The Reptile Room

“Mr. Poe, who led the way, didn’t seem to notice the hedges at all, possibly because he was busy coaching the children on how to behave. ‘Now, Klaus, don’t ask too many questions right away. Violet, what happened to the ribbon in your hair? I thought you looked very distinguished in it. And somebody please make sure Sunny doesn’t bite Dr. Montgomery. That wouldn’t be a very good first impression.’”

Mr. Poe’s inability to notice the strange snake-shaped hedges foreshadows his general inability to recognize danger or Count Olaf’s lurking presence throughout the series. He is more focused on criticizing the children’s behavior, which illustrates how he always fails to take them seriously or to see their traits for what they are: strengths that help them survive. His criticisms also highlight the vulnerability of children, as Mr. Poe urges them to behave more like adults or, at the least, to be nothing more than pleasant and silent.

“Violet, Klaus, and Sunny gazed at the Reptile Room and envisioned an end to their troubles as they lived their lives under Uncle Monty’s care. They were wrong, of course, about their misery being over, but for the moment the three siblings were hopeful, excited, and happy.”

Lemony Snicket is an external narrator who is telling the story after the fact. He already knows what happens, and he continually gives the reader spoilers. Rather than undermining the suspense, however, these spoilers often enhance the suspense and form an important part of the voice of the narrator, who is also a sort of character, and the tone of the series.

“I promise that if you take time to learn the facts, no harm will come to you here in the Reptile Room.”

Uncle Monty tells the children several times that his occupation as a herpetologist is not dangerous because he is informed enough to safely handle all snakes and reptiles. Lemony Snicket explains the concept of dramatic irony immediately after. What he leaves out is that, but what is implied through foreshadowing and the events of the previous book, is that although all literal snakes are safe to Uncle Monty, the metaphorical “snake” of Count Olaf/Stephano is unsafe. Because Uncle Monty fails to “take the time to learn the facts” about him, he lets a murderer into his house.

“After the fire, I thought I would never be happy again. But our time here has been wonderful […] I think we’ll always miss our parents. But I think we can miss them without being miserable all the time. After all, they wouldn’t want us to be miserable.”

Although the text is wrought with comic relief, absurd scenarios, and bizarre plot points, it also delves into genuine feelings on the part of the Baudelaires, who have been through a tremendous amount of loss, grief, and trauma, especially for children so young. Despite the string of “unfortunate events” that plague them throughout the series, the children also have moments like this one where they discover that they are still able to enjoy life and trust new people despite the tragedies from their past and the knowledge that their futures probably hold even more tragedies. This reflection illustrates the children’s resilience and their strong sibling bond, which becomes stronger the more trials they endure together.

“One of the most difficult things to think about in life is one’s regrets. Something will happen to you, and you will do the wrong thing, and for years afterward you will wish you had done something different […].

For years after this moment in the lives of the Baudelaire orphans, Klaus thought of the time when he and his siblings realized that Stephano was actually Count Olaf, and was filled with regret that he didn’t call out to the driver of the taxicab who was beginning to drive back down the driveway. Stop! Klaus would think to himself, even though it was too late to do anything about it. Stop! Take this man away! Of course, it is perfectly understandable that Klaus and his sisters were too surprised to act so quickly, but Klaus would lie awake in bed, years later, thinking that maybe, just maybe, if he had acted in time, he could have saved Uncle Monty’s life.

But he didn’t.”

Lemony Snicket often interrupts his own story to different effects, one of which is to explicitly comment on, and clarify, the morals and themes of the story and how these might connect to the reader’s own life. In this instance, the explanation of Klaus’s regret illustrates that this moment is the “point of no return”—the reader knows that, if the children wanted to get rid of Count Olaf before he does any damage, now would have been the time, but the opportunity is missed. However, Lemony Snicket also explains this failure in a way that lets readers understand that it’s not Klaus’s fault, nor is it their own fault, if they are ever too shocked in a traumatic moment to know what to do immediately. This explanation could serve in part as an acknowledgment of survivors of traumatic events who may blame themselves for not speaking up or running away when they had the chance. It may also serve as another of Snicket’s subtle lessons, prompting young readers to recognize such important moments for action in their own lives.

“‘What we have to tell you,’ Violet began, but she stopped when something caught her eye […] Violet saw Stephano stop at the snake-shaped hedges, reach into his coat pocket, and take out the long knife. Its blade caught the light of the setting sun and it glowed brightly, like a lighthouse. As you probably know, lighthouses serve as warning signals, telling ships where the shore is so they don’t run into it. The shining knife was a warning, too.”

