BONKU BABU’S FRIEND

ANALYSIS
You have to admire a short story writer who crafts titles for his tales long before
they are gathered into a collection that serve to indicate the overarching thematic
concept linking those efforts together. A more than serviceable analysis of the
short fiction of Satyajit Ray can readily be composed simply by noting a
recurrence among the titles of his stories. From “The Hungry Septopus” through “I
Am a Ghost” to “The Scarecrow” as well as most of the various and stories in
between, the titles of Ray’s stories implicitly promise at least the likelihood of
making the familiar seems strange or the strange seem familiar.
The story “Bhuto” is a perfect example. Like any good writer of the 20th century,
Ray produced an unsettling story about a ventriloquist and his dummy. This, of
course, was already intensely familiar ground even by the time “Bhuto” appeared
and yet Ray manages to do something innovative with the trope and make this
familiar territory seem almost unexplored. The way he managed to pull off this
magic trick seems obvious in retrospect, but is actually almost revolutionary. He
situates his story of the psychologically tangled relationship between belly
speaker and his doll back in time when the act was still such a novelty that people
probably actually did refer to it “ventricollosium or whatever it is called!”

“The Hungry Septopus” is a title alone that creates a whirlwind of conflicting

perception between the familiar and the strange. It may take a moment or two to
latch onto the idea that the title creature carries the familiarity engendered by its
real-life inspiration, the octopus. But even after that connection is established,
the average reader is unlikely to be prepared for just how far into unfamiliar lands
this connection treads. And lands is appropriate because unlike its eight-tentacled
cousin, the seven tentacles of the septopus is found in “a dense forest near Lake
Nicaragua in Central America.” Not in Lake Nicaragua, notice, but in the woods
nearby. And that pretty much encapsulates the effect of reading Ray’s short
stories because unexpected sense of alienation and dislocation within a perfectly
recognizable reality is the fuel that powers the engine of Ray’s literary inspiration.
Ray’s imagination was such that his stories run the gamut of just about every
imaginable topic. There are con men trying to sell dinosaur eggs, android butlers,
vicious vampires, lonely ghosts, math teachers, actors, and various eccentrics,
chameleons, and comedians. Characters intensely familiar to most readers, all,
and yet by the time their stories are done, one may feel the dizziness or nausea
associated with a world suddenly turned upside down.
An analysis of Satyajit Ray’s "Bonku Babu's Friend" can address a number of the
short story's formal characteristics. Analysis of a work of fiction may include
genre, themes, characters, and plot. The genre of this story could be considered
science fiction because it includes an alien character, but it might be classified as
fantasy because Bonku may have imagined the incident.
As the title suggests, one of the story’s important themes is friendship. Because
the author does not clearly identify who the "friend" is, an analysis could propose
more than one character who would fit this role and support the choice with
evidence from the story. Does Bonku have close human friends? If not, a related
theme of alienation and isolation could also be addressed in association with the
identification of Bonku’s friend as the extraterrestrial Ang. Another possible
theme to explore is national and regional pride, as various characters express
their feelings about their village and its place in the world and the universe.
The characters might be analyzed in terms of being static or dynamic. Because
character development of the protagonist, Bonku, is a significant element of the
story, the analysis can connect character with plot. One question to address
would be how these changes are stimulated by his encounter with Ang—whether
real or imagined.
Friendship: One of the central themes of the story is friendship. Bonku Babu, the
protagonist, forms a bond with a mysterious friend who is initially unknown to the
readers. The story explores the depth and significance of this friendship,
highlighting how it impacts Bonku Babu’s life. It showcases the value of
companionship, trust, and support in navigating life’s challenges and finding joy in
shared experiences.
Transformation and Growth: Another theme in the story is the transformative
power of relationships. Through his friendship with the mysterious character,
Bonku Babu undergoes a personal transformation. He learns new perspectives,
gains confidence, and develops a broader understanding of the world. The story
highlights how friendships have the potential to change individuals, expand their
horizons, and help them discover their true selves.
Exploration and Curiosity: The mysterious friend introduces Bonku Babu to a
world beyond his familiar surroundings, exposing him to new ideas, places, and
experiences. The story encourages a sense of wonder, the desire to explore the
unknown, and the willingness to embrace change and adventure.
Human Connection: The story emphasizes the importance of human connection
and the impact it can have on an individual’s life. Bonku Babu’s friendship
demonstrates the fundamental need for social interaction and emotional bonds.
It suggests that genuine connections can bring joy, fulfillment, and a sense of
belonging. He realises that true friendship was not embodied in Sripati
Majumdar’s pranks however long the bond was. He could feel it the strongest
with somebody who could not be called a human, and extraterrestrial being, Ang.
Imagination and Fantasy: Satyajit Ray often incorporated elements of imagination
and fantasy in his works, and this story is no exception. The theme of imagination
is woven into the narrative, as Bonku Babu’s friend introduces him to a world that
stretches the limits of his imagination. It encourages readers to embrace their
own imagination and appreciate the power of storytelling and creativity.
The Theme of Friendship
The theme of friendship is best expressed through the relationship between
Bonku Babu and lawyer Sripati Majumdar. Every weekend Bonku Babu would go
to Majumdar’s house to visit him. Then, they would be joined by other friends like
Nidhu Babu and Chandi Babu. The friends would share stories about everything
including aliens and rockets. As well, the theme of friendship is displayed in the
relationship between Bonku Babu and Ang, the alien from the planet Craneus.
Bonku Babu and Ang meet and become friends instantly.
Contemptuous Behavior
Bonku Babu is treated disrespectfully by everyone around him. The contemptuous
behavior of his students as well as his friends is clear. However, Bonku Babu
remains silent and calm despite being disdained by his students. Whenever he
makes a statement, his friends start laughing at him. The mockery is so intense
that he becomes emotional sometimes. The contemptuous behavior comes to an
end when he meets Ang, an alien from the planet Craneus.
The Theme of Deception and Conmanship
The theme of deception is displayed in the story, “The Pterodactyl’s egg.” Badan
Babu is conned by a stranger who deceives him that he can make his son read
entertaining stories. Badan Babu’s son had lost interest in reading stories. The
man claims to have created a time machine to lure Badan Babu into giving him
money. After performing some antics, the man managed to go with Badan Babu’s
wallet.
The Theme of Memory and the Past
The theme of memory and the past is seen in the story, “Fritz.” Jayanto, who is a
friend to the narrator, reminisces about the past when he was living in Bundi. He
remembers about his Swiss doll, Fritz. Jayanto asserts that he loved Fritz so much
until two stray dogs destroyed it. The memories about Fritz make him start
behaving strangely to the surprise of the narrator, Sankhar.
The Theme of Hope and Ambition
In the story of Bhuto, the theme of hope and ambition is largely explored. Naveen
Munshi is a college dropout who aspires to become a ventriloquist. However,
when he approaches Akrur Choudhary to help him, he is met with resistance.
Naveen is ambitious and goes on to teach ventriloquism by himself. He perfects
the art of ventriloquism and becomes an expert to the chagrin of Akrur
Choudhary.

