FRITZ

A Critical Appreciation
Satyajit Ray had been known for his humanism,
versatility and detailed control over his films and their
music. He was one of the greatest film makers of the 20th
century. Satyajit Ray also wrote many short stories
centered on thriller, horror as well as paranormal
activities. ‘Fritz’ is one such story. It is based on the faith
of the occult and metamorphism. Frits is a German doll, a
soft toy in swiss outfit. It had been given to Jayanto by his
uncle who had returned from Europe, shortly before
Jayanto left for Bundi with his parents.
One of Jayanto’s uncles had brought for him
from Switzerland a twelve-inch-long figure of
an old man, dressed in traditional Swiss style.
Apparently, it was very lifelike. Although it
was not mechanized it was possible to bend
and twist its limbs. Its face had a smile on it
and, on its head, it wore a Swiss cap with a
little yellow feather sticking out from it. Its
clothes, especially in their little details, were

Jayanto had no doubt spent 31 years away from Bundi,

yet his memory is very sharp. Each and every detail of the
circuit house filtered through his head, and some thoughts
brought uneasiness. It was Jayanto who insisted that he
should return to Bundi and realise the changes that had
taken place. The narrator also agreed to the visit, because
they had overcome the main difficulty of getting away
together.

Although we had different

kinds of jobs, . it had
not made any difference to
our friendship
The narrator was also taken up with the circuit house, and
Jayanto realised that Bundi had not changed as much as
compared to the image he had in his mind. The only
reminders of modern times were the electric poles. It
seems as if they were back I old Rajputana.

The Jayanto
circuitfelthouse was really
and eeriness and this also
rather splendid.
reflected onBuilt
Shankar, the. narrator
during
the timethroughout their stayitinmust
of the British, Bundi. have
This idea of
eeriness had been introduced by the author.
been at Itleast a hundred
is mentioned on one suchyears
night. old.
Jayanto
It was awoke single-storeyed building
up with quilt. He later noticed small
circular footprints on it. Although he was a
littlewith a sloping
disoriented, tiled
yet he was roof.
certain thatThe
fritzrooms
had woken
uponhad highSupernaturalism
his guilt. ceilings andis the skylights
a blanket which wraps
up the story. Fritz is a classical approach which reveals in
all probability, that there is a metamorphosis of the
inanimate objects. The doll named Fritz added to the
mysteriousness indication there was an element of occult.
Satyajit Ray used supernaturalism to such an extent, that
he blended it with a bit of reality as well. He mentions the
circuit house, which might have been a hundred years old.
Once again, the author keeps moving from the present
into the past, and he also makes a reference of the reality.
The only reminders of modern times were
the electric poles. Otherwise it seemed as
though we were back in old Rajputana.
The streets were cobbled, the houses had
balconies jutting out from the first floor.
The carvings done on these and the
wooden doors bore evidence of the work
Satyajit ray has mentioned Jayanto’s intimacy with fritz
and this was a balm for curing him out of his loneliness
and boredom . The bondage of love between the world of
life and the unknown skeleton of fritz

There lay at our feet,

covered in dust, lying flat
on its back, a twelve- inch-
long, pure white, perfect
little human skeleton.