This passage complicates the symbolism of snakes and the snake-shaped hedges: At first, they seemed sinister, and then they seemed inviting due to their association with Uncle Monty and his explanation that snakes aren’t necessarily dangerous. Now, once again, they become sinister, albeit due to their association with Count Olaf. This moment again foreshadows that Count Olaf is the metaphorical “snake” that Monty should fear, unlike the literal snakes in his house. Lemony Snicket explains the symbolism of lighthouses, how they are warnings that illuminate the danger, just like the glinting knife. This explanation calls attention to symbolism in general too, leaving room for the reader to gather meaning from the other symbols at work in the novel.

“For the first time, having individual bedrooms seemed like a hardship rather than a luxury, for without one another’s company the orphans felt even more lonely and helpless.”

The first part of this quote highlights how much the Baudelaires appreciate Uncle Monty and everything he has given them, including physical comforts but also love and companionship. The second part of the quote illustrates how being together provides the children with some measure of comfort. Taken together, the quotation hints at the tragedy to come and the importance of their teamwork for surviving the aftermath.

“‘He’s not in the Herpetological Society,’ Klaus said impatiently, ‘he’s Count Olaf!’

‘I know just what you mean!’ Uncle Monty said excitedly. ‘This sort of behavior is indeed as dastardly as that terrible man’s.’”

The children love Uncle Monty because of his kindness, intelligence, quirkiness, and generosity. However, he is excessively talkative and easily distracted, leading him to make the same fatal mistake that Mr. Poe often makes: He fails to recognize that the children have something important to say, dismissing them. This dismissal from adults generally occurs because the Baudelaires are children, and society expects them to yield to adults. This refusal of adults to listen highlights The Vulnerability of Children: Even among loved ones, they are marginalized and subjugated. This failure to acknowledge warnings from children is also a common trope in gothic and horror literature, with adults tending to assume that the children are either lying or being overly imaginative. The outcome is usually the monster, or in this case, the “bad guy,” killing someone who could have been spared otherwise.

“As fervently as the Baudelaire orphans wished their circumstances were different, I wish that I could somehow change the circumstances of this story for you. Even as I sit here, safe as can be and so very far away from Count Olaf, I can scarcely bear to write another word. Perhaps it would be best if you shut this book right now and never read the rest of this horrifying story. You can imagine, if you wish, that an hour later, the Baudelaire orphans suddenly figured out what Stephano was up to.”

Lemony Snicket’s interruptions of his own story often take on a metafictional effect, reminding the reader that this is a book. Paradoxically, though, the interruptions simultaneously make the story seem more “real,” such as here, when Snicket voices his grief about being unable to change upcoming events. His interruptions also serve as subtle dares to readers to continue, even while posed as warnings to stop.

“Even though the dark room felt mysterious and strange, it was a comforting mystery, and a safe strangeness. They remembered Uncle Monty’s promise: that if they took the time to learn the facts, no harm would come to them here in the Reptile Room. However, you and I remember that Uncle Monty’s promise was laden with dramatic irony, and now, here in the early-morning gloom of the Reptile Room, that irony was going to come to fruition, a phrase which here means ‘the Baudelaires were finally to learn of it.’”

Throughout the text, Lemony Snicket inserts lessons on vocabulary and figurative language. In addition to playing into the theme of The Difference Between Perception and Reality, as complex words are not allowed to sneak by without their meaning being revealed, the interruptions also provide comic relief. This particular quotation ensures as well that the dramatic irony pays off by reminding the reader of when its seeds were planted.

“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things. The Baudelaire orphans were crying not only for their Uncle Monty, but for their own parents, and this dark and curious feeling of falling that accompanies any great loss.”

Here, Lemony Snicket helps the reader process the Baudelaires’ grief. He points out that grief is always unfamiliar territory every time someone dies, even though we know that death is inevitable. He also acknowledges with the final observation that experiencing “great loss” never becomes easier. This passage is representative of the more serious side of this series, which portrays death as part of life in a frank and empathetic way.

“The pant leg went up, like a curtain rising to begin a play. But there was no tattoo of an eye to be seen. The Baudelaire orphans stared at a patch of smooth skin, as blank and pale as poor Uncle Monty’s face.”

Count Olaf’s ability to disguise his tattoo highlights The Difference Between Perception and Reality. The simile comparing the pant leg to a theater curtain symbolizes how this man truly is Count Olaf acting in a role, merely playing Stephano. The narrator also says that there is “no tattoo to be seen,” rather than saying there is “no tattoo,” which illustrates how not being able to see something isn’t the same as it not being there. The simile comparing Count Olaf’s skin to Uncle Monty’s skin foreshadows that Count Olaf was Monty’s true killer.

