English · Class 12 · Narratives of Identity and Change · Term 1

Should Wizard Hit Mommy?: Parental Authority

Debating the complexities of parental authority, childhood innocence, and moral dilemmas.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• CBSE: Vistas - Should Wizard Hit Mommy? - Class 12

About This Topic

The story 'Should Wizard Hit Mommy?' by John Updike presents a nuanced debate on parental authority through the bedtime tale Jack tells his daughter Jo about Roger Skunk. Jack crafts a narrative where Roger, bullied for his smell, seeks a wizard's help to smell like roses, only for his mother to insist on a fix at the doctor's to restore his natural skunk odour. This leads to tension between Jo and Jack, highlighting the clash between a child's desire for happy endings and a parent's enforcement of reality.

Jo challenges her father by questioning why the wizard does not hit the 'bad' mommy, exposing moral complexities and the limits of imagination against adult practicality. The text invites students to differentiate Jack's and Jo's perspectives, evaluate the mother's decision on Roger Skunk's identity, and analyse the conflict between childish fantasy and grown-up realism. Such exploration fosters critical thinking on family dynamics and ethical choices.

Active learning benefits this topic by encouraging students to debate and role-play perspectives, deepening empathy and analytical skills while making abstract moral dilemmas tangible and memorable.

Key Questions

1. Differentiate between Jack's and Jo's perspectives on the ending of the story.
2. Evaluate the impact of the mother's decision on Roger Skunk's identity and happiness.
3. Analyze how the story explores the conflict between a child's imagination and an adult's practical worldview.

Learning Objectives

• Compare Jack's and Jo's differing interpretations of the story's ending, citing specific textual evidence.
• Evaluate the ethical implications of the mother's insistence on Roger Skunk retaining his original smell, considering his social well-being.
• Analyze the narrative's portrayal of the conflict between a child's desire for immediate gratification and an adult's emphasis on long-term consequences.
• Critique the effectiveness of Jack's storytelling as a tool for imparting life lessons to Jo.

Before You Start

Understanding Characterization in Fiction

Why: Students need to be able to identify character traits and motivations to analyze Jack's and Jo's differing perspectives.

Identifying Themes in Literature

Why: Grasping the concept of a story's underlying message is crucial for analyzing the themes of parental authority and moral dilemmas.

Key Vocabulary

parental authority	The power and right of parents to make decisions for their children and guide their upbringing, often involving setting rules and boundaries.
moral dilemma	A situation where a difficult choice has to be made between two or more options, each of which involves a moral principle or value.
childhood innocence	The state of being young and inexperienced, often associated with a lack of awareness of the world's complexities and harsh realities.
narrative perspective	The viewpoint from which a story is told, influencing how events and characters are presented and understood by the reader.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Parents always know what is best for children.

What to Teach Instead

The story shows parental decisions can limit a child's happiness and self-identity, as the mother's choice prioritises convention over Roger's emotional needs, prompting nuanced evaluation.

Common Misconception

The story has a clear moral lesson.

What to Teach Instead

Updike presents moral relativism, with no absolute right, encouraging debate on imagination versus reality in family authority.

Common Misconception

Jo is just being childish in her protest.

What to Teach Instead

Jo's stance reflects emerging independence and ethical questioning, mirroring adolescent challenges to adult norms.

Active Learning Ideas

Perspective Debate

Students debate in pairs, one arguing Jack's view on parental wisdom, the other Jo's defence of Roger Skunk's right to change. They use story evidence to support points. Conclude with a class vote on the best ending.

20 min·Pairs

Role-Play Bedtime Story

Pairs act out the story's climax with one as Jack, one as Jo, improvising alternative endings. Others observe and note emotional tones. Discuss how performance reveals character motivations.

25 min·Pairs

Ending Rewrite

Individuals rewrite the story's ending from Roger's viewpoint, justifying choices. Share in small groups for peer feedback on moral consistency.

30 min·Individual

Moral Dilemma Mapping

Small groups map the story's dilemmas on charts, linking to real-life parent-child conflicts. Present findings to class.

35 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Child psychologists often work with parents to navigate disagreements about discipline and setting boundaries, using storytelling techniques to help children understand parental decisions.
• Family mediators assist parents and children in resolving conflicts over differing expectations and values, promoting open communication and mutual understanding in situations similar to Jack and Jo's.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'If you were Roger Skunk's mother, would you have insisted he keep his original smell? Explain your reasoning, considering both Roger's feelings and the potential social consequences.' Facilitate a class debate, encouraging students to use evidence from the story.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write two sentences from Jack's perspective and two sentences from Jo's perspective about the ending of the Roger Skunk story. This checks their ability to differentiate viewpoints.

Quick Check

Present students with a scenario: 'A child wants to eat only sweets before dinner. The parent says no.' Ask students to identify the potential parental authority issue and the child's likely desire, relating it to the story's themes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can teachers introduce the theme of parental authority?

Begin with a class discussion on personal bedtime stories and parent interventions, then read the text aloud. Use key questions to guide analysis of Jack's and Jo's views. This builds context and engagement before deeper debates, ensuring students connect literature to life experiences in CBSE Vistas curriculum.

What makes this story relevant to Class 12 students?

Adolescents question authority, much like Jo. The narrative explores identity, morality, and family roles, aligning with CBSE goals for critical thinking. It prepares students for board exams by practising perspective analysis and evaluation through textual evidence.

How does active learning enhance understanding here?

Activities like debates and role-plays let students embody Jack's and Jo's viewpoints, fostering empathy and retention. Unlike passive reading, this approach sharpens analytical skills, improves articulation, and links moral dilemmas to personal growth, vital for CBSE English proficiency.

What exam-style questions arise from this topic?

Questions may ask to differentiate perspectives or evaluate the mother's impact on Roger. Practice with 150-word responses using PEEL structure: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. Focus on conflict between imagination and practicality for high marks.