In "Midnight's Children," Salman Rushdie explores the complexities of India's transition from colonialism to independence, symbolizing it through elements like snakes and ladders. The phrase "For every snake, there is a ladder; for every ladder, a snake" captures the duality of life, highlighting that with every rise in fortune, there comes a potential for downfall, and vice versa. This reflects the unpredictability of destiny and the interplay of success and failure.

Rushdie uses the personal stories of the characters intertwined with historical events to illustrate the challenges and opportunities that emerged during this period. The metaphor not only emphasizes the randomness of life but also serves as a reminder that progress often involves navigating through obstacles, much like climbing ladders while being wary of the snakes that threaten to pull one down.