प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
Class - 12
English Core
Vistas 5. SHOULD WIZARD HIT MOMMY?
QUESTIONS:-
Q1. Who is Jo? How does she respond to her father 's
story-telling?
Ans-
Jo is Jack's little daughter. She is about four-years old.Jack tells his
daughter stories which he creates by himself. Thus custom began when she was
two. Jo never falls asleep till Jack tells a new tale to her. She would enjoy
all such stories. She showed her interest by asking many questions related to
them.
Q2. What possible plot line could the story continue with?
Ans-
Each story that Jack told was a slight variation of a basic tale. There was
always a small creature named Roger.In this story it was Roger Skunk. All
stories had familiar events. Like other stories Roger went to the wise old owl.
The owl told him to go to a wizard. The wizard made Roger Skunk smell like
roses. Roger's 'mommy's made the wizard smell Roger bad again.
Q3. When did Jack start telling stories to Jo?
Ans-
Jack would tell a story to his daughter Jo out of his head in the evenings and
for Saturday naps. This custom of story-telling had begun when Jo was
two-years-old and was continuing for the last two years.
Q4. What would the Wizard demand for solving the problem?
Ans-
For solving the problem the Wizard in turn would demand in payment a number of
pennies greater than the number Roger creature had. However, he would direct
the animal to a place where the extra pennies could be found.
Q5. How did the Roger Skunk smell?
Ans-
Roger Skunk lived in the dark deep woods. He smelled very bad. He smelled so
bad that the other animals of the jungle would not play with him. They would
call him Roger Stinky Skunk.
Q6. What did Roger Skunk tell the wise old Owl ?
Ans-
Roger Skunk told the huge wise old owl that all the other little animals run
away from him because he smelt so bad. The owl told him that he smelled very
very bad. Roger Skunk cried and asked the wise old owl what he should do.
Q7. Why did Roger Skunk go in search of the Wizard ?
Ans-
Everybody made fun of Roger because of his giving out a bad smell. He was upset
and felt sad. He met the old owl who advised him to go to the Wizard. The
Wizard would help him and give him a pleasant smell. That's why he went in
search of the Wizard.
Q8. How did Roger Skunk smell like roses ?
Ans-
After finding his magic wand, the Wizard asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to
smell like. Roger Skunk told him that he would like to smell like roses. The
Wizard chanted some spell and Roger Skunk started smelling like roses.
Q9. How did Roger Skunk's mummy react to find Roger Skunk
smelling like roses ?
Ans-
When Roger Skunk went home his mummy said that the smell was awful. He said
that it was he who smelt like roses. When she came to know that the Wizard had
done so, she took Roger Skunk to the Wizard so that he smelt bad again.
Q10. How many pennies did the Wizard demand and how did Roger
Skunk pay him?
Ans-
The Wizard had demanded seven pennies from Roger Skunk, but he had only four
pennies with him. The Wizard asked him to go to the end of the lane and turn
around three times and look down the magic well and there he would find three
pennies.
Q11. What did Roger Skunk's mummy say when he smelt bad again?
Ans-
When Roger Skunk was in bed his mummy came up and hugged him. She said that he
smelled like her little baby Skunk again and she loved him very much.
Q12. What is mother Skunk's role in the story?
Ans-
Mother Skunk is there to make Roger realize the importance of originality,
individuality and identity. Roger Skunk is not to be ashamed of his natural
attributes. She is also a decisive and protective parent, who does not hesitate
to hit the wizard on his head for this reason.
Q13. What problem did Roger Skunk face when he went to play with
his friends? How did he solve it?
Ans-
Roger Skunk smelt so bad that none of the other woodland creatures would play
with him. They would make fun of him and call him 'Roger stinky skunk' and run
away. He would just stand there alone and cry. He went to the owl, sitting on a
big tree and was asked to go to the wizard's house near a river. On his
request, his smell was changed into that of roses.
Q14. Give an example to show that Jo was a sensitive child.
Ans-
When Jo's father started telling how all the other animals used to tease Roger
Skunk and would run away leaving him alone, Jo felt the pain felt by Roger
Skunk and became sad and tears rolled down from her eyes.
