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Should Wizard Hit Mommy, By- John Updike, Introduction to the lesson, Here is a story about the worldview of a little child, and the difficult moral question she raises during the story session with her father., The story revolves around Jack who is a father to two kids — Joanne (Jo) and Bobby. His wife Clare is carrying their third child. Jack had a habit of telling his daughter, Jo a story every evening and on Saturday afternoon naps. This time when he was telling her a story, she interrupts him and asks him questions whenever she feels that things that are being told are not right. So jack now finds himself in a fix and doesn’t know how to resolve Jo’s questions. Parents feel that children should do or think exactly what they are told. They should believe whatever they are told by their parents. But is this the right attitude. This moral question is raised by the story and left for the reader to decide what should be done., About the Author, John Hoyer Updike (March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009) was an American novelist, poet, short-story writer, art critic, and literary critic. One of only three writers to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction more than once. Updike published more than twenty novels, more than a dozen short-story collections, as well as poetry, art and literary criticism and children’s books during his career., Moral/ Message of the lesson – Should Wizard Hit Mommy?, The story ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy’ addresses important moral issues. It deals with the idea that parents know what is best for their children because parents love their children the most. One should not look for instant solutions to the problems in life, one should wait patiently for acceptance from friends. Acceptance or the lack of it from friends should not mean that you change the way Nature has intended you to be., John Updike addresses common issues found in most families. Children have their own identity and views. Parents find it difficult to accept the fact that their children have individual identities and don’t appreciate their point of view. Both children and parents need to learn to be inclusive and appreciate diversity and creativity. They should not impose ideas on each other and build a culture of mutual respect, and tolerance., Should Wizard Hit Mommy Summary, The story starts with the daily routine that Jack had been following for two years with his daughter, Jo. His daughter was two years old when the tradition started and today she was 4 years old. The tradition was that Jack would tell Jo a story out of his mind everyday in the evening before going to bed and also on every Saturday afternoon during her nap time. Noe the issue was that it had been so long that he had been telling her stories that he did not have any good ideas for stories left with him. Even Jo didn’t sleep during the story sessions anymore. So everyday when he used to tell her a story, the basic plot of the story used to be same – revolving around Roger, an animal who used to change everyday. Roger used to have a problem and he would approach the wise owl for help, who would send him to the wizard. The wizard would solve Roger’s problem but ask for more pennies than Roger had and would also give him a solution to go fetch the pennies from a specific place. Then Roger would go to that place, fetch the pennies and would happily go back and play with his friends. After playing happily with his friends, Roger would go back home before it got dark, to wait for his father who would be on his way back from Boston. Then Jack would describe what all Roger and his family had for dinner and then end the story., On this specific Saturday afternoon nap, Jack asked Jo that about which creature did she want to hear a story, to which she replies a “Skunk”. So Jack started the story with Roger skunk who was a very stinky animal. None of his friends liked to play with him. One day he went to the wise owl and shared his problem. The wise owl then told him to go visit the wizard. Then the skunk went to the wizard and shared his problem. The wizard then helped him to solve his problem and asked him how he wanted to smell. To this, Roger skunk replied that he wanted to smell like roses did. With the wizard’s magic, he started smelling like roses. Then he did not have enough pennies to pay to the wizard, so wizard told him to go to the magic well, turn around three times and he would find three pennies there which he could fetch and give to the wizard. The skunk did exactly what was told and got the wizard his pennies. Later, he went out and all the other animals gathered around him as he was smelling very good but when he went home, his mother did not like the smell and asked who had made him smell like that. Roger skunk told the whole story to his mom and his mother said that she liked his smell earlier and he smelled the way a little skunk was supposed to smell. So then the skunk told his mom that the other animals ran away from him because of the foul smell but his mom said that she didn’t care. She took him right back to the wizard and as soon as the wizard opened the door, she gave him one on blow his head with her umbrella and the wizard changed the skunk’s smell and he smelled foul again. While going back, the skunk heard the train coming. His father was coming on that train. They had dinner together. When the skunk was about to sleep, his mother came to him and told him that she loved him the way he was and there was no need to change. The story ended there. Then Jo asked her father whether the animals ran away from the skunk after that to which he replied “no”. All of them had now got used to the way he smelled. Jo did not like the way skunk‘s mother forced him and made him smell foul again. She wanted that her father should tell her another story the next day in which the wizard hits mommy back and refuses to change the skunk’s smell back. Then Jack told her that he would see and the main point of the story was that the skunk loved his mother more than any other animal in the woods and that mommy knew what was right for him. He then told her to sleep as her baby brother was also sleeping. He then closed the door and went downstairs., His wife was painting the chair rail. He heard some footsteps above and then scolded Jo. The footsteps fainted.Then Clare asked him that it was a long story and to that he replied “the poor kid”. Then he watched his wife do the painting and working but was very tired to help her. Also, he thought that their marriage was not in a good state and also that there was no solution to it. He also said that he didn’t feel like talking to her nor touching her., Allegorical representation, 1.owl-wise counsel, 2. parents-authority, 3. smell of roses-conforming to society, 4. Skunk smell–individuality, 5. pennies-effort to modify, Lesson and explanation, In the evenings and for Saturday naps like today’s, Jack told his daughter Jo a story out of his head. This custom, begun when she was two, was itself now nearly two years old, and his head felt empty. Each new story was a slight variation of a basic tale: a small creature, usually named Roger (Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk), had some problem and went with it to the wise old owl. The owl told him to go to the wizard, and the wizard performed a magic spell that solved the problem, demanding in payment a number of pennies greater than the number that Roger Creature had, but in the same breath