidney (2003). Alfred Hitchcock. University Press of Mississippi. pp. liii. ISBN 978-1-57806-562-2. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
- ^ Warren, Alan (1988). Roald Dahl. Starmont House. pp. 34–35. ISBN 978-1-55742-013-8. Retrieved 2008-10-25.
www.daltonvoorburg.nl/file/5148/1068724056/Poison.doc