XII Eng. Suppl. Reader Chapter: Should Wizard Hit Mommy?


Should Wizard Hit Mommy?

    I.  SHORT Answer type Questions:

1.     What was the usual routine in the evening and Saturday naps?
Every evening and for Saturday naps, Jack told his daughter Joanne a story out of his head. This practice began when she was two. Having continued this practice for over two years, his head felt empty.

2.     What was the usual skunk story plot ?
The basic tale of the story was the same. A small animal named Roger would have a problem. It would go a wise owl. The owl would tell Roger to meet the Wizard. The Wizard would solve Roger’s problems and demand some money in return. Roger would have money lesser than the Wizard’s demand. The wizard would tell him the place to get the extra money. After giving the money to the wizard, Roger would play many games with other creatures, and would go home in time to hear the train that brought his daddy home from Boston. Then they would have their supper.
3.     Why was Jack enthusiastic that afternoon?
The usual Roger stuff was boring and it had emptied his head. It was fatiguing to have another Roger story. It was generally Jo’s option to name the animal. That afternoon, she wanted the story about Roger Skunk. A new hero in a new animal created a momentary creative enthusiasm for Jack
4.     Why do you think Jack introduced an isolated skunk ?
Somehow, one feels that Jack was trying to recollect his own childhood days. He remembers certain humiliations of his childhood. Roger Skunk is isolated and no other creature plays with him. This is unexpected for Jo. She probably has not seen the word of humiliation and isolation. Jo wants to tell her “something true, something she must know”

5.     How does Jack react when Jo interrupts him while telling the story?
Jack gets annoyed whenever Jo interrupts but tries to keep himself calm at times. Initially he does not react so harshly, just lets Jo say what she wants but when she is anxious about the introduction of the wizard he questions her. He commits a casual and careless mistake calling the character Roger Fish. This shows the initial enthusiasm is dead in him and in a cool tone says that it is “silly of your stupid old daddy”. At the end when she doesn’t show attention, he changes the course of the story just to disappoint her and make her feel like the skunk.


6.     What did Roger Skunk want from the Wizard? How did he pay the Wizard ?
Roger Skunk wanted to play with other creature and his foul smell was the problem. He asks the wizard to change him smell like roses. The wizard did it and wanted seven pennies for it. Skunk had only four pennies. The wizard asked him to go to the end of the lane and turn around three times and look down the magic well to find the three pennies he wanted. Roger Skunk did as he was told and paid the wizard

7.     Why didn’t Jack want the story to have its usual ending?
The story was nearing the usual end. Roger Skunk played with all the other creatures and went home. The usual story should have continued with the arrival of the train from Boston and dinner. In anticipation of the usual ending, Jo was a little inattentive. Jack didn’t like this. He didn’t like women when they took anything for granted; he liked them apprehensive and hanging on his word. So, he didn’t want the story to have its usual ending.

8.     Why did the mother Skunk take Roger Skunk to the Wizard again?
Whether mother skunk wanted it or not, Jack wanted Jo to realise that parents know what is right for the children. So, the mother skunk took the little skunk back to the wizard to smell like what he used to be.

9.     Why was Jo unhappy with the ending?
The unusual isolation itself was unexpected for Jo. She was happy when the wizard changed Roger Skunk’s smell. But mother skunk took the little skunk to the wizard. She hit him on the head with her umbrella. This was the second shock for Jo. She wanted the wizard to hit back mommy. Jack refused. So she was disappointed with the ending. She wanted her father to change the ending at least the next day.

SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY?
Short ANSWER questions:
1.     What is the moral issue that the story raises?
2.     How does Jo want the story to end and why?
3.     What was Jack’s wishful thinking related to telling stories?
4.     What was Jack doing while narrating the story of Roger Skunk?
5.     Do you think the slip of tongue of ‘Roger Fish’ was due to some particular reason?
6.     What was the question about God and what was the answer?
7.     why does Jack feel that he is caught somewhere in the middle?
8.     How does the reader get the impression that Jo was bored with the stories?
9.     What is the justification given by Jack for Mommy hitting the wizard?
10.  How does the reader get the impression that Jack was quite insensitive to the feelings of his
      daughter?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. chiChildren often display a greater sense of fairness and perception than the adults. Do you think this applies to the story ‘Should wizard hit the Mommy?’
2. The frustrations faced by adults and their personal experiences often intrude upon their interactions with their children. How does the story ‘Should wizard hit the Mommy?’ bear testimony to this fact?

SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY?
Short ANSWER questions:
1. Moral issue- should parents impose their opinion on perspective of life upon their children or let them take independent decisions.
2. Jo wants the child not to have bad odour and to smell like roses and be like other children. Also wants the wizard to take the magic wand and hit mommy.
3. Wished for some magic to occur and Jo would take her nap like a child of two.
4. Jack-remembering certain humiliations of his own childhood and reliving the past.
5. Slip of tongue due to subconscious reason. While narrating story-distracted by his daughter’s expression-reminds him of his wife, roses and of his own childhood-(bad smell) –so says ‘Roger Fish’.
6. Does God exist? Answer came- They’re real in stories.
7. Jack finds his wife painting the chairs downstairs. Half the chair-dirty, the other half ivory colour. Finds caught in an ugly middle position. Indication: of the confusion that Jo’s questioning has caused- an idea that is shocking and unacceptable.
8. Jo- accustomed to the ritual of bed-time story telling by her father. Lost appeal- due to repetitive nature. Follows a simple unchanging plot and end is predictable.
9. Mommy- right in hitting the wizard- to restore the smell of the skunk back to his old self. He loved his mother- believed mother knew what was best for him.
10. Jo’s interruption in the story causes irritation for Jack. Doesn’t care for her inquisitive and progressive mind. His answers to her questions are short.


LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. Jo- 4 yr old daughter of Jack- accustomed to story telling by her father- Always same plot and ending is predictable- one day Jack wants to give a twist- while telling story- slip of tongue noticed by Jo, Starts asking intelligent questions- Cut short by Jack- Doesn’t give credit to the keen observation- Ending of the story disliked by Jo- gives an alternative ending- Jack shows intolerance and insensitivity when his authority is questioned.
2. Jack prides himself in being a good story-teller. Story of Roger Skunk reminds him of his childhood- its humiliations and wants Jo to understand that it is a true story and doesn’t want to go faster. Jo-interrupts- gets irritated- Jo’s inquisitive and progressive mind- overlooked by Jack. Doesn’t understand her inner fear- Wants to impose his ending to the story.






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