Should Wizard Hit Mommy? - John Updike

John Updike (Born: 18 March 1932 , Died: 27 January 2009)

"I want to write books that unlock the traffic jam in everybody's head."

The above mentioned quote of John Hoyer Updike rightly fits to his story 'Should wizard Hit Mommy?'

The story seems simple in style and setting which framing device in which the tale of Roger skunk has been weaved in the story of Jack and Jo, a father-daughter story. This is the story which explores two worldviews of the two different generations. One is represented by the Father, Jack and the other is represented by the daughter, Jo.

John Updike has successfully created a story which has no thrilling elements but has the beauty of simple life of a small family. In his simple story he tries to explore the reasons of generation-gap.

John Updike is well known for his craftsmanship of writing and his output is enormous. Updike created his story with characters who "frequently experience personal turmoil and must respond to crises relating to religion, family obligations, and marital infidelity. But the most important thing is that his characters belong to middle class society.

His works rightly placed him as one of America's most loved and respected litterateurs of his time.

His stories are simple, his characters are common but he crafted very complex themes in very simple and comprehensible way.

Should Wizard Hit Mommy?

Story in simple present tense 

It is Saturday afternoon jack goes to his daughter's room to tell her story to make her sleep. He asks his daughter" Who shall the story be about today?" And Jo demands the story of the skunk. The story follows this

Once in a forest there is a tiny little creature skunk named Roger and he smells very bad. Because of hid bad smell he doesn't have any friends. Whenever he goes to the woodland, other litter creatures run away from him.

Roger skunk goes to the old wise owl who advises him to go to the wizard. Following the advice of the owl Roger reaches the house of the wizard and knocks at the door. The wizard sees him distastefully but allows him in the house. There he performs the magic spells and changes the stinky smell of Roger to the fragrance of roses on the demand of Roger. He demands seven pennies but Roger has not that much money so the wizard sends him to the magic well to get the rest of the amount.. Roger follows the direction of the wizard and bring the rest of the money. After this he returns to the woodlands and others tiny creatures become his friends. Roger then plays many games with them till the evening and when the train from Boston whistles, all the baby creatures return back to their homes so does Roger skunk.

Sensing the new fragrance Mother skunk becomes irritated. 

This is a new turn in the story because in earlier stories nothing such occurs. It is a shocking blow to Jo. She does not acceptable mother's reaction.

Jack continues his story further. Mother skunk takes her son to the wizard and hits on his head. She orders the wizard to return her son's original foul smell  and the wizard does the same. 

Jo does not accept this end and she continuously demands the change of the end event of the story. She tells her father to narrate her the same story in which the  wizard hits that mother but Jack tries to convince her saying this is not the story.