directing the animal to a place where the extra pennies could be found. Then Roger was so happy he played many games with other creatures, and went home to his mother just in time to hear the train whistle that brought his daddy home from Boston., Word meanings, Nap- a short sleep, especially during the day., Custom: tradition, trend, Wizard- a man who has magical powers., Magic Spell- a form of words used as a magical charm ., Pennies- a small sum of money., Explanation - Every evening and on Saturday afternoon naps, Jack used to tell his daughter a bedtime story. This habit started when Jo was 2 years old and now that Jo was 4 years old, Jack did not have any creative ideas for stories. Most of the stories that he used to tell Jo revolved around the same plot concerning an animal named Roger. In every story Roger used to be a different animal with some kind of a problem. Then Roger would go to this wise owl to take help who would in turn tell him to go to the wizard. Then Roger would take his problem to the wizard who would help him in exchange for some pennies (money) mostly a bit more than what Roger had with him. After helping him, the wizard would ask him to go to a certain place to fetch some more pennies and Roger would do exactly like that. Then after paying the wizard, Roger would go back and all the other animals would start playing with him. He would be very happy and later, he would return home just in time to wait for his father who would be returning from Boston by train., Jack described their supper, and the story was over. Working his way through this scheme was especially fatiguing on Saturday, because Jo never fell asleep in naps any more, and knowing this made the rite seem futile. The little girl (not so little any more; the bumps her feet made under the covers were halfway down the bed, their big double bed that they let her be in for naps and when she was sick) had at last arranged herself, and from the way her fat face deep in the pillow shone in the sunlight sifting through the drawn shades, it did not seem fantastic that some magic would occur, and she would take her nap like an infant of two. Her brother, Bobby, was two, and already asleep with his bottle. Jack asked, “Who shall the story be about today?” “Roger…” Jo squeezed her eyes shut and smiled to be thinking she was thinking. Her eyes opened, her mother’s blue. “Skunk,” she said firmly. A new animal; they must talk about skunks at nursery school. Having a fresh hero momentarily stirred Jack to creative enthusiasm., Word meanings, Supper- an evening meal, typically a light or informal one., Fatiguing- cause (someone) to feel exhausted., Rite- a social custom, practice, or conventional act., Futile- pointless., Shone- past participle of shine., Skunk- A small cat sized animal., Stirred- move or cause to move slightly., Explanation - Jack had now started getting tired of this daily routine because he had run out of ideas for the stories. Also, Jo didn’t sleep listening to the story anymore. He had started feeling that the practise was just a waste of time and there was no point doing it. He also noticed that Jo had started growing big and that her legs now stretched halfway down the bed when she snuggled in for her story. With all the light coming in from the window over her face that was deep in the pillow, Jack knew that she won’t be sleeping soon. Bobby, her baby brother who was two years old was already sleeping with his bottle in his mouth. When Jack asked Jo that who should the story be about that day, she thought for a while and replied that she wanted it to be of a skunk. Jack then thought that she must have heard about this animal in nursery school and also got enthusiastic as he had a new hero for his story., “All right,” he said. “Once upon a time, in the deep dark woods, there was a tiny little creature by the name of Roger Skunk. And he smelled very bad.”, “Yes,” Jo said. “He smelled so bad that none of the other little woodland creatures would play with him.” Jo looked at him solemnly; she hadn’t foreseen this. “Whenever he would go out to play,” Jack continued with zest, remembering certain humiliations of his own childhood, “all of the other tiny animals would cry, “Uh-oh, here comes Roger Stinky Skunk,” and they would run away, and Roger Skunk would stand there all alone, and two little round tears would fall from his eyes.“ The corners of Jo’s mouth drooped down and her lower lip bent forward as he traced with a forefinger along the side of her nose the course of one of Roger Skunk’s tears. “Won’t he see the owl?” she asked in a high and faintly roughened voice. Sitting on the bed beside her, Jack felt the covers tug as her legs switched tensely. He was pleased with this moment — he was telling her something true, something she must know — and had no wish to hurry on., Word meanings, Woodland- land covered with trees., Solemnly- with deep sincerity., Foreseen- be aware of beforehand, Zest- great enthusiasm and energy., Humiliation- make (someone) feel ashamed and foolish by injuring their dignity and pride., Stinky- having a strong or unpleasant smell., Tensely- unable to relax because of nervousness, anxiety, or stimulation., Explanation - Then Jack started the story. The story started with the Roger skunk living in the forest. Jack said that Roger smelled bad. None of the other animals in the forest liked to play with him. All the other animals would start running away whenever he would go out to play. At this moment Jack was recollecting about certain humiliations that he had faced during his childhood, for being foul smelling. Then Jo asked whether Roger would see the wise owl. Jack was sitting beside her and noticed that Jo was getting anxious with the story and felt pleased with it. He did not want to hurry and wanted to make the story more intense as he wanted to convey a message through it., But downstairs a chair scraped, and he realised he must get down to help Clare paint the living-room woodwork. “Well, he walked along very sadly and came to a very big tree, and in the tiptop of the tree was an enormous wise old owl.” “Good.” “Mr Owl,” Roger Skunk said, “all the other little animals run away from me because I smell so bad.” “So you do,” the owl said. “Very, very bad.” “What can I do?” Roger Skunk said, and he cried very hard. “The wizard, the wizard,” Jo shouted, and sat right up, and a Little Golden Book spilled from the bed. “Now, Jo. Daddy’s telling the story. Do you want to tell Daddy the story?” “No. You me.” “Then lie down and be sleepy.” Her head relapsed onto the pillow and she said, “Out of your head.” “Well. The owl thought and thought. At last he said, “Why don’t you go see the wizard?” “Daddy?” “What?” “Are magic spells real?” This was a new phase, just this last month, a reality phase. When he told her spiders eat bugs, she turned to her mother and asked, “Do they really?” and when Clare told her God was in the sky and all around them, she turned to her father and insisted, with a sly yet eager smile, “Is He really?” “They’re real in stories,” Jack answered curtly. She had made him miss a beat in the narrative. “The owl said, “Go through the dark woods, under the apple trees, into the swamp, over the crick —” “What’s a crick?” A little river. “Over the crick, and there will be the wizard’s house.” And that’s the way Roger Skunk went, and pretty soon he came to a little white house, and he rapped on the door.