The document outlines a story told by Jack to his four-year-old daughter Jo, about a character named Roger Skunk who wishes to change his smell to make friends. The narrative explores Jo's interactions and emotional responses to the story, reflecting her growing comprehension and moral inquiries. Additionally, it addresses the relationship dynamics between Jo, her parents, and the themes of parental decision-making versus children's autonomy.

1. SHOULD
John Updike
WHIT
IZARD
MOMMY?
Presented by: ASHWINI KUMAR

2. JOHN UPDIKE
PLACE OF BIRTH:
Reading, Pennsylvania, (U.S)
OCCUPATION:
Novelist, short-story writer, poet, literary critic, artist
NOTABLE WORKS:
NOVELS: Rabbit Angstrom, The Witches of Eastwick
STORIES: Henry Bech
John Hoyer Updike
BORN: March 18, 1932
DIED: January 27, 2009
Age : 76 Years
Ashwini Kumar

3. Main Characters
THE FAMILY
Jack – Father
Jo – Daughter
(Joanne) 4 years old

4. Sub characters in the story:
THE FAMILY
Clare – Jo’s Mother
Bobby – Jo’s brother
(Two years old)

5. Main Characters
JACK’S STORY (Story within a story)
Roger Skunk:
The Wise old
Owl:
Old Wizard :
Mother Skunk :

6. THE CUSTOM OF STORY TELLING
• Jack used to tell his daughter, Jo, a story in the Saturday
evening.
• Jo was told story since she was two years old.
• The stories told by Jo’s father (Jack) were based on a basic
tale.
• Jack used to cook the stories himself and now the ideas were
all being used.
• Now Jo is four years old.
by father to daughter
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7. THE BASIC TALE
BASED ON A SMALL CREATURE
Roger Fish
NAMED ROGER
Roger Squirrel
Roger Chipmunk
Already covered characters
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8. THE BASIC TALE
1) Roger had a problem.
2) He (Roger) went with the problem to the wise old owl.
3) The wise old owl suggested him to go to the Wizard.
4) The wizard performed a magic spell and solved Roger’s problem.
5) Demanded a number of pennies (coins) more than Roger had.
6) The Wizard guided Roger to get the extra pennies from a place.
7) Roger became happy and played games with other creatures.
8) Roger went home just in time.
9) He heard the train whistle that brought hid daddy home from Boston.
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9. Roger Skunk’s Story
• Roger Skunk was a tiny little creature.
• He smelled very bad. He was called as ‘Roger Stinky Skunk’.
• No other woodland creatures played with him. They would run away from him and
leave him alone.
• Roger Skunk came to the old wise Owl who lived in a huge tree for help. The Owl
directs him to go and see the Wizard.
• Roger Skunk had to go through the dark woods, under the apple trees, into the
swamp and over the crick to reach the Wizard’s little white house.
Jo suggested the character – “SKUNK”
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10. • The Wizard listened to the problem of Roger Skunk and asked him
what he wanted to smell like.
• Roger Skunk wished to be smelled like roses.
• The Wizard chanted with his magic stick:
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11. • Suddenly there was smell of roses everywhere. Roger Skunk
started smelling like roses.
• The Wizard asked 7 pennies(coins)from Roger Skunk as payment.
• Roger Skunk had only 4 pennies so he began to cry.
• The Wizard suggests Roger Skunk to obtain remaining 3 pennies.
“Go to the end of the lane and turn around three times and look down the
magic well and there you will find three pennies.”
• Roger Skunk did the same and gave 7 pennies to the Wizard.
• He happily ran out into the woods and all the other little animals
gathered around him and played many games with him.
• They played all afternoon and it began to get dark.
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12. • When Roger Skunk reached home, his mother got angry and
irritated to find him smelling like roses.
• She was of the opinion that a skunk should smell like skunk only.
• She took an umbrella and immediately rushed to the Wizard in an
anger with Roger Skunk.
• She hit the Wizard right over his head.
• The Wizard made Roger Skunk smell very bad again as skunks do.
• Roger Skunk and his mommy went home and they heard the
whistle of the train bringing Daddy Skunk home from Boston.
• They had delicious dinner and at when Roger Skunk was in bed
Mommy Skunk came up and hugged him and said he smelled like
her little baby skunk again and loved him very much.
Gradually, all the other little animals also got used to the smell
of Roger Skunk and played with him. The little skunk loved his
