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Should Wizard Hit Mommy?, (By: John Updike), , Introduction :, , ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy? is an ordinary American story. The, writer examines the issues of parenting and the flaws that by, accident creep in. The adult tendency is to quell the inquisitive mind, of a child; and is to represent the only valid viewpoint., , Summary:, , Jack tells his daughter Jo, a four-year old girl, a story every evening, to make her sleep. Each new story was a slight variation of a basic, tale. Today he tells her a story of a stinky Skunk. His name was, Roger Skunk., , He smelled so bad that none of the other little creatures of the, forest would play with him. He went to a wise old ow! with his, problem. The owl sent him to a wizard. He used his magic spell and, changed his very bad smell to that of the roses. Roger Skunk was, very happy and ran out into the forest. All the other little animals, gathered around him because he smelled so good. They all played, a number of games, when it was evening, they all ran home to their, mommies., , When Roger Skunk went home, his mommy said, "What's that, awful smell?” Roger Skunk said. "It's me, Mommy, | smell like, roses." She asked who made him smell like that. He said, "The, wizard.”, , She along with Roger Skunk went to that wizard. She hit her, umbrella on the head of the wizard and demanded to change the, rose-smell to that original smell. The wizard compiled the, instructions. Roger Skunk did not smell of roses any more. He, smelled very bad again., , Daddy Skunk returned home from Boston. They had their supper., When Roger Skunk was in bed, Mommy Skunk came up and, hugged him and said he smelied like her little baby skunk again., ‘She loved him very much. And that's the end of the story., , Jo wanted another end of the story- "Then the wizard hit Mommy on, the head and did not change that little skunk back." She insisted, that her Daddy, , should tell the story with this end. But he asked her to sleep and he, went downstairs to help his wife Clare in painting the articles, including a cage. Jo came running down the stairs. Then Jack felt, caught in an ugly middle position., , The woodwork, a cage and baseboards were all around there. He, also felt him along with wife caught in the cage. He did not want to, speak with her, work with her, touch her, anything.

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Reading with Insight, , (Page 55), , 4 What is the moral issue that the story raises?, Ans The moral issue that the story raises is whether, , 2, or, , Ans, , parents are the best judge of what is good for their, , child or not. A sharp contrast is displayed in the story, , about the child’s viewpoint and an adult’s perspective, , of life. In the story, the child Jo felt that the happiness, , of being able to make friends is more than anything, , else and so she wanted the story to end with Roger, Skunk smelling of roses., , On the other hand, her father ended the story by, saying that the mother was right in getting Roger's, smell back to its original state, implying to his, daughter that parents know what is best for their, children. He also advocates that children should, respect their parents’ opinions and obey them, unquestioningly. Jack also narrated that all the other, animals finally accepted Roger, as he was emphasising, the importance of a_person’s originality and, , individuality., How does Jo want the story to end and why?, Compartment 2014, , How did Jo want the Roger Skunk story to end?, , Delhi 2015, Jo wanted the Roger Skunk story to end with the, wizard hitting Roger’s mother on the head and letting, Roger keep his new smell of roses, so that he could, happily play with his friends.

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= oo, , 3 Why does Jack insist that it was the w;, that was hit and not the hiether? wizard, , Compartment 2014, wizard that was hit, Use Roger Skunk’s, © his mother is a, elf. This is what his, , 5 Jack insists that it was the, and not the mother beca, devotion and obedience l, reflection of Jack’s own 5, hero, Roger Skunk, does when he accepts his, mother’s command, Jack believes that parents, are always tight and must be, , An, , believes that the mother was eventually proved, right because all the animals accept Roger, , heartily, with his distinct identity and his, original smell., , 4 What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle, position?, , Ans Jack feels caught in an ugly middle position as, he could not help his wife Clare in painting the, woodwork, because at that time he was busy in, narrating the story to his daughter. So, Clare, must be angry with him. Here, it is important to, note that the story also presents the unsettling, of gender roles while at the same time revealing, the male psyche and Jack’s chauvinistic, attitude., , Secondly, Jack could not convince his daughter, that the ending of the story was proper and, acceptable. As Jack tells the story, his child Jo, strongly expresses, both by words and gestures,, what she thinks about how the story should, end, which is contrary to what Jack had, narrated, but which is according to =, principle that the child must respect the mot rer, and do what she says. Jack realises that what Jo, , has asked for will not be proper., , in an ugly middle, i he feels caught in ar, Tet i hadng to decide whether to change, Pp, , the ending of the story oF not. So, he defers this, ee, decision to another day.

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5, , Ans, , 6, , Ans, , , , What is your, stance regarding the tw’, the Roger Skunk ane _— cranes, , Itisi ., for fel tee contrast the two endings of the, quite manute a Jack s ending of the story is, realities that i peactical, It points oul the harsh, cecsid i SAP has to go through in life. The, viecles of ased on individual differences; every, ae ate animal has its distinct features, which, on be respected and accepted in totality., 0 over, parents know what is best for their, children, and their decisions should be respected, and obeyed., Jo wanted the story to end happily. She wanted, Roger Skunk’s problem solved and expected that, he would live happily, playing with his new, friends. This ending too is justified when we look, at it from a child’s point of view. As achild, Jo was, unable to understand the worth of one’s, originality and individuality. Besides, it is difficult, for children to understand or explain unhappy, endings. Thus, both endings are justifiable., , Why is an adult's perspective on life different, , from that of a child's? All India 2010, , It is obvious to find a marked difference in an, adult’s perspective on life and that of a child’s, because a child is considered as a form of God, as, its heart is very pure and innocent. It doesn’t, know what is wrong or what is right. There is no, bad intention in the child’s mind behind doing, any deed. It just does it because its perspective on, life, its actions and reactions, are natural and not, guided by any past experiences. A child speaks, from the heart what seems to be ethically and, morally correct., , In the case of an adult, its perspective is based on, what it has learnt over the years, the expectations, of society and similar other experiences. It also, knows the worth of originality, 5° it_ thinks, according to the situation and takes a good, decision on the basis of right or wrong.