“, Word meanings, Scraped- drag or pull a hard or sharp implement, Enormous- very large in size, Eager- keenly expectant or interested.., Narrative- a story., Swamp- an area of low-lying, uncultivated ground where water collects; a bog or marsh., Crick- A small river., Rapped- strike (a hard surface) with a series of rapid audible blows, especially in order to attract attention., Relapsed- return to a less active or a worse state., Curtly- rudely brief in speech or abrupt in manner, Explanation - Suddenly Jack heard a voice downstairs – of a chair being pulled and realized that he must go down to help his wife paint the living room but had to continue with the story as Jo had not slept yet. So Jack continued that Roger Skunk was sad and as he walked, he came across a tree where he saw the wise owl. The skunk then shared his problem with the wise owl and the owl started thinking of how he could help the little skunk. Then Jo shouted enthusiastically that the wise owl would ask him to go to the wizard as she had known about the basic plot of the stories her dad used to tell her. Jack got a bit irritated and scolded her and asked her if she wanted to tell the story by herself. Jo denied and Jack asked her to lie down peacefully and continue listening to the story. Jo told Jack to tell the story out of his head. Then Jack continued with the the story that the owl told Roger to go see the wizard for his problem. Then Jo interrupted him and asked if the magic spells that the wizards used were real. When Jo asked this question, Jack realized that Jo was coming into the reality phase and had started asking questions about the things her parents used to tell her. He noticed that she no longer believed her parents blindly and was curious about everything that was told to her. Jo repeated her question to which Jack replied that the spells were real in stories. He continued with his story that the skunk went through the way the wise owl had asked him to go and reached a white house and knocked on the door., Jack rapped on the window sill, and under the covers Jo’s tall figure clenched in an infantile thrill. “And then a tiny little old man came out, with a long white beard and a pointed blue hat, and said, “Eh? Whatzis? Whatcher want? You smell awful.” The wizard’s voice was one of Jack’s own favourite effects; he did it by scrunching up his face and somehow whining through his eyes, which felt for the interval rheumy. He felt being an old man suited him. “I know it,” Roger Skunk said, “and all the little animals run away from me. The enormous wise owl said you could help me.” “Eh? Well, maybe. Come on in. Don’t get too close.” Now, inside, Jo, there were all these magic things, all jumbled together in a big dusty heap, because the wizard did not have any cleaning lady.“ “Why?” “Why? Because he was a wizard, and a very old man.” “Will he die?” “No. Wizards don’t die. Well, he rummaged around and found an old stick called a magic wand and asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to smell like. Roger thought and thought and said, “Roses.” “Yes. Good,” Jo said smugly. Jack fixed her with a trance like gaze and chanted in the wizard’s elderly irritable voice: “Abracadabry, hocus-poo, Roger Skunk, how do you do, Roses, boses, pull an ear, Roger Skunk, you never fear: Bingo!”, Word meanings, Sill- a shelf or slab of stone, wood, or metal at the foot of a window opening or doorway., Clenched- closed into a tight ball., Infantile- childish., Scrunching- make a loud crunching noise., Whining- the making of a long, high-pitched cry or sound., Rheumy- watery, Jumbled- mix up in a confused or untidy way, Heap- objects placed haphazardly on top of each other, Rummaged- search unsystematically and untidily through something., Smugly- in a way that shows excessive satisfaction or pride in oneself., Trance- a half-conscious state, Gaze- look steadily and intently, Chanted- say or shout repeatedly in a sing-song tone., Explanation - To make the sound effect of how the skunk knocked the door, Jack knocked on the window sill and Jo was thrilled. Jack continued that the old man with a long white beard and a blue pointed hat came out. Then Jack made his favourite sound effect and continued that the wizard asked Roger what he wanted and that he had a very bad body odour. Then to this Roger replied that he knew that he smelled bad and told him that all the other animals ran away from him. He also told the wizard that the wise owl had told him that he could help him. Then the old man replied that maybe he could and asked Roger skunk to follow him inside and not to get too close. Then Jack describes how the house of the wizard was really dirty from inside because he did not have a cleaning lady to which Jo asked that why was it so. He then replied that because he was a very old man and also a wizard, he did not require any cleaning lady. Then Jo again interrupted and asked that would the wizard die to which again Jack replied that wizards never die. Then the wizard started looking out for something and took out an old stick called the magic wand. He asked Roger what he wanted to smell like and he replied that he wished to smell like roses. Jo was happy about the fact that he wanted to smell like a rose. Then Jack said the magical words in the voice of a wizard., He paused as a rapt expression widened out from his daughter’s nostrils, forcing her eyebrows up and her lower lip down in a wide noiseless grin, an expression in which Jack was startled to recognise his wife feigning pleasure at cocktail parties. “And all of a sudden,” he whispered, “the whole inside of the wizard’s house was full of the smell of — roses! ‘Roses!’ Roger Fish cried. And the wizard said, very cranky, “That‘ll be seven pennies.” “Daddy.” “What?” “Roger Skunk. You said Roger Fish.” “Yes. Skunk.” “You said Roger Fish. Wasn’t that silly?” “Very silly of your stupid old daddy. Where was I? Well, you know about the pennies.” “Say it.” “O.K. Roger Skunk said, ‘But all I have is four pennies,’ and he began to cry.” Jo made the crying face again, but this time without a trace of sincerity. This annoyed Jack. Downstairs some more furniture rumbled. Clare shouldn’t move heavy things; she was six months pregnant. It would be their third. “So the wizard said, ‘Oh, very well. Go to the end of the lane and turn around three times and look down the magic well and there you will find three pennies. Hurry up.’ So Roger Skunk went to the end of the lane and turned around three times and there in the magic well were three pennies! So he took them back to the wizard and was very happy and ran out into the woods and all the other little animals gathered around him because he smelled so good. And they played tag, baseball, football, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, soccer, and pick-up-sticks.” “WWha's pick-up-sticks?” “It’s a game you play with sticks.” “Like the wizard’s magic wand?” “Kind of. And they played games and laughed all afternoon and then it began to get dark and they all ran home to their mommies.”, Word meanings, Rapt- completely fascinated or absorbed by what one is seeing or hearing., Nostrils- either of two external openings of the nose., Grin- smile broadly., Cranky- bad-tempered; irritable., Rumbled- make a continuous deep sound., Explanation - Then he relates the face that his daughter made to that of his wife. She made such a face when she pretended to be enjoying a cocktail party. Then he continues that the whole house of the wizard was filled with the fragrance of roses. By mistake, he changed the animal to fish. Jo corrected him and he said that it was really silly on his part to call him a fish in place of skunk. Just then Jack got a bit annoyed with Jo‘s expression and suddenly he heard some furniture rumbling downstairs. He realized that Clare shouldn’t be moving heavy things as she was 6 months‘ pregnant and they were going to have their third baby. Then the wizard tells Roger to go to end of the lane and turn around 3 times and when he would look in the magic well, he would find 3 more pennies. Then Roger did exactly how he was told and got the extra pennies. He then gave the pennies to the wizard and ran back to the woods where everybody gathered around him because he smelt so good. Then they all played a lot of games and enjoyed themselves. As it was getting dark, all the animals ran back to their mommies., Jo was starting to fuss with her hands and look out of the window, at the crack of day that showed under the shade. She thought the story was all over. Jack ddid't like women when they took anything for granted; he liked them apprehensive, hanging on his words. “Now, Jo, are you listening?” “Yes.” “Because this is very interesting. Roger Skunk’s mommy said, ‘What’s that awful smell?