Suspense. Suspense is a feeling of expectation, anxiety, or curiosity created by questions raised in the mind of a reader. As this story unfolds, readers fear that someone will be bitten by the green mamba. This fear is reinforced by the author’s attention to concrete details, which carefully describe things that can be seen, tasted, touched, heard, or smelled. How do these concrete descriptions draw the story out, create a strong emotional response in readers, and add to the suspense?
Characterization. Characterization is the act of creating or describing a character. In “The Green Mamba,” Dahl conveys the thoughts and feelings of the characters as we see how they react to the action. As you read the story, make a list of the words and phrases that characterize the snake-man. Be sure to include details about how he dresses, moves, and arms himself to deal with the deadly snake. Circle or bracket items on your list that use concrete words.
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• “The Green Mamba” comes from a book of essays called Going Solo. The book is about author Roald Dahl’s experiences while serving as a fighter pilot in Africa during World War II (1939–1945).
• History Connection. This story takes place in Dar es Salaam in what is now known as Tanzania, a country that lies just south of the equator in East Africa. From 1922 to 1961, Tanzania was ruled by the British and was called Tanganyika, the name used in this story. Dar es Salaam is the nation’s largest city. It has served as the capital for many decades.
• Science Connection. About 2,700 species of snakes exist on the earth. Of these, only about 375 are venomous—their bites deliver poison, or venom, to the blood of the victim. Scientists today know much more about snake venom than they did in previous decades, and the chance of successfully treating a venomous snake bite is better than ever. Mambas are poisonous African tree snakes known for their beauty, their length (up to fourteen feet), their speed (up to twenty miles per hour), and their fighting nature. Capable of injecting more venom per bite than cobras, mambas can produce bites that are deadly if not treated in time.
• As a result of human activities that threaten snakes, their populations are declining. Yet few people have even noticed. In part, snakes lead secretive lives and are hard to monitor. But another reason is that people are more apt to help conserve warm, furry animals than the less cuddly ones. By keeping rats and mice in check, snakes help keep pests out of the world’s grain supplies and help control the diseases—sometimes deadly—that rodents transmit to humans. Furthermore, medical researchers have found that certain snake venoms can help in the treatment of many serious conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and epilepsy. Because of its healing qualities, snake venom is more expensive than gold.
What would you do if someone told you a deadly snake had just entered your house?
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