“Even though Dr. Lucafont had removed Uncle Monty’s body, the Reptile Room was not as inviting as it used to be, and probably never would be. What happens in a certain place can stain your feelings for that location, just as ink can stain a white sheet. You can wash it, and wash it, and still never forget what has transpired, a word which here means ‘happened and made everybody sad.’”

Lemony Snicket uses the metaphor of ink on a white sheet to describe how traumatic events can alter a person’s perception through the power of memory. Although Uncle Monty’s body has been removed, the Baudelaires now associate the Reptile Room with the shocking moment they found him dead, which is an experience they cannot remove. The concept of a location having been “stained” by past tragedy is common in gothic fiction. It also complicates the theme of The Difference Between Perception and Reality, showing how reality can alter perception just as much as perception can mask reality.

“‘We have work to do […] that Mr. Poe should be doing, but as usual, he is well intentioned but of no real help.’ Klaus and Sunny sighed as she spoke out loud a sentiment all three siblings had never said, but always felt, since Mr. Poe had taken over their affairs.”

This quote reveals an uncomfortable truth that the Baudelaires nonetheless have to learn to accept: Someone being well-intentioned doesn’t necessarily mean they can help. Accepting this idea now, though it’s painful and awkward, will save them a lot of time and disappointment in the future. However, to replace their former strategy of placing faith in kind people who don’t follow through, Violet comes up with something more effective. She reasons that they need to speak to the adults in their own language, which requires “evidence” and “proof” rather than just dramatic statements.

“When you were very small, perhaps someone read to you the insipid story […] of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ […] whoever read you the story probably told you that the moral was not to lie. This is an absurd moral, for you and I both know that sometimes not only is it good to lie, it is necessary to lie. For example, it was perfectly appropriate, after Violet left the Reptile Room, for Sunny to crawl over to the cage that held the Incredibly Deadly Viper, unlatch the cage, and begin screaming as loudly as she could even though nothing was really wrong.”

The theme of The Vulnerability of Children is especially relevant here. Throughout the series, the adult characters tend to treat the children as children, failing to afford them respect and trust when the children need it most. Yet Lemony Snicket insists on speaking to the young readers as if they are adults, and the series itself addresses topics traditionally absent from children’s books, such as threats of violence and actual murder. Snicket warns readers against doing certain things the Baudelaires do; for example, he only condones Violet playing with electricity because she’s extremely knowledgeable and careful about it. However, he also explicitly condones lying in certain cases, like here, when it’s being used to ensure the children’s survival and expose a murderer.

“‘Aha!’ Sunny cried again, pointing at Stephano. The Incredibly Deadly Viper blinked its green eyes triumphantly.

Mr. Poe looked at Klaus, puzzled. ‘What does your sister mean by ‘Aha’?’ he asked.

Klaus sighed. He felt, sometimes, as if he had spent half his life explaining things to Mr. Poe. ‘By ‘Aha,’’ he said, ‘she means ‘One minute Stephano claims he knows nothing about snakes, the next he claims he is an expert! By ‘Aha’ she means ‘Stephano has been lying to us.’ By ‘Aha’ she means ‘We’ve finally exposed his dishonesty.’ By ‘Aha’ she means ‘Aha’!’”

Normally when Sunny speaks, it’s not in traditional words, but in baby talk, and Lemony Snicket then translates what she probably meant into English. This moment is one of the few times when Sunny says a real word, yet Mr. Poe still can’t understand what she means. His confusion illustrates the extent to which Mr. Poe is oblivious, perceives the children as too young to be truly useful, and resists any new information that contradicts his previous perception of reality.

“Violet […] looked at all her evidence very carefully, concentrating on each item as if they were small parts out of which she was going to make a machine. And in a way, they were. Violet Baudelaire needed to arrange these pieces of evidence to defeat Stephano’s evil plan and bring justice and peace into the lives of the Baudelaire orphans for the first time since their parents perished in a terrible fire. Violet gazed at each piece of evidence, thinking very hard, and before too long, her face lit up the way it always did when all the pieces of something were fit together properly and the machine worked just the way it should.”

In this moment, Violet unlocks a new level of resourcefulness. Prior to this, her strength has always been her ability to invent, fix, or create tools and machines, an ability that she has used to ensure the children’s survival in the past. Here, she is faced with a different challenge besides building a machine, but she’s able to think of the challenge in these familiar terms—as a machine—in order to apply her same skill set and conquer it.

“‘How did you do that?’ Mr. Poe asked. ‘Nice girls shouldn’t know how to do such things.’

‘My sister is a nice girl,’ Klaus said, ‘and she knows how to do all sorts of things.’”

