The Hidden Venom: An Analysis of Roald Dahl's "Poison" Roald Dahl’s short story first published in 1950, remains one of his most chilling explorations of the darker side of human nature. While it is often sought out as a suspenseful tale about a man trapped in bed with a deadly snake, a deeper look reveals that the literal venom of the krait is merely a placeholder for a much more dangerous social toxin: prejudice . Plot Summary: A Midnight Crisis

Timber calls upon , a local Indian doctor, who arrives to administer aid with professional precision. The tension builds over several hours as the men attempt to anesthetize the snake with chloroform before carefully pulling back the sheets. The Twist: No Snake, Only Spite The Symbolism Of Racism In Poison By Roald Dahl - 772 Words

Set in India during the British Raj, the story is narrated by . Upon returning home at midnight, Timber finds his roommate, Harry Pope , lying motionless in bed, sweating and visibly panicked. Harry whispers that a krait—a small but highly venomous snake—crawled under his sheets and is currently resting on his stomach.