FRITZ

Discuss how does the use of imagery and suspense add to the element of horror in Satyajit Ray’s
‘Fritz’.

In the story, ‘Fritz’ Satyajit Ray has used imagery in such a way so as to bring the story visually to life.
He has harmoniously blended different images to create a feeling of creepiness associated with such
an unusual ghost story. Firstly, the author has used the town of Bundi in Rajasthan for the setting of
the story in contrast to the famous tourist spots like Jaipur, Udaipur and Chittor. Secondly, the main
characters in the story stay in an old circuit house built during the time of the British, which is done
for creating the atmosphere for a ghost story. Visual images of rooms with high ceilings, long
skylights, dangling ropes and so on, have been used to describe the circuit house. Furthermore, the
author has created mysterious scenes by depicting the pensive and gloomy mood of Jayanto.

Satyajit Ray has built up an air of suspense and mystery in the story which finally leads to an unusual
end of the story. Jayanto is described in a sad and pensive mood. At first, he would recall his visit to
the place with his parents. But suddenly he goes into a flashback mode and remembers everything.
Jayanto has strangely described his obsession with a strange doll which his uncle had gifted him and
his happening after that; the destruction of the doll and Jayanto’s act of burying it. Jayanto had a
feeling that Fritz had come back to life and it was he who came to his room at night. The narrator
suggested him to dig the ground under the deodar tree to find if some remains of Fritz were
discovered. All of the above create suspense in the minds of the readers and suggest something
mysterious, unusual and evil is likely to happen.