Q15. What do you think was Jo's problem?
Ans-
Jo was a sensitive little girl. She had been accustomed to the happy ending of
the stories of Roger, where the wizard was helpful to him in fulfilling his
wish. At the request of Roger Skunk, the wizard had changed his awful smell to
that of the roses. Other small animals liked it and played with Roger Skunk
happily. She could not digest the ending of the extended story where Roger
Skunk's mother hit the wizard on the head and forced him to change Skunk's
smell to the earlier foul one.
Jo
could not accept Skunk's mother's stubbornness e.g. hitting the well wisher of
her son, Roger Skunk. Jo insisted that her father should tell her the same
story again the next day with changed ending. The wizard should hit that
unreasonable mommy on the head and leave Roger Skunk emitting the pleasant
smell of roses. In the beautiful world of a child's imagination, fairies and
wizard's are more real than reality itself. She could not digest the harsh
realities of life. She did not like the rude mother who hit the benefactor of
her own son.
Q16. What is the moral issue that the story raises?
Ans-
John Updike 's short story 'Should Wizard Hit Mommy?' raises certain basic
moral issues. The basic moral issue is of racial segregation. Roger Skunk
smells very bad. It is none of his fault. Nature has made him so. He has to
undergo intense sufferings due to his segregation. All little creatures run
away when he comes near them. They refuse to play with him. The wizard makes
Roger Skunk smell of roses. The little animals start liking his company. But
his mother doesn't like the changed smell of her son. She goes straight to the
wizard. She gets Roger smell bad again. The mother hugs and loves him as
before. Another moral issue is presented through this story. It is that we
should no lose our originality and identity.
The
moral values of children vary with ours. Ugliness and hatred have no place in
their idealised world. Jo is furious at Roger's mother. She made Roger smell
bad again Roger is Jo's hero and he must smell good.
Q17. How does Jo want the story to end and why?
Ans-
The perspective of children on life is quite different from elders. They roam
in a dreamy and magical world. It is a realistic world here, beauty and love
rule supreme. There is no place for ugliness and stink in their world.
Naturally, Jo wants her father to make a change in the story. The wizard must
take his magic wand and hit Roger's mommy hard. Little Jo wants "that
stupid mommy" punished. Her crime is that she made the wizard smell Roger
bad again. Jo insists on making that change in the story.
Roger
Skunk is the hero of the story. Jo can never imagine her hero to be so ugly and
stinky. It offends her sense of fairness and justice. For this the ending of
the story must be changed.
Q18. Why does Jack insist that it was the wizard that was hit
and not the mother?
Ans-
Jack has to tell a story. It suits the story line that it was the wizard who
was hit and not the mother. Therefore, he insists on his version of the story.
Roger Skunk starts smelling like roses. His mother doesn't like that 'awful
smell. She decides to go right back to the wizard. She takes an umbrella and
hits it right over his head. Little Jo doesn't like this development in the
story. She wants it otherwise. She wants to hear that the wizard hit Roger's
mommy on the head.
Jack
sticks to his version. He wants to give a different moral to the story. He
wants to that for a mother her son never smells bad. She finds it awful when
Roger Skunk starts smelling like roses. She is more than happy when Roger
becomes a stinky Skunk again. Hence,Jack sticks to his original story without
making any change in it.
Q19. What makes Jack feel caught in an ugly middle position?
Ans-
Life gives us striking contrasts. Jack enjoys the art of story-telling. The
world of romance Jack stories create, doesn't match with the harsh realities of
his life. The day-to-day life is dull and tiring. Jack feels caught in an ugly
middle position. He has to manage a little family. He has two children, a
daughter Jo and her brother Bobby.
Jack
is caught between the two worlds. The first world belongs to Roger Fish or
Roger Skunk. It is the world of the wise old owl and the wizard with a magic
wand. Suddenly Jack realizes that he must go downstairs. He realizes that he
should help his wife Clare paint the living- room woodwork. He is caught
between the romantic world of tales and the prosaic world of domestic duties.
