The Wizard Character Analysis

The Wizard is the character in Jack’s stories who usually presents the solution to whatever problem Roger is facing. He does this by performing a magic spell that reverses Roger’s predicament, making Roger very happy. In the story of Roger Skunk, however, the wizard is the antagonist, changing Roger’s scent against the wishes of Roger’s mother, and therefore altering one of Roger’s innate biological traits. The wizard also proves a divisive character for Jack and Jo. Jo believes that the wizard’s actions were justified, and therefore he has every right to hit Roger’s mother and refuse to reverse his spell. Jack, on the other hand, sides with Roger’s mother and believes that the wizard should reverse the spell to make Roger’s mother happy. In this way, the Wizard represents a sense of freedom from obligation, as he enables Roger to do the things he wants to do without regard for the consequences or his family’s feelings. Too young to have her own sense of personal duty, Jo is unable to understand how the Wizard could be wrong, but Jack, who sees himself as having compromised many of his goals and much of his freedom out of a sense of duty, knows that the wizard cannot win.