Mommy more than any other little animals.
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13. Jo (Joanne)
1) Four year daughter of John and Clare.
2) Eager to listen to the story told by her father for
Saturday naps.
3) Suggests suggested the name ‘Skunk’ for the
story’s Character.
4) She empathized with Roger Skunk and tears
rolled down her eyes when John told that Roger
Skunk was not liked by any tiny animal and so
he would cry when left alone.
5) She was an eager listener and would suggest
the next incident of the story. By saying: “Won’t
he see the owl?” “The Wizard, the wizard.”
6) She was in a new phase of life. She had started
comprehending and analyzing.
7) She asked her father “Are magic spells real?”
8) Last month, when she was told spiders eat
bugs, she asked, “Do they really?”
9) When she was told by Clare that God was in the
sky and all around them she said “Is He really?”
10) When she didn’t know the meaning of any word
she asked “What’s a crick?”
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14. Jo (Joanne)
1) When Jack told that the wizard didn’t have any cleaning lady, Jo immediately asked “Why?”
2) When Jack told that the Wizard was a very old man, Jo asked “Will he die?”
3) When Jack uttered “Roger Fish” by mistake, Jo corrected by saying “Daddy, Roger Skunk, You
said Riger Fish.”
4) When Jack mentioned the “Pick up sticks”, Jo asked, “What’s Pick-up-sticks?”
5) Jo even matched the sticks of ‘Pick up sticks’ with the wizard’s magic wand.
6) When Jack mentioned that Roger Skunk’s mother didn’t like the small of roses coming from her
baby, Jo sat up dabbling her hands in air. She suggested her father the next step in the story.
7) When Jack mentioned that the mother skunk hit the wizard with the umbrella, jo immediately
revolted and suggested her father to say “Then the wizard hit her on the head and did not
change that little skunk back.”
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15. Jo (Joanne)
1) When Jo didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘eventually’ she immediately
asked the meaning.
2) Jo even demanded her father by saying, “Tomorrow, I want you to tell me the
story that that wizard took that magic wand and hit that mommy.”
3) She demanded again by saying, “Tomorrow you say he hit that mommy.”
4) Jack gave the value of family bond by saying - “The point is that the little
skunk loved his mommy more that he loved all the other little creatures and
she knew what was right.”
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16. Other details
1) Jack was telling the story to his four year old daughter, Jo, in the
bedroom upstairs.
2) In the room, downstairs, Clare (Jack’s wife) was involved in painting
the living-room woodwork.
3) Jack wanted to finish the story and help Clare downstairs.
4) Clare was six months pregnant. So Jack didn’t want her to handle
moving the furniture. They were expecting their third child.
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17. Other details
1) Downstairs, Clare was wearing Jack’s old shirt on top of her
maternity smock and was stroking the chair rail with a
dipped brush.
2) Almost all things like, the cage of moldings and rails and
baseboards were half painted with new ivory by Clare.
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18. THE MAIN IDEA
The story deals with a child's view of the world and the difficult
moral questions she raises during her story sessions with her
father. It also raises the issue whether parents should decide
for their children or children should decide for themselves.
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19. SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1) What was the cause of Roger Skunk's sadness?
2) How did the Wizard help Roger Skunk?
3) How did Roger Skunk's Mommy react when he went home
smelling of roses? How did the Skunk's mother get him his old
smell back?
4) Why did Jo want the wizard to hit mommy?
5) Was Roger skunk's mother justified in forcing him to retain
his original smell?
6) How did Jack justify his ending of the story?
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20. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1) What is Jack's way of telling stories? Why is it appealing?
2) Why does Jo want the Wizard to hit Mommy? Justify your
answer on the basis of the story ?
3) How does Jo want the story to end? Why?
4) Give short description of:
a) Jack
b) Jo
c) Roger Skunk
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21. Ashwini Kumar