‘ “Wha-at?” “And, Roger Skunk said, ‘It’s me, Mommy. I smell like roses.‘ And she said, ‘Who made you smell like that?’ And he said, ‘The wizard,’ and she said, ‘Well, of all the nerve. You come with me and we’re going right back to that very awful wizard.” Jo sat up, her hands dabbling in the air with genuine fright. “But Daddy, then he said about the other little animals run away!” Her hands skittered off, into the underbrush. “All right. He said, ‘But Mommy, all the other little animals run away,’ and she said, ‘I don’t care. You smelled the way a little skunk should have and I‘m going to take you right back to that wizard,’ and she took an umbrella and went back with Roger Skunk and hit that wizard right over the head.” “No,” Jo said, and put her hand out to touch his lips, yet even in her agitation did not quite dare to stop the source of truth. Inspiration came to her. “Then the wizard hit her on the head and did not change that little skunk back.” “No,” he said. “The wizard said ‘O.K.’ and Roger Skunk did not smell of roses any more. He smelled very bad again.” “But the other little amum — oh! — amum — ” “Joanne. It’s Daddy’s story. Shall Daddy not tell you any more stories?” Her broad face looked at him through sifted light, astounded., Word meanings, Fuss- to show excessive excitement, Apprehensive- fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen., Awful- very bad or unpleasant., Fright- a sudden intense feeling of fear., Skittered- move lightly and quickly, Underbrush- shrubs and small trees, Agitation- anxiety or nervous excitement., Astounded- shock or greatly surprise., Explanation – Jo had started getting bored with the story and was more interested in looking out of the window. She thought that the story was over. On the other hand, Jack did not like women who would take things for granted. He liked women who remained engrossed in his talks. Then he again continued the story asking Jo to be a little attentive to what he said. The mommie skunk asked that from where was that awful smell coming from to which Roger replied that it was him. He added that he smelt like roses. Mommie skunk asked Roger that who had made him smell like that to which he replied that the wizard had done so. The mommie skunk got angry and ordered Roger to accompany her to the wizard. Roger told his mom that all his friends ran away from him if he smelled bad to which his mom replied that she didn’t care and that he smelled just the way a baby skunk should smell. His mom took out her umbrella and they went to the wizard’s house where when the wizard opened the door and the mommie skunk hit him on his head. Then Jo started imagining her own story about how the wizard would have hit the mommie skunk back and never changed Roger Skunk back. Her father told her that nothing of that sort happened and the wizard changed Roger Skunk back to normal and he did not smell of roses anymore. Another question was about to pop up in little JJ's mind but Jack stopped her and told her that it was his story and if she wanted him to tell her anymore stories, then she should keep quiet. Jo kept on looking at her father with great surprise as she waited for the story to be continued., “This is what happened, then. Roger .Skunk and his mommy went home and they heard Woo-oo, woooo-oo and it was the choo-choo train bringing Daddy Skunk home from Boston. And they had lima beans, celery, liver, mashed potatoes, and Pie-Oh-My for dessert. And when Roger Skunk was in bed Mommy Skunk came up and hugged him and said he smelled like her little baby skunk again and she loved him very much. And that‘s the end of the story.” “But Daddy.” “What?” “Then did the other little animals run away?” “No, because eventually they got used to the way he was and did not mind it at all.”, Word meanings, Lima Beans- an edible flat whitish bean., Celery- a cultivated plant of the parsley family, Eventually- in the end, finally, Explanation – After some time when Roger skunk and his mum were going back home, they heard a Woo-ooo, Woo-oo sound as his father arrived back from Boston. Then all of them had lima beans,celery, liver and mashed potatoes for dinner and Pie-Oh-My for desert. Later that night when Roger Skunk was sleeping, Mom skunk came back. She hugged him and told him that he smelled again like her baby skunk and that she loved him a lot. With this Jack ended the story to which Jo again asked that did the other animals run away from Roger skunk again and Jack replied ‘no’ because they slowly got accustomed to the smell so they did not feel like running away anymore., “What‘s evenshiladee?” “In a little while.” “That was a stupid mommy.” “It was not,” he said with rare emphasis, and believed, from her expression, that she realised he was defending his own mother to her, or something as odd. “Now I want you to put your big heavy head in the pillow and have a good long nap.” He adjusted the shade so not even a crack of day showed, and tiptoed to the door, in the pretense that she was already asleep. But when he turned, she was crouching on top of the covers and staring at him. “Hey. Get under the covers and fall faaast asleep. Bobby’s asleep.” She stood up and bounced gingerly on the springs. “Daddy.” “What?” “Tomorrow, I want you to tell me the story that that wizard took that magic wand and hit that mommy” — her plump arms chopped forcefully — “right over the head.” “No. That’s not the story. The point is that the little skunk loved his mommy more than he loved all the other little animals and she knew what was right.” “No. Tomorrow you say he hit that mommy., Word meanings, Rare- not occurring very often., Emphasis- special value given to something., Tiptoed- walk quietly, Pretense- an attempt to make something that is false, to appear true., Gingerly- in a careful or cautious manner., Explanation – When Jack said that eventually everybody started liking Roger skunk, Jo did not understand the word eventually as she had heard it for the first time. So she asked what‘s ‘Evenshiladee’ to which Jack told her the meaning. But Jo thought that what Mommie skunk did was not right and said that what the mother skunk did was stupid but Jack took it personally and said ‘no’ because somewhere he was relating it to himself and defending his own mother. Then Jack told Jo that he wanted her to take a long day nap and adjusted the shades so that no light came in. He then went very softly to the door and acted as if Jo had slept but when he turned and looked, she was staring at him and sitting on top of the covers. Then he told her to go to sleep as she was also disturbing her brother who was sleeping.Then she stood up and started bouncing softly on the springs. While Jumping on the springs of the bed she asked her father to tell her a story the next day – that the wizard took her magic stick and hit the mommy and chopped her plump arms. Then Jack explained to her that this was not what the story said. He told her that the story gave us a message that the skunk loved his mother more than any of the other animals in the woods and that his mother knew what was right for him and what was not. Then as he was explaining Jo about the story, she started insisting that the next day he would have to tell her a story like the one she wanted., Do it.