He feels that his wife is also with him in this 'cage'.
Q20. What is your stance regarding the two endings to the Roger
Skunk story?
Ans-
Considering the tender age of Jo, both the endings seem a little irrational. It
is certain that she will be learning from whatever she hears and visualizes at
this age. If the story ends according to Jack, Jo will never be able to
question anything she considers wrong in life since this ending stresses that
elders are always right in whatever they do. In addition, the story shows the
skunk's mommy hitting the wizard for no fault of his. The wizard had only done
what he was asked to. This may scare the four-years-old Jo, as it teaches that
mothers, being elders, have the right to hit anyone, even if they are not at
fault.
On
the contrary, if the story ends as Jo wanted it to, it will stop her from
believing in and respecting her elders. She may even start believing that there
is nothing wrong in hitting elders.
A
balanced view may be given in an apt ending, where the mommy either does not
hit the wizard at all or realizes her mistake soon.
Q21. Why is the adult's perspective on life different from that
of a child?
Ans-
A child's speech and line of thought, his actions and reactions, are natural
and not guided by any outward influence. He speaks from his heart in accordance
with what is ethically right in his perspective. On the other hand, an adult
has many things to consider before speaking or reacting. An adult's world is
different from the world of a child. Thus, the influence of society governs and
dominates his thoughts.
In
this chapter, Jo speaks what she considers correct. But Jack, an adult caught
in a dilemma, kept thinking on the consequences of accepting his daughter's
ending to
the
story and what the society has made him learn over time. A child lives in a
dreamy and romantic world. It may be the world of Roger Fish or Roger Skunk. It
is also the world of a wise old owl and a wizard with a magic wand. In this world
of mystery, romance and beauty there is no place for ugliness. For Jo, Roger
Skunk is the hero of the story. The hero is a role model for children. Jo can't
tolerate his hero Roger Skunk smelling bad again. It is due to "that
stupid mommy" of Roger. Hence, she should be punished. The wizard must
beat her with his magic wand. Jack and Clare's world is the world of adults.
They have to face the harsh realities of domestic duties. Jack is caught
between the two worlds. Jack's ending of the story not sound very romantic. It
is more realistic than Jo's.
Q22. When and how did Jack tell stories to his daughter Jo ?
Ans-
Jack would tell a story to his daughter Jo out of his head in the evenings and
for Saturday naps. He began telling stories when Jo was two-year-old and was
continuing for the last two years. Each new story only differs a bit from the
basic tale. There always was a small creature, usually named Roger, for
example, Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel, Roger Chipmunk etc. Roger always had some
problems and he would go to the wise old owl.
The
owl would tell him to go to the Wizard who would perform a magic spell that
solved the problem. The Wizard in turn would demand in payment a number of
pennies greater than the number Roger creature had. But at the same time he
would direct the animal to a place where the extra pennies could be found. Then
Roger would become so happy that he played many games with other creatures.
Roger then would go home to his mother just in time to hear the train whistle
that brought his daddy home from Boston. Jack then would describe their supper
and the story was over.
Q23. Why did Roger Skunk see the wise old owl ?
Ans-
Roger Skunk lived in the deep dark woods. He smelt so bad that other animals of
the jungle would not play with him. Whenever he would go out to play, all of
the tiny creatures would cry, "Uh-ah, here comes Roger Stinky Skunk."
They would run away and Roger Skunk would stand there all alone.
Two
little tears would fall from his eyes. Roger Skunk walked along very sadly and
came to a very big tree. In the tiptop of the tree there lived a huge wise old
owl. Roger Skunk told him that all the other little animals run away from him
because he smelt so bad. The owl said to Roger Skunk that he smelt very, very
bad. Roger Skunk cried and asked the wise old owl what he should do.
Q24. How did the Wizard solve Roger Skunk problem? Was his
problem really solved?
Ans-
Roger Skunk smell very bad and the other little animals did not play with him
because of it. He went to the wise old owl who asked Roger Skunk why he did not
see the Wizard. The owl told Roger Skunk to go through the dark woods, under
the apple tree into the swamp, over the small river that would lead to the
Wizard's house.
