SHOULD WIZZARD HIT MOMMY

This story deals with a child's view of the world and the difficult moral
questions she raises during the story session with her father.
Jack (Joanne's father) had become accustomed to or putting it more
precisely obligated to telling stories out of his head to his daughter
Joanne during the evenings and Saturday afternoons. This tradition itself
was now two years old and Joanne had been two when it started. These
stories were almost the same except for some slight variations. It started
with a creature usually named Roger (Roger fish, Roger squirrel, Roger
chipmunk), who had some problem and went with it to the wise owl. The
owl directed him to go the the magician, who would solve his problem in
exchange for a few pennies more than the creature had and in the same
breath would direct the creature to go to a place where he could find it.
Then, the roger creature would be so happy and would return home just
in time to hear the train whistle that brought his daddy home from
Boston.
On this particular day, a Saturday, it was time for Joanne's nap. So Jack
had to tell her a story. So he began his story and asked Joanne what the
creature should be named. It seemed they had studied about a new
animal at school today for she enthusiastically said "skunk, Roger skunk".
The character was set and so began the story. Jack was now ready to
start the story and was filled with creative enthusiasm. The story started
with the creature being unable to play and make friends with other
creatures because he smelled awful. The creature having no other option
went to seek the advice of the wise old owl who directed him to go the
magician. Roger skunk found his way to the magicians house and sought
his help. The magician with his magic wand turned the awful smell that
roger had into a smell that was of roses. The roger creature then as
directed gave the magician the pennies he had and as per the instruction
of the magician went to the well to get the extra pennies.
Then roger skunk went back home. As he reached home his mother was
disappointed with roger skunk as she thought that it was not right to
change one's identity to please their friends. She said real friends are the
ones who accept you for who you are and not for who you want to
become. She then took roger back to the magician and hit the magician
with the umbrella she had been carrying. The magician then performed
his magic and roger no longer smelled of roses. After that they returned
 home just in time to hear the whistle of the train blow that brought Roger
skunk's father home and from that day on, Roger skunk was content in
being himself.
Throughout this story Jack wanted to teach his daughter Joanne about
moral values, but his daughter Joanne (Jo), who was just a child, reacted
differently to the story's ending. She want the wizard to hit Roger's
mother and let Roger smell of roses and not change him. This was a
child's perspective of things. To a child, friends mean everything and they
do not understand moral values and the importance of parents.
Jack had faced similar problems like roger had faced so he was trying to
tell Jo that whatever parents say or do for them are in their best interest.
But Jo was adamant and wanted another ending for the story.
After the story ended jack went down to help his wife Clare paint the
furniture. When he reached downstairs he saw that the woodwork, a cage
of moldings and rails and baseboards all around them ,was half old tan
and half new ivory and he felt caught in an ugly middle position, and
though he as well felt his wife's presence in the cage with him, he did not
want to speak with her, work with her, touch her, anything
NOTE: Jack had a son named Bobby two years old, Clare was three
months pregnant.
thank you

This story has two issues running through it. One is the parent child
equation. Jack wants to tell his daughter the story in a particular manner,
the conclusion being that parents know what is best for their children.
‘Should W hit M?’ raises the issue, ‘Are parents always right’? Jo wants
Roger Skunk to have the security of belonging to a group. To her, being
accepted as part of the peer group is the most important thing. But Jack
wants Roger Skunk to listen to his mother, though it means smelling bad
again.

The other thread that weaves in and out of the story is Jack’s discomfort
with the independence that his wife and daughter have started showing.
Jack is not a feminist and doesn’t believe in it either. Whether in the story or
real life, he would like to maintain the status quo – children should listen to
their parents; his daughter and his wife are likeable when ‘hanging on his
words’ (Pg 53).

This attitude of Jack is what makes him feel ‘caught in an ugly middle
position’. He loves his family but is unhappy because of their independent
thinking. Jo has started asking questions, and her gestures, demands and
even the way she smiles show that she is growing up and acquiring a
personality of her own.