“ She kicked her legs up and sat down on the bed with a great heave and complaint of springs, as she had done hundreds of times before, except that this time she did not laugh. “Say it, Daddy.” “Well, we‘ll see. Now at least have a rest. Stay on the bed. You’re a good girl.” He closed the door and went downstairs. Clare had spread the newspapers and opened the paint can and, wearing an old shirt of his on top of her maternity smock, was stroking the chair rail with a dipped brush. Above him footsteps vibrated and he called, “Joanne! Shall I come up there and spank you?” The footsteps hesitated. “That was a long story,” Clare said. “The poor kid,” he answered, and with utter weariness watched his wife labour. The woodwork, a cage of moldings and rails and baseboards all around them, was half old tan and half new ivory and he felt caught in an ugly middle position, and though he as well felt his wife’s presence in the cage with him, he did not want to speak with her, work with her, touch her, anything., Word meanings, Heave- produce a sigh., Stroking- move one‘s hand with gentle pressure, Spank- slap with one‘s open hand, Weariness- extreme tiredness, Explanation – Then she started throwing tantrums as she had done many times earlier but this time she was not laughing or joking. She was being a bit stubborn. Then Jack told her to be patient and sleep and that he would see to it the next day. He then asked her to stay on the bed and closed the door. He then went downstairs and saw his wife painting the walls. She had opened the paint can, spread the newspapers and was wearing an old shirt of his over her maternity dress. She was painting the chair rail. Suddenly, he again heard footsteps above and shouted that did Joanne want a beating. The sound of the footsteps started vanishing. Then Jack’s wife told him that it was a long story that he was telling Jo and to that he replied “The poor kid” and as he was feeling very tired, he just sat and watched his wife do all the work. Then he started looking at the woodwork around him and started relating it to his life. He was looking at it and thinking that although both of them (Jack and Clare) were caught in a cage like situation in their marriage, there was no solution to it. Neither did he want to talk to her nor speak or touch her., QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED, Q1.Who is Jo? How does she respond to her father’s story-telling?, Ans. Jo is the shortened form of Joanne. She is the four year old daughter of Jack and Clare. For the last two years, her father, Jack, has been telling her bed-time stories. Since these stories are woven around the same basic tale and have the same characters and turn of events, Jo takes so many things for granted and takes active interest in the story-telling session. The protagonist (main character) is always named Roger. It may be Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk or Roger Skunk. The other characters are the huge, wise, old owl and the thin small wizard. The creatures of the forest—small animals—also take part in playing with Roger and liking/disliking him., Q2. What possible plot line could the story continue with?, Ans. Jack told the story of Roger Skunk—an animal which emitted a foul smell and how the wizard changed his smell to that of roses at his request. The other little creatures, who earlier hated Roger Skunk, now gathered around him because he smelled so good. They played various games of children till dark and then went to their homes happily.Jo thought that the story was all over. Jack continued the story. When Roger Skunk returned home, his mother felt angry at the unusual smell he had acquired. She called it an awful smell and asked who had made him smell like that. She took her umbrella and went to the wizard with Roger Skunk. She hit the wizard right ‘wer the head. The wizard agreed to change his smell back. She wanted that a skunk should smell the way a little skunk should have. It should behave naturally and normally and not roaxn ahout in acquired smell or artificial manners. After a while the other small creatures got used to bhe typical smell of the skunk—the foul odour—and did not run away., Q3.What do you think was Jo’s problem?, Ans. Little Jo had been accustomed to the happy ending of the stories of Roger, where the wizard was helpful to him in fulfilling his wish. At the request of Roger Skunk, the wizard had changed his awful smell to that of the roses. Other small animals liked it and played with Roger Skunk happily. She could not digest the ending of the extended story where Roger Skone's mother hit the wizard on the head and forced him to change Skunk’s smell to the earlier foul one.Jo could not accept Skunk’s mother’s stubbornness e.g. hitting the wellwisher of her son, Roger Skunk. Jo insisted that her father should tell her the same story again the next day with changed ending. The wizard should hit that unreasonable mommy on the head and leave Roger Skunk emitting the pleasant smell of roses. In the beautiful world of a child’s imagination, fairies and wizard’s are more real than reality itself. She could not digest the harsh realities of life. She did not like the rude mother who hit the benefactor of her own son., READING WITH INSIGHT, Q1. What is the moral issue that the story raises?, Ans.The story raises a moral issue—should parents always decide what the children should do or let the children do what they like to do. There is an evident contrast between an adult’s perspective on life and the world view of a little child.Jack, the father, defends the behaviour of Roger Skunk’s mother who forced the old wizard to restore the natural but offensive smell to Roger Skunk. He sums up the issue in one sentence: ‘She knew what was right’. As to why the little skunk agreed to her mother’s proposal, Jack says that the little skunk loved his mommy more than he loved all the other little animals. Jack cites an instance. When Roger Skunk was in bed, Mommy Skunk came up, hugged him and said he smelled like her little baby Skunk again and she loved him very much., Little Jo, the spokesperson of children, does not agree with her father’s view. She feels that the Skunk’s mother should not have robbed the pleasure of her little son and deprived him of the pleasant smell of the roses. She insisted that the wizard hit that mommy on the head and did not change that little skunk back. She calls the little skunk/s mother “a stupid mommy”. She realised that her father was defending his own mother to her, or something odd., Jo stuck to her view point. She insisted that her father should tell her the story the next day in a different manner. It was the wizard that took the magic wand and hit that mommy., Q2. How does Jo want the story to end and why?, Ans. Jack ends the story in a way that seems