Conflict present in the Short story Fritz ?
Answers
In Fritz by Satyajit Ray we have the theme of memory, innocence, worry, control, letting go, friendship, fear and conflict. Taken from his The Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Shankar and after reading the story the reader realises that Ray may be exploring the theme of memory. Jayanto can remember when he was a child and he visited Bundi. Throughout the story he recalls incidents of his time in Bundi telling Shankar not only about the deodar tree but about Fritz as well. For Jayanto the time he spent in Bundi when he was a child is mostly a happy and innocent time. Apart from when Fritz was torn apart by two dogs. It is also noticeable that Jayanto is afraid while in his in Bundi. He believes that while he was sleeping Fritz had come into his room and walked across the bed. Though Jayanto believes this the reality is it did not and could not have happened. If anything Jayanto most likely feel asleep thinking about Fritz and then dreamt of Fritz. Such is his renewed attachment to Fritz. This may be important as Ray may be highlighting to the reader the fact that Jayanto has never really let go of Fritz. There is also a sense that though Jayanto was a happy child his transition to teenager and subsequently to man has not been smooth. Throughout the story Jayanto is uncomfortable.