Apni Kaksha

Should Wizard Hit Mommy

By John Updike
– John Updike is an American novelist, story writer, are critic and literary critic.
– He won the Pulitzer prize for fiction twice
Key Points
Theme of Jack’s Story
● A small animal, usually named ‘Roger’.
● Roger always had some problem
● Roger went to wise owl.
● Owl advised him to go to the Wizard
● Wizard asked for a fee.
● Roger found money & paid the wizard.
The Roger Skunk Story
● Saturday evening & time for Jo’s naps.
● Jack told smelly Skunk’s story.
● Other animals hated him for his smell.
● Roger went to Owl for help
● Owl sent him to the Wizard.
The Wizard help Roger
● The wizard asked for fee first.
● The wizard asked him which smell he wanted
● Roger asked for smell of roses.
● All animals started playing with Roger Skunk.
Roger’s mommy’s reaction
● Angry at Roger for changing his smell.
● She took him to the wizard & hit him.
● The Wizard changed back Roger’s smell.
● Both Roger & mommy returned home.
Jo’s reaction to the story
● Jo wanted Roger to keep the smell of roses.
● All animals got used to his smell.
● But Jo could not relate to the story.
● She called Mother skunk ‘stupid’.
● Jo wanted the wizard to hit back money.
After the Jack’s story
● Jack asked Jo to sleep finally, and went downstairs to his wife.
● Jack did not help his wife.
● They both felt caged together.
● This shows marital tension between Jack & Clare.
● He did not speak with her, work with her or touch her.

Apni Kaksha
 Summary
Joanne is a four year old girls whose father Jack tells her a story every evening before her nap.
It was a custom since Jo was two years old. For the stories, Jack had a basic tale which had- one
small animal usually named Roger. He always had some problem and for the solutions he used
to go to the owl and the owl would sent him to the wizard. Then wizard would ask for money
and tell Roger where he could get the money.
One evening, Jo asked for story and wanted the animal to be a Skunk this time Jack named him
‘Roger Skunk’. All his friends would hate him for his stinky smell and noone played with him.
Roger Skunk felt really bad and left out. Jo was not much excited yet she was predicting what
would happen next. Jack’s wife 'Clare' was painting the wood work downstairs. Which made
Jack realised, he should go & help her, also she was six months pregnant but, Jack continued
with the story any way.
Roger Skunk went to the owl for the help and he advised to visit the wizard.
Jo was becoming really inquisitive since past month, she kept asking if spiders really ate bugs &
if God really existed. This behaviour made Jack annoying, hence he answered to Jo’s question
that magic spell is real in stories.
The Wizard asked Roger Skunk to maintain some distance because of his bad smell. The Wizard
asked him which smell he wanted and gave his smell of Roses. In return he asked for seven
pennies and Roger had only four. To get the rest of the pennies, the wizard suggested him to go
the end of the lane and turn around three times and look down the magic well. He got three
more pennies & gave them to the wizard.
Now, his friends started playing with him. But when he got back to his home, his mother
scolded him for getting this weird smell of roses.
She took him back to the Wizard and hit him over his head. She wanted Roger Skunk to smell
like Skunk and nothing else because that smell brings his originality.
Jo was surprised, sad, annoyed and wanted Roger Skunk to retain his new smell, otherwise his
friends will loathe him again. She wanted the Wizard to hit mommy back.
Both returned home and Mother Skunk was happy for her child. Roger Skunks’ friends got used
to his smell and played with him but Jo could not relate to the story. She asked Jack to tell the
story where the wizard would hit mommy back and let the smell of roses stay with Skunk. Jack
explained that mother skunk knew what was right for her baby & Roger Skunk also loved her
mother back.
Jack told Jo to go to sleep & went downstairs to his wife. He felt guilty, looking at her wife who
had completed half of the work. He could not convince his daughter & his wife seemed to be
upset with him. He found himself stuck in an ugly middle position. There was also a glimpse of
marital tension between Jack and Clare. He felt both of them were caged together & he did not
help her, talk to her, speak with her or touch her.
PYQ’s
Q.1 Why do you think both Jo and Jack want a different ending each, for Roger Skunk’s story?
(CBSE 2021)
Ans. Jo wanted Roger’s friends to play with him. If he would retain his original smell his friends won’t
play with him anymore and he would feel sad, that is Jo wanted a different ending for the Story. She
wanted the wizard to hit mommy back and give him his new fragrance back. Whereas, Jack wanted
Jo to learn a lesson through this story. Jack believed that mother was eventually proved right
because all the animals accept Roger heartily with his original smell. Jack also believed that parents
are always right and must be given unconditional love.
Q.2 What is the significance of the “half old tan and half new ivory cage of mouldings, rails and base
beards” appearing at the end of the story? (CBSE 2021)
Ans. Half old tan and half new ivory. Signifies Jack’s position in his life. He was conscious of his duties
both as a father and husband. He was stucked and felt in a cage. He could not help his wife Clare in
painting the woodwork because he was busy in narrating the story to Jo before her nap. He thought
Clare must be angry with him. It somewhere also shows Jack’s Chauvinistic attitude.

Apni Kaksha
Q.3 What is Jo’s reality phase?
Ans. Jo has become really curious and inquisitive as she is growing up. When her father told him about
the spiders eating bugs, she wanted to confirm if they do, she also asked if magic spells were real.
This is termed as her new phase which is her reality phase.

Q.4 What is Mother Skunk’s role in the story? (All India 2017)
Ans. Mother Skunk’s role in the story was to prove the readers the narrator’s belief, that parents are
always the well wishes of their children. She wanted Roger Skunk to keep his original smell which
was his real identity.
Q.5 What part of the story did Jack himself enjoy the most and why? (Delhi 2011)
Ans. Jack enjoyed playing the character of the Wizard the most. He played the character by squeezing his
face and somehow whining through his eyes. He felt this character suited him, also Jo did not
interrupt while he played this character.
Q.6 Why does Jo insist that her father should tell her story with a different ending? (All India 2013)
or
Q.7 Why did Jo think Roger Skunk was better off with new smell? (Delhi 2010)
Ans. Jo, being a child wanted Roger Skunk to retain this new smell of Roses so that his friends could love
him and play with him. She is too little to understand the importance of one’s originality. If Roger
Skunk would get his old smell back, everybody will push him away. Which is why she insisted her
father should tell a story with a different ending where the Wizard would hit mommy back and not
let him take away his new smell.
Q.8 How did the wizard help Roger Skunk? (Delhi 2012)
Ans. The Wizard chanted a spell & gave him smell of Roses asked by Skunk itself. He also advised him to
arrange rest of his fee by going to the end of the lane and turn around three times and look down
the magic well to get more pennies.

Apni Kaksha