Word Meaning, Summary, Important Questions Of Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy | Class 12

Hindi Meaning Of Difficult Words | Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy

About The Poet | John Hoyer Updike | Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy

John Hoyer Updike (1932-2009) was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic and literary critic. He was widely known for his careful craftsmanship and realistic but subtle depiction of American protestant, small town middle class life. He graduated from Harvard University. Updike wrote fiction series and poetry with light verse. He won Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Short Summary Of Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy
In English

The chapter captures a very sensitive reaction of a small girl to an important aspect of the story that her father narrates to her. Jo, a four year old girl is accustomed to hearing stories from her father, Jack, every evening and for Saturday naps. Although, the initial purpose of the story telling session was to make the young girl sleep, it got diluted as she developed a keen interest with every passing day Jo felt herself involved with the characters and happenings Jack had customised the basic structure of the story. He used to thread various characters with their unique problems into the story structure. The hero was Roger who went to owl and then the owl redirected the hero w the wizard. The wizard always asked for money. All the stories had a happy ending that his father came back home from Boston.

On Saturday afternoon as per the custom, Jack starts his story Jo wanted skunk to be the main character of the story. The story was about Roger skunk who was left lonely because other small animals did not like his foul body odour. To solve this problem he goes to the wise owl who asks him to meet the wizard. Jo was growing fast so after listening to each story she started generating her opinions. She started questioning and asking for logical explanations for magic spell, death. God, etc. Her curiosity and involvement in the story made her interrupt every now and then. All this demonstrated her extent of involvement with the story.

Roger skunk gets the smell of roses when he meets the wizard. The wizard charged him seven pennies. However, Roger skunk had only four pennies so, wizard tells him about a place where he could easily find the remaining three pennies. Roger skunk easily managed to find three pennies and gave it to the wizard. Now, Roger skunk was extremely happy as other children welcomed him and played lots of games together. Skunk goes home in the evening happy and satisfied. Skunk’s mother did not find the rose smell pleasant and thus, scolds him. Skunk’s mom gets very angry at the wizard and hits him on his head. Wizard agrees and gets skunk’s odour back. Thus, Skunk gets his foul smell back.

Jo did not approve of skunk’s mom hitting the wizard and wanted him to hit her back. Father disagreed and said it was his story and defends Skunk’s mommy. He said mommies should not be hit. However, Jo was not convinced. Father did not like being interrupted.

Roger skunk and his mother came back home and they wait for father skunk to come back from Boston in the evening. The three have a hearty meal. Mother skunk hugs and kisses Roger to sleep lovingly. She liked the smell of skunk once again. Skunk now played with other animals as they get used to his smell and did not run away.

However, Jo remained unconvinced that wizard should not have been defeated and wanted him to hit back mommy. But father tried convincing her that mothers are always right and they are extremely loving. He asked Jo to go to sleep. But Jo is still not convinced. The force with which asked him to change the ending of the story leaves him perplexed.

Important Previous Year Questions From Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy

SAI (2 marks)

1. On seeing Roger Skunk again with a very bad smell, how did the little animals react first and then later on when he had lost it? (2020)
2. How did Jo want the story to end?
3. How was the skunk’s story different from the other stories narrated by Jack? (Delhi 2014)
4. Why did Roger Skunk go to see the old owl? (AI 2014)
5. How does Jo want the story to end? (Delhi 2014 C)
6. Why does Jack insist that it was the wizard that was hit and not the mother? (Delhi2014 C)
7. What did Jo want the wizard to do when Mommy Skunk approached him? (Delhi 2013)
8. Why does Jo insist that her father should tell her the story with a different ending? (AI 2013)
9. How did the wizard help Roger Skunk? (Delhi 2012)
10. What part of the story did Jack himself enjoy the most and why? (Delhi 2011)

SA II (3 marks)

11. How does Jo want the story to end? Why? (Delhi 2019)
12. Which do you think is a better ending of Roger Skunk’s story, Jo’s or her father’s? Why? (Delhi 2015)
13. How did Jo want the Roger Skunk story to end?
14. Why did Roger Skunk go to the owl? What advice did he get? (AI 2015 C)
15. Why does Jo call the Skunk’s Mommy stupid? (Delhi 2015 C)

LA II (6 marks)

16. How does the story, ‘Should Wizard Hit Mommy bear testimony to the fact that the frustrations faced by adults and their personal experiences often intrude upon their interaction with their children? Elaborate. (AI 2019)
17. At the end of the storytelling session, why does Jack consider himself ‘caught in an ugly middle position? (2018)
18. How did Jo want the Roger Skunk story to end? Why? (Delhi 2016)
19. In case of a difference of opinion it is generally the adult who has his way. Comment on how Jack justifies the mother skunk’s action? (Foreign 2016)

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Answer Of Chapter 5 Should Wizard Hit Mommy
​ For The Above Questions