Roger
Skunk went this way and soon he came to a little white house, and he tapped on
the door. And then a tiny little old man came out with a long white beard and a
pointed blue hat. The Wizard told Roger Skunk that he smelled very bad. Roger
Skunk told him that the wise old owl had told that you could help in this.
The
Wizard found his magic Wand and asked Roger Skunk what he wanted to smell like.
Roger Skunk told him that he would like to smell like roses. The Wizard chanted
some mantras and Roger Skunk started smelling like roses. But his problem of
bad smell was not really solved. Roger Skunk's mother wanted him to smell like
a little Skunk. So she took him to the Wizard and the little Skunk did not
smell of roses any more.
Q25. Roger Skunk's mother hit the wizard on his head. Do you
think it was right on her part to do so? Should the wizard hit Roger Skunk's
mother?
Ans-
Roger Skunk's mother was angry at the wizard for changing the smell of her
young one. The smell was what made a skunk different from the other animals. In
fact, this was what created the individuality which she was so proud of. For
her, it was more important to retain that individual characteristic rather than
having friends. So when the wizard changed Roger Skunk's smell into the
beautiful smell of roses, it made her very angry. In her anger and without
waiting for any justification from her son, she marched towards the wizard's
house, hit him on his head and demanded the young Skunk to be given back its
smell.
In
my opinion, it was wrong on the part of Roger Skunk's mother to hit the wizard,
since the wizard did not force Roger to change his smell and was in fact
abiding by his wishes, trying to make him happy. Instead of checking up on the
reason, she went and hit, which I believe was absolutely wrong. She could have
instead talked and sorted it out with him.
No,
it would be wrong for the wizard to hit Roger Skunk's mother. First, her
actions were a result of her love for her young one. Second, hitting in
response would have only made it a bigger issue and then there would have been
no end to the whole thing.
Q26. 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 the world from a different perspective. They look at people
and things quite differently than the way adults do. Their perspective on life
reflects simplicity and innocence. Jo has 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 which made him very happy.
Other little animals were now attracted towards him. They now played and danced
with him.
Jo's
main anger is against the Roger Skunk's stupid mommy. 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 the 'stupid' mommy. She wants Roger's mommy to be punished. The
wizard must hit 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 young one. She is shocked when he starts smelling of roses. A
mother always loves her child. His complexion and smell does not matter for her
at all. Her love transcends all such minor things.
Q27. Do you think Jack shared an affinity with Roger Skunk?
Explain.
Ans-
No, Jack did not share any affinity with Roger Skunk. Jo's constant question
and her non acceptance of Jack's ending of the story appears to be a threat to his
authority. He believes that adults know best! Jack feels threatened by Jo's
attitude and when he finds that she is restless after he has come downstairs,
he uses the ultimate weapon of adult authority - does she want him to spank
her, he asks.
He
is reminded of his own upbringing. He was told that Mother is always right. So,
the message is clear - adults know best. He tries to enforce his views on her.
He has the typical parental attitude and opinion that parents know what is best
for their children and stifles her objections and amendments shown by his
defending the Skunk's mother (and indirectly his own).
Q28. What made Jack realize that his custom of telling a story
was turning futile?
Ans-
Jack had been telling bedtime stories and saturday nap time stories since his
daughter, Jo was two. Now, she is four. All these years, she never questioned
anything and would go off to sleep listening to the story. Through his stories,
he also wanted to inculcate his values in her and this included not questioning
anything. However, Jo had started questioning everything.
Now,
she questioned not only the story but also every statement that her parents
made. She had also developed a critical eye for the things. All this made Jack
realize that his custom of story-telling was turning futile.
Q29. At the end of the story-telling session, why does Jack
consider himself 'caught in an ugly middle position'?
Ans-
Jack was in the habit of telling stories to his child Joanne during the
evenings and on Saturday afternoons. The story on that particular day was about
Roger Skunk, who is shown to be a meek and obedient child. According to the
story, Skunk, who smelt dirty, was transformed by a wizard who makes him smell
like roses.