Mr. Poe occasionally has some antiquated sexism to contribute to the situation, usually targeted at Violet. When they first arrived and he fussed at each child over their behavior, his qualm with Violet was that her hair ribbon had looked lovely, yet she had removed it. In fact, Violet removed her ribbon because she uses it only when she’s concentrating on an invention or task; it is actually a symbol of her strength, which in children, Mr. Poe usually fails to see. Here, he again prioritizes Violet’s “ladylike” qualities, considering her cleverness to be inappropriate even though that is what has saved the orphans’ lives countless times. After Klaus sticks up for his sister, Mr. Poe allows the children to continue, suggesting that he respects Klaus more than Violet even though Klaus is less polite and interrupts more, which Mr. Poe hates.

“At first, nothing appeared to happen, but then, like a sun shining through the clouds at the end of a terrible rainstorm, the faint outline of an eye began to appear. Clearer and clearer it grew until it was as dark as it had been when the orphans first saw it, back when they had lived with Count Olaf.

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny all stared at the eye, and the eye stared back. For the first time in their lives, the Baudelaire orphans were happy to see it.”

Count Olaf’s eye tattoo generally symbolizes how he is always “watching” the children and has a creepy ability to find them no matter where they go. As such, it usually stirs up fearful and unpleasant feelings in the children. However, here, the eye takes on a different meaning, revealing the truth of Count Olaf’s identity in a rare and triumphant moment of union between perception and reality.

“If this were a book written to entertain small children, you would know what would happen next. With the villain’s identity and evil plans exposed, the police would arrive on the scene and place him in a jail for the rest of his life, and the plucky youngsters would go out for pizza and live happily ever after. But this book is about the Baudelaire orphans, and you and I know that these three unfortunate children living happily ever after is about as likely as Uncle Monty returning to life. But it seemed to the Baudelaire orphans, as the tattoo became evident, that at least a little bit of Uncle Monty had come back to them as they proved Count Olaf’s treachery once and for all.”

Lemony Snicket’s statement here refers again to the theme of The Vulnerability of Children. Throughout the series, even the best adult characters dismiss the children’s warnings and pleas for help. In this series, despite the balance of power being in the adults’ favor, it is the children who behave with maturity, skill, and logic while the adults bicker and fall prey to Count Olaf. It may seem like a contradictory strategy for an author to warn readers against reading their own book, even on the back cover, but in this series, the persistent warnings actually create intrigue and comic relief.

“‘A grown man,’ Mr. Poe said sternly, ‘does not get involved in a car chase. This is a job for the police. I’ll go call them now, and maybe they can set up roadblocks.’”

This passage highlights The Vulnerability of Children. The Baudelaire children are prepared to take action themselves, eager to apprehend Count Olaf and end his plans once and for all. Mr. Poe, however, shows no such gumption. His decision to call the police is ironic; he just said car chases are not for adults, but police are adults. Mr. Poe’s strategy is also the most childlike because he is passing the task off to someone else, who will “maybe” be able to do something about it, rather than taking action himself.

“[B]rilliant […] meant ‘having a reputation for cleverness or intelligence.’ But when the children used the word—and when they thought of it now, staring at the Reptile Room glowing in the moonlight—it meant more than that. It meant that even in the bleak circumstances of their current situation, even throughout the series of unfortunate events that would happen to them for the rest of their lives, Uncle Monty and his kindness would shine in their memories. Uncle Monty was brilliant, and their time with him was brilliant. Bruce and his men from the Herpetological Society could dismantle Uncle Monty’s collection, but nobody could ever dismantle the way the Baudelaires would think of him.”

In this vocabulary lesson, Lemony Snicket provides multiple definitions for the word “brilliant” to show the reader how words can have different meanings depending on context. Snicket also explains the common symbolism of “light” to mean knowledge, hope, and joy. Even in the midst of this “series of unfortunate events,” the children are able to recognize and appreciate goodness.

“‘You’re brilliant,’ Violet murmured to Klaus, ‘reading up on the Mamba du Mal.’

‘You’re brilliant,’ Klaus murmured back, ‘getting the evidence out of Stephano’s suitcase.’

‘Brilliant!’ Sunny said again, and Violet and Klaus gave their baby sister a hug. Even the youngest Baudelaire was brilliant, for distracting the adults with the Incredibly Deadly Viper.”

During the resolution stage of the plot, the children hash out each other’s strengths and how each one contributed to their survival this time around. These conversations are important because they prepare the children for future challenges where they will need to use their skills in resourceful ways to survive once more. This moment also marks the culmination of the theme The Importance of Teamwork.