1. All the little animals avoided Roger Skunk due to his smell and refused to play with him. Later on when he smelled like roses they all gathered around him because he smelled good.
2. Jo couldn’t accept the ending of the story. She wanted the story to end with the wizard hitting back at Roger Skunk’s mother with the magic wand and chop her hands off forcibly. Jo thought the mother needs to be punished for making Roger Skunk smell bad again.
3. The skunk’s story was different from the other stories narrated by Jack because other stories ended on a happy note. The wizard always resolved the problem by the end of the story, which appealed a lot to Jo. However, Roger Skunk’s story had a twisted ending. In this story, the wizard was unable to help Roger Skunk because mother skunk interfered in the process. Jo had not so much interrupted the narration earlier or challenged Jack’s authority. It was also the only story, the ending of which was unacceptable to Jo. But above all, unlike any of Jack’s stories, the ending of this story remained unresolved.
4. Roger Skunk went to see the old owl because he was upset that all the other animals refused to come near him or play with him because of his bad smell. Roger needed advice on how to get rid of his stink
5. Jo wants Roger Skunk to smell like roses and not have the skunk’s foul smell. She also wants the wizard to take revenge on the mother by hitting her.
6. Jack insists that it was the wizard that was hit and not the mother because he wanted to teach a moral lesson to Jo that parents know what is best for their children. Jack also wanted, Jo to understand that one should be content with the way one is born and not change just because the society does not accept him/her the way he/she is.
7. As the end of the story did not appeal to Jo she wanted the wizard to hit Mommy Skunk and make Roger Skunk continue to smell like roses. It is evident that the story violated Jo’s sense of fairness for why should Roger Skunk not smell of roses and thus, have more friends.
8. Jo was not convinced that the little animals eventually got used to the way the little skunk was and smelt. Moreover, Jo felt that Mommy Skunk was being unfair to Roger Skunk by not allowing wizard to make him smell like roses. She wanted Roger Skunk to be accepted by his peers and thus, be happy.
9. Roger skunk was very unhappy because he smelt bad and had no friends. The wizard made his foul smell go away with the magic spell, gave him the beautiful smell of roses and helped him have many friends.
10. The part of the story, which Jack himself enjoyed the most was where Roger goes to the wizard’s house, Jack imitated the wirard’s voice. He felt being an old man suited him. He mixed his own childhood humiliations and experiences with the narration of the story.

Jack enjoyed doing so because he liked seeing his daughter holding on to his words, liked seeing her apprehensive and expecting something unexpected. Jack enjoyed the fact that jo loved the stories narrated by him.

11. Refer to answer 5 and &
12. In Jack’s version of the Roger Skunk story the wizard uses reverse magic on Roger so as to give him back his original stink because mother Skunk hit him with her umbrella. From an adults perspective, Jack’s version of the story aims at teaching two important lessons acceptance of oneself and that parents are the best judge. However, Jo suggests an alternate ending to the story because she does not agree with Jack’s ending. Jo wants a happy ending. She feels sorry for Roger Skunk and wants him to smell like roses so that Roger Skunk can play with other animals. This shows that peer acceptance is quite important for children. It also shows that the sense of freedom of choice develops at an early age. Therefore, from a child’s perspective, Jos version of ending the Roger Skunk’s story is also relevant.
13. Jo wanted the story to have a happy ending Le., Roger Skunk to smell like roses forever. Also, Jo wanted the wizard to hit mother skunk back because she had no right to interfere in the matter.
14. Roger Skunk went to see the old owl as he was upset that all the other animals refused to come near him or play with him because of his bad smell. Roger needed advice on how to get rid of his stink The wise Owl advised Roger Skunk to go the wizard to get his problem solved.
15. Jo calls the skunk’s mommy stupid because mommy had hit the wizard and made him give Roger Skunk his real stink back. Jo thought Mommy Skunk was so stupid that she did not understand Boser Skunk’s problem.
16. Jack feels that he has been caught in an ugly middle position physically, emotionally as well as mentally.

He was conscious of his duties as a father and as a husband. His efforts to make Jo fall asleep proved quite fatiguing. She kept on interrupting him, asking for clarifications, pointing errors and suggesting alternatives. Jo’s non-acceptance of the ending of the story is considered an act of defiance by Jack. He is quite taken aback by Jo’s behaviour and the things she said. On the other hand, learning that his pregnant wife, Clare, needs his help in the household chores, he is in a hurry to end the story. However, being a loving father, he gives into Jo’s demands and extends the story. The result of the extension to the story proves unfruitful and unpleasant for Jack and Clare. Being waiting for her husband to come down and help her with painting of the woodwork, Clare complains that he had told a long story. Jack feels utter weariness and trapped in a cage. He is overcome with a sense of detachment and frustration being caught in the ugly middle position.

17. Refer to answer 16.
18. In Jack’s version of the story, Roger Skunk’s mommy hits the wizard on his head with her umbrella, and told him to cast a reverse spell on Roger skunk and give him his original smell back. However, Jo did not agree with this ending and suggested an alternate end for the story. According to her, the wizard should have hit mommy back and not change Roger Skunk.

To Jo, the wizard was a good person who helps ‘Roger skunk’ when he was in trouble and seeking a way out. Witnessing Mommy Skunk’s actions, Jo felt that ‘stupid Mommy’ should have been punished for her unkind behaviour towards the kind wizard. She believed that Mommy Skunk was imposing her will both on Roger Skunk and the wizard without considering her son’s fear of not getting accepted by his peers. Jo also thought that Roger Skunk should be allowed to choose his own life even if it meant to get rid of the stink.

19. It is evident from the story that in case of difference of opinion, it is generally adult who has his or her way. In Roger skunk’s story, Mommy skunk is furious at the wizard for making Roger smell of roses. She is not ready to consider that little Roger may not feel comfortable in his original smell. She marches off to the wizard and hits him hard on his head with her umbrella for changing the way Roger smelt. Jack justifies Mommy skunk’s action even thoug Jo disagrees with the story’s ending and wan to change it. She suggests that wizard shou hit Mommy back, that would be a fair endir However, Jack says that Mommy skunk is rig on her part. In fact, parents are always right. Ja tries to reason with Jo by saying that Roger skum mother really loved him and wanted to bring h up with real values. Mommy skunk knew wh best for her son, unlike Roger who was too you to understand what is right or wrong for him. By justifying Mommy skunk’s action, Jack wants to make Jo understand that adults experienced therefore, children should resp and listen to their parents

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