Chapter :5
Should
Wizard Hit Mommy John Updike
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SUMMARY
This story is about the perspective of the child and the
difficult moral question she raises during the story session with her father.
Jack, the father would tell Jo, the daughter a story in the
evenings and for Saturday naps. It began when she was two and has been going
on for two years so now his head felt empty. Each story would be a slight
variation of the old story. The first name of the protagonist in all the
stories would be Roger with a change in the second name. He would have some
problem and he would go to the wise old owl who would suggest him to go to
the wizard. The problem would be solved by the wizard who would ask pennies
more than the Roger creature had and in the same breath would suggest him
where the extra pennies could be found. Roger creature would find the
pennies, hand them to the wizard, play with his friends and return home. Then
father would return from Boston and there would be description of supper.
Now as Jo was four, she didn’t sleep easily. Father asked
her about the new story and she suggested of Roger Skunk. Father
enthusiastically narrated that Roger Skunk smelt so badly that no creature
played with him. As soon as he would go out to play, the other creatures
would run away from him calling him ‘stinky skunk’ and he would start crying.
He went to the wise old owl who suggested him to go to the wizard. He was
given the smell of roses by the wizard in exchange of seven pennies. But
Roger Skunk had only four pennies. He got the rest of pennies in a well as
directed by the wizard. But when he returned home, his mother was angry with
him. She took him to the wizard and hitting hard on his head with an umbrella
asked him to change back his smell. Thus Roger Skunk started smelling bad
again.
But Jo didn’t like this ending. She wanted Roger Skunk to
smell like roses so that the other creatures should play with him. But Jack
said that the mother was right and so he won’t change the ending. When he
came down, he felt himself tired and caught in an ugly middle position.
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Theme
The
story tells us that one should not run after what others possess rather one
should be contented with what one has. The other important point that it makes
is one should abide by the decisions taken by their parents until and unless
one is able and mature enough to take decision for oneself.
Setting
The
story is set in a forest and Jack’s home. A city named Boston has also been
mentioned.
Characters
1. Jack : He
is the father of Jo. He tells her a story every night and even for Saturday naps.
2. Joanne : She is Jack’s
four year lod daughter. She is quite curious and participates
in the story telling activity.
3. Bobby
: He
is Jo’s two year old brother.
4. Clare : She
is Jack’s wife. She is pregnant and working hard on furniture.
5. Roger
Skunk :It is the main character in
the story within the story.
Main Points
1. In
the evenings and for Saturday naps Jack told Jo a story.
2. In
all his stories there would be a character named Roger with a different second
name.
3. In
all the stories the Roger creature would have some problem. He would go the
wise old owl with the problem. The owl would suggest himto go to the wizard who
would solve the problem and would demand more pennies than the Roger creature
would actually have.
4. Now
Jo has grown up and doesn’t fall asleep for naps.
5. Jack
asks her who shall be the story about.
6. Jo
gives him a new character, Roger Skunk.
7. With
an all new character, Jack started the story.
8. Once
upon a time there lived a character named Roger Skunk in the deep dark woods.
He smelled very bad so none of the other woodland creatures played with him.
9. Jack
remembered his own humiliations while narrating the humiliations of Roger
Skunk.
10. Jo
would interfere and participate in the story telling as she knew what would
happen next.
11. The
Skunk went to the wise old owl who directed him to the wizard.
12. But
at that point Jo interfered and asked, “Are magic spells real?” This was a new
phase in Jo’s life. She had started asking questions and even cross examining
her parents.
13. The
Skunk moved through the dark woods under the apple trees, into the swamp, over
the crick and there was the wizard’s house.
14. The
wizard came out and he was annoyed by the smell.
15. The
Skunk told him about the problem.
16. The
wizard asked what kind of smell he would like to have and chanting a magical
mantra changed his smell into roses’ smell.
17. The
wizard asked seven pennies for this but the Skunk had only four pennies.
18. The
wizard himself told him where the extra pennies could be found.
19. The
Skunk gave him the pennies, returned to woods and played with his friends.
20. Jo
thought the story was going to end and she started fussing with her hands.
21. Jack
didn’t like this, when women took anything for granted. He wanted them always
apprehensive, hanging on his words.
22. He
brought a twist in the story. Roger Skunk’s mother took that smell to be
an awful one.
23. This
brought Jo’s attention back into the story. She complained about the other
animals running away from him.
24. Father
included her concern as well in the story. But Roger Skunk’s mother took him
back to the wizard and hit him on his head with her umbrella.
25. The
wizard changed the Skunk’s smell to the bad one again.
26. Jo
couldn’t accept this. She wanted the wizard to take revenge and hit the mother
back.
27. But
Jack didn’t change it.
28. Jo’s
chief concern was still the same. She asked about the other animals.
29. Jack
said that the other animals got used to his smell and they didn’t mind it
later.
30. But
Jo was not satisfied. She wanted her father to change the ending but Jack was
also adamant.
31. Finally,
Jack left the room asking her to sleep.
32. Downstairs,
he found everything littered about and he himself in an ugly middle position,
not willing to speak to Clare, work with her, touch her, anything.