unusual to Jo. In her dream world, the wizard is a miracle worker. She can’t digest the statement that the little skunk’s mother hit the wizard right on his head with her umbrella and he agreed to do what she desired. Roger Skunk did not smell of roses any more. He smelled very bad again., Jo did not want the story to end this way. She had in mind, the pleasure of all the little animals. She says, “But daddy, then he said about the other little animals run away!” Her father admits it. He agrees that Roger Skunk told his mother, “But Mommy, all the other animals run away!” -The mother does not bother about them. She says bluntly, “I don’t care. You smelled the way a little skunk should have.”, Jo can’t, digest the ending that the mother hit the wizard right over the head and he made Roger Skunk smell very bad again. She suggested to her father to end the story in another fnanner—“The wizard hit her on the head and did not change that little skunk back.” She “” wanted that stupid mommy to be punished and insisted repeatedly on the changed ending next night till her father agreed to consider it, saying, “Well, we’ll see.”, Q3. Why does Jack insist that it was the wizard that was hit and not the mother?, Ans. Jack has the typical parental attitude. He is of the opinion that the parents know what is best for their children. He asserts the parental authority time and again to quieten Jo and stifle her objections and amendments to the story of the foul smelling Skunk related by him., He defends the attitude of Roger Skunk’s mother. She does not approve of the unnatural, unskunk like smell that Roger has. She calls the sweet smell of the roses an awful smell. Earlier the little skunk smelled the way a little skunk should. She wants the natural characteristic—the foul smell—restored. He says that she knew what was right. Secondly, the little skunk loved his mommy more than he loved all the other animals. That is why, he took his mommy to the wizard. She hit the wizard and forced him to change the smell of roses to his earlier bad odour, He insisted on this ending to emphasize the concern of the parents for children and their role in bringing them up on proper lines. ., Q4. What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position?, Ans. Jack feels that he has been caught in an ugly middle position physically, emotionally as well as mentally. The woodwork, a cage of mouldings and rails and skirting boards all around them was half old tan and half new ivory., He was conscious of his duties as a father and as a husband. Little Bobby was already asleep. His efforts to make Jo fall asleep proved quite fatiguing. She kept on interrupting him, asking for clarifications, pointing errors and suggesting alternatives., Jack did not like that women should take anything for granted. He liked them to be apprehensive. So, he extended the story,though he was in a haste to go down stairs and help his pregnant wife in her hard work of painting the woodwork. The result of the extension to the story proved unfruitful and unpleasant for Jo, Jack and Clare. Jo wanted him to change the ending of the story. Clare complained that he had told a long story. Jack felt utter weariness and did not want to speak with his wife or work with her or touch her. He was really caught in an ugly middle position., Q5. What is your stance regarding the two endings to the Roger Skunk story?, Ans. Of the two endings to the Roger Skunk story, I approve of the mature and realistic one narrated by Jack that the mother skunk hit the wizard on the head and forced him to restore the original smell to the skunk., Every species of animals has its special features. She wanted Roger Skunk to smell the ‘ way a little skunk should have. It should not carry the deceptive and borrowed smell of the roses. Roger Skunk is agreed to go with her because he loved his mommy more than he loved all the other little animals. She knew what was right., The mother’s point was proved right. When the wizard restored the original foul smell to Roger Skunk, the other little animals got used to the way he was and did not mind it at all., Of course, it took them sometime. Jack did not agree with Joanne’s remark that she was a ‘stupid’ mother. On the other hand, we find her a caring and‘Joving mother. When Roger Skunk was in bed, mommy skunk embraced him and said he smelled like her little baby skunk again and she loved him very much. Thus, Jack’s version brings out the mother’s love, care and concern for her little baby., Q6. Why is an adult’s perspective on life different from that of a child’s?, Ans. An adult’s perspective on life is different from that of a child’s because of the difference between their respective experiences and exposure to the world around them. An adult comes across all sorts of experiences—good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, happy or sad, encouraging or discouraging. The child lives a sheltered life under the protection and love of his parents. In their rosy dream world of fairies and wizards, nothing good is impossible for their favourite characters.Their adoration of these characters is nothing short of hero-worship. The world of make-believe makes the children lovers of romance, beauty and all things pleasant in nature. These characters and their super feats, which appear so real in stories, may not be real at all in real life. The adults who are familiar with harsh realities of life know that all that glitters is not gold. Everything is not honey. They accept things critically— with a pinch of salt. Children usually lack this quality., EXTRA QUESTIONS, SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS, Q1.What custom did Jack follow in the evenings and for Saturday naps?, Ans. Jack would tell his four year old daughter Joanne (or Jo) a story out of his head in the evenings and for Saturday naps. This custom had begun when she was two and now it was nearly two years old., Q2. What was the basic tale underlying each story that Jack told?, Ans. A small creature named Roger had some problem. He would go to the wise owl who told him to go to the wizard. The wizard performed a magic spell. It solved Roger’s problem. He demanded more pennies than Roger had. Then he directed Roger to the place where extra money could be found. Roger felt happy and played many games with other creatines. He then went home. His daddy arrived from Boston. They had supper. The story wound up with the description of the items of their supper., Q3. How was the custom of story telling especially fatiguing on Saturdays?, Ans. Jo was growing up. She never fell asleep in naps any more. Her brother, Bobby, who was two was already asleep with the bottle. But Jo would not take her nap like an infant. The bumps her feet made under the covers were hallway down the bed. Her fat face deep in the pillow shone in the sunlight. The custom seemed futile and especially fatiguing on Saturdays., Q4. Which animal did Jo suggest for the story that day? What do you know about this new animal?, Ans. Jo suggested ‘skunk’ for the story that day. It was a new animal for her. They must be talking about it at nursery school. A skunk or a pole-cat is a small black and white North American animal. It can produce a strong unpleasant smell to defend itself when it is attacked., Q5. Why did Roger Skunk go to see the old owl?, Ans. Due to foul body odour of Skunk, other animals were not interested in playing with him. But he wanted to play with friends. So, Roger Skunk went to the wise owl to get rid of the foul smell., Q6. How did Jo and Jack react as