Mother
Skunk is livid, she goes to the wizard, slaps him, and orders him to restore
the smell of her child. Joanne did not approve of the ending. It was for the
first time that she was opposing her father. That is why, Jack considers
himself caught in an ugly middle position'.
Q30. How does Jo show her independent thinking in the story,
'Should Wizard Hit Mommy"?
Ans-
Jo shows her interest in the story right from the beginning. When he selected
the 'Skunk', she was reminded of the creature taught them in the school. She
interrupts the normal rhythm of the story asking questions and pacifying her
queries. She gives her independent thinking specially when Jo gives the ending
to the story.
Being
a child of four years old, she thinks that 'Mommy' is protective always but
when she beats the wizard, who solved the problem of the Skunk by changing him
in rose smell, she becomes infuriated and her individual thinking forces her to
argue with her father to change the story. Her individuality says that what
children demand should be done as children are away from harsh reality. Her
independent thinking makes the father disturbed because she lives in a
'rose-tinted world'. That's why she insisted the wizard should hit the mommy.
OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1. Name the author of "Should Wizard Hit Mommy "?.
A) John Updike
B)
Pearl S. Buck
C)
Kalki
D)
Susan Hill
Q2. What is Jo a short form of?
(a)
John
(b)
Joe
(c) Joanne
(d)
Jane
Q3. What did mommy skunk call the smell of roses?
(a)
Pleasant
(b)
Unusual
(c)
Heavenly
(d) Awful
Q4. What did Roger want to smell like?
A)
marigold
B)
Sunflower
C)
Jasmine
D) Rose
Q5. What did the wizard demand to make Roger smell like a rose?
A)
10 pennies
B)
4 pennies
C)
5 pennies
D) 7 pennies
Q6. Where did the wizard suggest Roger to get rest three
pennies?
A)
from a tree
B)
from a river
C)
from the ocean
D) from a magic well
Q7. What advice did the wise owl give to Roger Skunk?
A)
to visit his friends
B)
to think deeply
C)
to consult his mother
D) to consult the wizard
Q8. Why was Roger's Mom angry with him?
A) because of new rosy smell
B)
because of new dress
C)
because of new appearance
D)
none
Q9. What did the Wizard ask Roger?
A)
what did he want to have
B)
what did he want to eat
C) what did he want to smell like?
D)
None
Q10. What did Roger want to smell like?
A)
marigold
B)
Sunflower
C)
Jasmine
D) Rose
Q11. What was the name of Jo's brother?
A) Bobby
B)
Jack
C)
Skunk
D)
Johny
Q12. Roger Skunk's smell makes_____creatures run away
(a) Woodland
(b)
Wood York
(c)
Yorkshire
(d)
Wood hills
Q13. Jack narrates the story in the evenings and for ____naps.
(a)
Monday
(b) Saturday
(c)
Sunday
(d)
Tuesday
Q14. Jo is now nearly____ years old.
(a)
2
(b)
3
(c) 4
(d)
5
Q15. What does a 4 year old child symbolise in the story?
(a) innocence
(b)
smartness
(c)
obstinacy
(d)
none
Q16. How does Jo want the wizard to behave with Roger's mother?
(a)
nicely
(b)
politely
(c)
rudely
(d) She wants the wizard to hit her
Q17. How did Jo want the story of Roger Skunk to end?
A) wanted to punish Roger's mother
B)
wanted to hit her
C)
wanted to kill her
D)
wanted to beat her
Q18. What did Roger's mother decide finally?
A) to take him back to awful wizard and get his bad smell back
B)
to take him with her
C)
to get him new smell
D)
none
Q19. What idea does Jo not approve?
A)
Roger's mother have rosy smell
B)
Wizard hit Roger's mother
C) Roger's mother hit the wizard
D)
None
Q20. Should Wizard hit mommy?' is a within a story.
A) story
B)
digression
C)
metaphor
D) moral
JCERT/JAC Hindi Elective प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
Index
Flamingo | |
Poetry Section | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
6. | |
Prose Section | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
6. | |
7. | |
8. | |
Vistas | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
6. | |
7. | |
8. | |