GLOSSARY
Fatiguing - Tiring, Exhausting
Solemnly - Seriously, Sedately
Stinky - Ill-smelling, Malodorous
Humiliations - Insult, Dishonour
Spilled - Drop, Topple
Relapsed - Slip back, Fall back
Sly - Crafty, Cunning
Crick - Small river, Stream
Rapped - Tapped, Knocked
Scrunching - Crushing, Crumpling
Whining - To utter a high-pitched sound of pain
or complaint
Rummage - Search, Hunt
Smugly - Offensive satisfaction
Cranky - Peevish, Irritable
Apprehensive - Doubtful, Suspicious
Dabbling - Move in a frivolous way
Skittered - To move rapidly, Scuttle
Astounded - Astonished, Surprised
Spank - Beat, Whack
SHORT ANSWER TYPE
QUESTIONS
1. For
how long Jack had been telling stories to Jo?
Ans: Jack had been telling stories to Jo for 2 years. It started
when she was 2 years old. He would tell her a story every evening and for
Saturday naps.
2. Which part of the story did Jack identify himself with?
Ans: When Jack narrated the insults faced by
Roger Skunk that how the other creatures would run
away from him calling him ‘stinky skunk’, he remembered certain humiliations of
his own life. Jack identified himself with this part of the story.
3. Which route did Skunk follow to reach the wizard?
Ans: He went through the dark woods, under the
apple trees, into the swamp and over the crick to reach the wizard’s house.
4. Why did the mother make the wizard change Skunk’s smell?
Ans: The mother made the wizard change its smell
because a Skunk’s identity is its smell. A Skunk can no longer be a skunk
without its smell. The mother wanted the skunk to realize the importance of his
identity.
5. “This was a new phase, just this last month” What was the
new phase?
Ans: Jo had grown up a bit and would ask
questions to satisfy her curiosity. She would even cross examine her parents to
be sure what they said was right or not.
6. What is the moral issue that the story raises?
Ans: The story tells us that one should be
contented with what one has instead of craving for what others have. It also
tells us that until and unless children are mature enough to take decision for
themselves, they should abide by what their parents decide for them.
7. How does Jo want the story to end and why?
Ans: Jo wanted that the wizard should hit the
mommy back and should not change Skunk’s smell. She thought that the other
animals would not play with him because of the bad smell and she wanted a happy
ending to the story.
8. Why does Jack insist that it was the wizard that was hit and
not the mother?
Ans: Jack wanted to prove that mother’s decision
was right. She loved her son and the decision was only for the welfare of
Skunk. Jack wanted to give her a message that what is natural is not
disgraceful and one should not give up one’s individuality.
9. What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position?
Ans: Jack was unable to put Jo to sleep. He
couldn’t even satisfy her and was also unable to help his wife. When he came
down, among the jumble of all the things, with the tiredness overpowering him,
he felt himself caught in an ugly middle position.
10. Why
is an adult’s perspective on life different from that of a child’s?
Ans: An adult and a child’s perspective can never be the same. An
adult knows the world but a child doesn’t. The experience of life gives a broad
vision to the adults but the children lack this.They are unaware of the dark
side of life and so unable to take into account the negative possibilities.
LONG ANSWER TYPE
QUESTIONS
1. What was the commonality in all the stories of Jack?
Ans: All the protagonists of Jack’s stories would
have the same first name, Roger. He would have
some problem and he would go to the wise old owl with the problem. The owl
would suggest him to go to the wizard. The problem was solved by the wizard but
in turn he would demand pennies more than what the Roger creature had and in
the same breath would suggest where the extra pennies could be found. The Roger
creature would give the pennies to the wizard and would return and play with
the other creatures. Then his father would return from Boston in a train. This
would be followed by the description of supper. All these factors were used
commonly by Jack in all his stories.
2. What is your stance regarding the two endings to the Roger
Skunk story?
Ans: The ending given by Jack is more appropriate
because it has a message and a universal appeal. It tells us that every
individual is singular in his/her own way. What is natural is not disgraceful.
One should not crave for what others have rather one should be contented with
what one has and try to hone that quality. Just as in “Should Wizard Mommy?”
Roger Skunk’s mother taught him by changing his smell back to his original
smell.
As far as the second ending is concerned, it was simply the
fancy of a child brain. She was an immature child. She couldn’t foresee its
far-reaching effects. She only thought about the happiness of Roger Skunk but
she was unable to understand that it would be just a momentary happiness. Her
baby-brain was unable to understand how a bad smell can be good.
PREVIOUS YEARS' QUESTIONS
(2018) At the end of the story telling session
why does Jack consider himself caught in an ugly middle position? [6
Marks]
(2017) What was the basic plot of each story
told by Jack? [2
Marks]
(2016) How did Jack end Roger Skunk story? How
and why did Jo want to end it? [2 Marks]
(2015) How does Jo want the story to end? Why? [ 2 Marks]
(2014) Both Derry and Lamb are physically
impaired and lonely. It is the responsibility of the society to understand and
support people with infirmities so that they do not suffer from a sense of
alienation. As a responsible citizen write in about 100 words what you would do
to bring about a change in the lives of such people? [6 Marks]
(2014) Why did Roger Skunk go to see the old
owl? Why? [2
Marks]
(2013) Why does Jo insist that
her father should tell her the story with a different ending?[2 Marks]
(2012) How did the Wizard help
Roger Skunk? [2
Marks]
(2009) How did the wizard always
help Roger? [2
Marks]
(2008) How
does Jo want the story to end and why?
[2
Marks]
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