the new animal was mentioned?, Ans. Jo squeezed her eye&Shut and smiled to be thinking that she was thinking. She opened her blue eyes and said firmly, “Skunk”. Having a fresh hero momentarily stirred Jack to creative enthusiasm. He started telling the story of Roger Skunk that smelled so bad that none of the other little woodland creatures would play with him., Q7. How did Jack imagine the reaction of Roger Skunk on being universally detested ?, Ans. Whenever Roger Skunk went out to play, all of the other tiny animals would cry: “Uh-oh, here comes Roger Stinky Skunk”. Then they would run away. Roger Skunk would stand there all alone. Two little round tears would fall from his eyes. Jack would relate all this with zest, remembering certain humiliations of his own childhood., Q8. How do you think, did Jo identify with Roger Skunk, the victim of the hatred of other creatures?, Ans. Jo seemed to share the pleasure and pain of the hero of the stray—Roger. So complete was her identification that the mention of tears in Roger’s eyes brought tears in her eyes. Her mouth drooped down and her lower lip bent forward. Jack’s finger traced the course of a tear along the side of her nose., Q9.Which two opposite forces acted on Jack while he was telling Jo a story about the little skunk?, Ans. Jack was happy that he was telling Jo something true, something she must know. He had no wish to hurry on. But just then, a chair scraped downstairs. He realised that he must get down to help his wife, Clare to paint the woodwork in the living room. Thus, the interests of daughter and wife pulled him in different directions like two opposite forces., Q10.“This was a new phase, just this last month, a reality phase.” What do you learn about Jo’s reality phase? How did her parents try to convince her?, Ans. Jo would ask if the magic spells were real. When Jack told her that spiders ate bugs, she would turn to her mother and ask if that was really so. When Clare told her God was in the sky and all around them, she would turn to her father to know the reality. Jack tried to convince her by saying? “They’re real in stories.”, Q11. “He felt being an old man suited him.” How would Jack play the old wizard?, Ans. The wizard’s voice was one of Jack’s own favourite effects. He did it by scrunching up his face and somehow whining through his eyes. During this brief period of time his eyes would become full of watery secretions. He would say, ‘Eh? Whatzis? Whatcher want? You smell awful.’, Q12. How was the Skunk’s story different from the other stories narrated by Jack?, Ans. The stories told by Jack were well taken by Jo. But the ending of the Skunk’s story did not satisfy her. She believed that the wizard should have hit back Skunk’s mommy and Skunk would have kept smelling like roses., Q13. How did Jack make the role of the wizard more impressive?, Ans. Jack fixed Jo with the trance like gaze. Then he chanted a magic spell in the wizard’s elderly irritable voice. The chanting was rhythmical and had sweet rhymes. The exclamation “Bingo!” confirmed the pleasure, the pleasure of the wizard at having done what he had been trying to do. All of a sudden, the whole inside of the wizard’s house was full of the smell of roses., Q14. How did Jo react to Jack’s chanting of the magic spell ?, Ans. Jack chanted the magic spell as the wizard would do. When he paused, he noticed a rapt expression widening out from his daughter’s nostrils. She forced her eyebrows up and her lower lip down in a wide noiseless grin. This expression reminded Jack of his wife’s expression while feigning pleasure at cocktail parties., Q15. “Very silly of your stupid old daddy,” says Jack. Why, do you think, did Jack say so?, Ans. While narrating the story of Roger Skunk, Jack by chance said Roger Fish. Jo was quick to interrupt him and point out the error. She repeated twice that he had said Roger Fish and asked if that wasn’t silly. Jack had to admit that it had been very silly of him., Q16. What action of Jo annoyed Jack? What do you think disturbed him?, Ans. Roger Skunk began to cry as he had only four pennies. Jo made the crying face again, but this time without a trace of sincerity. This annoyed Jack. Some more furniture rumbled down stairs. Jack thought that Clare shouldn’t move heavy things. He was worried because she was six months pregnant. It would be their third child., Q17. Which two factors made Jack continue the story?, Ans. Roger Skunk had returned home at dark after playing happily with the other little animals. Jo did not fall asleep. She was starting to fuss with her hands and look out of the window. She thought the story was over. Jack did not like women when they took anything for granted. He liked them to be worried. So he continued the story., Q18. Why was Roger Skunk’s mommy angry? What did she finally tell him?, Ans. She was angry because Roger Skunk had an unusual smell of roses. She called it awful and asked Roger who made him smell like that. When he said, “The wizard”, she ordered him to come with her and they were going right back to that very awful wizard. She seemed to be very angry with the wizard., Q19. Why, do you think, did Roger Skunk’s mommy insist on taking him to the wizard at once?, Ans. Roger Skunk’s mommy wanted young skunk to smell the way a little skunk should. She did not want him to acquire the artificial and uncharacteristic smell of the roses. The foul smell was a tool for him to keep the enemy away. That is why she hit the wizard right over the head and he agreed to restore the original ‘foul’ smell., Q20. How did Jo want the wizard to behave when mommy skunk approached him?, Ans. Jo had a deep regard for the wizard. He had magical powers and could do anything. She did not agree with her father’s version. She said that the wizard hit her (Roger Skunk’s mommy) on the head and did not change that little skunk back. She did not want that the other little animals should hate him again for his awful smell., Q21. Why does Jo insist that her father should tell her the story with a different ending—where the wizard hit that mommy?, Ans. Jo was not convinced that the little animals eventually got used to the way the little skunk was and did not mind it all. It was just the opposite of what her father had said at the beginning. (The other tiny creatures called him Stinky Skunk and would run away, leaving Roger alone to shed tears.) Later, when the wizard made the skunk smell like roses, the other little animals gathered around him and played with him till dark. Hence Jo wanted the wizard to punish the stupid mommy., LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS, Q1. Why did Jack conduct the ‘story-session’ and what story did he tell? How did he ensure active participation of the listener in the development of the story?, Ans. Jack started telling bed-time stories to his two-year-old daughter Jo (Joanne) two ye&fs ago. Now she was four-year-old and had recently entered the reality phase. Jack would tell her stories in the evenings or for Saturdays naps., Each new story was a slight variation of a basic tale. The central character was a small creature named Roger. He could be Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk or Roger Skunk. Roger had some problem and went for help to the wise, old owl. The owl would tell him to go to the wizard. The wizard would perform a magical spell that solved the problem. He would demand more pennies than Roger had. He would direct unhappy Roger to the place where extra pennies could be found. Roger would then feel happy and play games with other small creatures till dark. Then he went home to his mommy. His daddy arrived from Boston and they had their supper. The story would end with the description of the items of supper., Since the plot of the story and the actions and reactions of the various characters remained the same, both Jo and Jack would enact typical scenes. Thus, Jo felt involved in the story., Q2. What problem did Roger Skunk have? How was it solved?, Ans.Roger Skunk smelled very bad—in fact so bad that none of the other little woodland creatures would play with him. Whenever Roger Skunk went out to play, all the other tiny animals would cry: ‘Uh-oh, here comes Roger Stinky Skunk.’ Then they would run away. Roger Skunk would stand there all alone. Two little round tears would fall from his eyes. Roger Skunk walked along very sadly and came to a very big tree. There was a huge, wise, old owl on the topmost branch of the tree. He told the owl that all the other little animals ran away from him because he smelled very bad. The owl admitted that he did so. Skunk wanted to know what he could do and cried hard. The owl advised Roger Skunk to go to the wizard who lived in the dense forest over a little river. The wizard too observed that the Skunk smelled awful. He asked what he wanted. Roger Skunk told his problem. The wizard found his magic wand and asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to smell like. Roger thought and said, “Roses”. The wizard chanted a magical spell. There was a smell of roses all around the wizard’s house. Roger Skunk now smelled like that of roses, Q3. Why, do you think, was Roger Skunk’s mommy angry ? Does her anger seem justified? What did she decide to do?, Ans. Roger Skunk’s mommy was angry because he had lost his God-given smell. He no longer emitted the foul smell he was bom with. On the other hand, he had an awful and unusually sweet smell of roses. She wanted her young one to smell the way a young skunk should. This smell was God-given protection against danger. The predator could be kept at bay., The newly acquired smell of roses, howsoever pleasant and sweet smelling could endanger the skunk’s life by attracting the predators to the tiny skunk. She wanted to know who had done so. She felt very angry at the wizard. Her anger is justified because by his simple act he had put the life of the young skunk in danger. No mother can act peacefully or rationally when there is some danger to her young one. Hence, she at once decided to go to the wizard with Roger Skunk so that his foul smell might be restored and his life might be free from dangers., Q4. Comment on the ending of the story ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy’?, Ans. The story does not end with the wizard being hit by the mother. Joanne, who believes the fictional characters to be real, wants her papa to tell the story that the wizard hit the stupid mommy. Instead of having a nap, she kicks her legs up and sits down on the bed. Jack advises her to have a rest., When he went downstairs, he found that his wife, Clare had spread the newspapers and opened the paint can. She was wearing an old shirt of his on top of her maternity smock. She was stroking the chair rail with a dipped brush. He heard footsteps moving overhead and scolded Joanne., Jack watched his wife labour. He had come there to help her, but the story-session had filled him with utter weariness. Clare remarked that it was a long stoiy. Jack uttered only three words: ‘The poor kid’. He felt caught in an ugly middle position. Though he felt the presence of his wife there, he did not wish to speak to her, touch her or work with her. It leaves us baffled. We begin to ponder over human relationships. Thus, the ending is thought provoking., Q5. Why, do you think, the title has a question mark? How far do you find it a convincing and appropriate title?, Ans. The question mark in the title ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy?’ focuses the reader’s attention on the two well-wishers of the main character—Roger Skunk. The wizard solves Roger Skunk’s problem of bad smell and gives him the smell of roses at his request. The skunk’s mother is angry, because her baby has been deprived of the bad odour which a skunk of his age should emit. This bad odour is a sort of armoura protection against predators who are kept away by the dirty smell. The mother skunk hits the wizard on the head and forces him to restore the foul smell to the skunk., Jo, the four-year-old girl, for whom the wizard is a real do-gooder, can’t digest his humiliation at the hands of a stupid mother. From her point of view, the smell of roses make skunk popular among the other little animals., The story can take either direction and ending depending on the point of view of the adult or child. The author very cunningly seeks the reaction of his readers by putting a ques¬tion mark at the end of the title. One may approve of it or reject it. Thus, the title is quite convincing and appropriate one., Q6. Write the character sketch of Jack., Ans. Jack is the protagonist of the story ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy?’ The story examines the issue of parenting, the adult tendency to quell the questioning mind of a child and the belief that the viewpoint of the adult is the only valid one., Jack is conscious of his duties as a father and a husband. He has been telling stories to his daughter Jo since she was two years old, for her Saturday and evening naps, but now two and a half years later he is fatigued and confused by her constant questioning, pointing errors (Roger fish instead of skunk), asking for clarifications and suggesting alternatives. He has the typical parental attitude and opinion that parents know what is best for their children and stifles her objections and amendments shown by his defending the skunk’s mother and indirectly his own., Jack feels caught in an ugly middle position physically, emotionally and mentally. He did not like women to take anything for granted, to the extent that he extends the story and changes the ending, giving it the face that he wants to. This despite the fact that he knows that he should be helping his pregnant wife paint the woodwork. Jack is someone who is not used to his authority being questioned and so is confused by Jo’s questioning. Though a loving parent he finds it hard to accept the fact that Jo now has a mind of her own. His insensitivity and impatience comes across in his dealings with his daughter, and the fact that as the viewpoint is biased by personal experiences, Q7. The same situation can be viewed through two different perspectives. How does ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy?’ establish this point through the views of Jack and Jo?, Ans. The same situation can be viewed through two different perspectives. This is evident through the story of Roger Skunk. In the story, Roger Skunk had a very bad smell and was ridiculed and rejected by his peer group. He went to the wizard who changed his bad smell into the pleasant smell of roses. Consequently, he is appreciated and accepted by all the creatures. But his mother was annoyed and went to the wizard, hit him on Roger’s head and got Roger’s original smell restored. From the viewpoint of Jo, this was not the appropriate ending as mommy cannot be so cruel to humiliate her own child. So she wanted mommy to be punished. But from Jack’s viewpoint, parents are always right and keeping one’s originality is very significant. Thus, the story emphasises the point that the same situation can be analysed through two different angles.