These questions have been set to test the students’ understanding of the text and their ability to interpret, evaluate and respond to the issues raised therein. Hence no particular answer can be accepted as the only correct answer. All presentations may be accepted as equally correct provided they have been duly supported by the facts drawn from the text. The important thing is that the student should be able to justify his or her viewpoint.
Distribution of marks:
Content
:Expression:
grammatical accuracy, appropriate words and spelling
coherence and relevance of ideas and style
-Jack possessive about the details his story
-does not take kindly to Jo’s suggested changes -‘the wizard hitting mommy’
-upset with daughter questioning parental authority -felt to be in a position similar to that of his wife (in a cage with her)
-yet no sympathy for his wife -could put neither his daughter to sleep nor help his wife paint the fence
Note- minimum one point for the daughter and one for the wife
Detailed Answer :
Jack was ‘caught in an ugly middle position’ because he was caught between two difficult situations. He was unable to escape the harsh realities of life rather he tried to habituate himself to the prevailing situation. He had to manage his family with two children, his daughter Jo and his son Bobby. And hence, Jack was entangled between two worlds. The first world belonged to Roger Fish, Roger Squirrel or Roger Chipmunk where he is telling the story of a wise owl and the Wizard with a magic wand.
The world upstairs consists of his children. Jo had raised a question about whether the Wizard should hit the mommy Skunk or not. Jack was unable to satisfy her as he was very cautious about the downside world where his wife Clare was painting. The house was not well kept and the household items were scattered. They were expecting a baby and he was supposed to go and help her as she was working hard to make both the ends meet. In this way Jack was caught in an ugly middle position between the romantic world and the real world upstairs-downstairs.