His pregnant wife is busy painting furniture. To Jack the woodwork seems
like a ‘cage’–he feels trapped in a life that he is not at ease with. And
though his wife is ‘in the cage with him’, her independence makes him feel
unwanted. He feels no bond with her, no desire.

The ‘half old tan and half new ivory’ (last para of story) is a metaphor for his
life – new feminist changes in the old family structure

This is a story that has a number of layers and meanings to it. I am sure that
some of you at least will re-read this story at various stages of your life, and
see new meaning in it with every reading

. 1. Describe Jack's art of story-telling. How does Jack narrate the

story 'Should Wizard Hit Mommy ?'
Ans. Jack seems to have perfected the art of story-telling. Jack has a basic
tale. Each new story is a slight variation of the basic tale. There is a small
creature, usually named Roger in every story. He can be Roger Fish, Roger
Squirrel or Rogep Chipmunk. Then there is a wise old owl and a wizard with
a magic wand in every story. Jack understands the pulse of his little
daughter Jo. So he creates special effects to keep her interest intact. He
may imitate the voice of the old wizard. He would narrate the story in a way
that suited the occasion. He is always full of creative enthusiasm.
In this story a new animal is chosen. He is named Roger Skunk. He smells
very bad. All little creatures keep away from him. No one plays with him.
Roger goes to the wise old owl. The owl directs him to the wizard. He tells
his tragic story to him. He gives seven pennies to the wizard. He becomes
very happy and makes Roger smell like roses.
Jack sticks to his version of the story. He makes no change in it as desired
by Jo. Jo wants the 'stupid mommy' to be punished. She made the wizard
smell Roger bad again. Jack doesn't relent and makes no change in the
ending.

Q. 2. What was Roger Skunk's problem ? Why did Roger Skunk's mother
not like her son smelling like roses 1 Do you justify her stand ?
Ans. Roger Skunk's main problem was that he smelled very badly. All little
animals kept themselves away from him. None of them would play with him.
They teased him calling 'Stinky Skunk' whenever he happened to come out.
The poor little Roger would stand alone and weep. The wizard listened to his
woeful tale and made him smell like roses. This was the smell that Roger
Skunk liked so much. Now the attitude of all other little animals also
chanted. They gathered around him because he smelled nicely well then.
And they played tag, baseball football and hockey together.
Roger Skunk's mother became furious. She did not like her son smelling of
roses. She found the smell of roses 'awful'. She went right back to that
'awful wizard' and hit him hard on his head. The wizard made Roger Skunk
smell very bad again. This pleased the mother. She hugged and loved her
son. He smelled now like a skunk.
Roger Skunk's mommy was not 'stupid' as Jo would think her to be. For a
mother, her child is always an object of love and affection. A mother doesn't
care whether her child smells of roses or smells so badly. For her the smell
of the child is the smell that she loves and cherishes. Naturally, Roger
Skunk's mother was upset when she found him smelling like roses. She
didn't like that 'awful' smell and compelled the wizard to make Roger smell
very bad again. Now Roger smelled like a skunk. He smelled like her own
son now.

Q. 3. Why does Jo want that the wizard should hit the mommy ? Does her
stand reflect a child's perspective on life ? What is your choice ?
Ans. Children look at this world from a different perspective. They look at
people and things quite differently than what adults do. Their perspective
on life reflects simplicity and innocence. Jo has a deep sympathy for Roger
Skunk. Roger's bad smell kept all little animals away from him. The little
Skunk stood alone and wept. The wizard made Roger smell of roses. He was
happy. Other little animals were now attracted towards him. They now
played and danced with him.
Jo's main anger is against the "stupid mommy" of Roger Skunk. It was she
who forced the wizard to make Roger Skunk smell very bad again. The hero
of the story is always a role model for children. The tender-hearted Jo is
shocked at the attitude of that 'stupid' mommy. She wants that Roger's
mommy must be punished. The wizard must hit on her head hard with his
magic wand.
I think Roger's mother doesn't deserve such a bad punishment. For her
Roger must smell like her son. She is shocked when he starts smelling of
roses. A mother always loves her child. His complexion and smell don't
count for her at all. Her love transcends all such minor things.