SYMBOLS
Babu's dog
In "Ashamanja Babu's Dog," Babu's dog symbolizes subservience and control.
Babu wants to have a dog so that he can exert over it, perhaps due to a lack of
power he feels in his own life.

The City
For Bose in "Indigo," the city represents commotion and chaos, which he doesn't
identify with and wants to escape from. For this reason, he often took short trips
"far away from the hectic life of Calcutta from time to time."
The light in the house
In "Indigo" when Bose is stranded at the side of the road, he begins to lose hope.
However, as his surroundings darken he becomes aware of a "rectangle of orange
light." He quickly realizes that this light belongs to a nearby house and that he has
some hope of getting back on track with his journey. As such, the light in the
house ultimately represents hope.
Calcutta
Calcutta is a motif found in many of Ray's stories, which is not surprising
considering he was born there. He describes the scenery and culture of Calcutta
using imagery and detailed description, bringing the city to life in his stories.
Colonialism
Colonialism and its repercussions are key motifs of Ray's stories. Ray often writes
about the colonization of India, the relationship between England and India in
modern times, and the impact it has had on Indian culture.

Seeing the light metaphor

In "Ashamanja Babu's Dog," Ashamanja is described as having "just seen the
light," when he realizes why the dog is laughing. This is a metaphor to describe
how he became suddenly aware of the reason behind the dog's laughter.
Strike terror in the heart metaphor
The storm is described using a metaphor in the following passage: "I had no idea
that driving through open country, such a nor'wester could strike terror into the
heart." Here, the storm metaphorically strikes terror in the heart of the
protagonist, making him feel fearful and nervous.
Storm metaphor
The protagonist uses another metaphor to describe the storm, emphasizing the
fact they are seemingly cruel. He tells us that storms "show a nasty side of nature;
a vicious assault on helpless humanity."
Bathed in moonlight
In "Indigo," Bose (in his new form) describes how the landscape outside the
bungalow was "bathed in moonlight." This metaphor is used to beautifully
describe the light of the moon, and how it seemingly saturates his surroundings.

Truth simile
In "Indigo" when the protagonist's car breaks down he describes how the truth of
his situation "struck [him] like a hammer blow." This simile emphasizes the weight
of this truth and how it felt to Bose.
1. 1
Why was the dog laughing?
At the end of "Ashamanja Babu's Dog," we learn why the dog was
laughing at the American businessman. Ashamanja tells the reporter
that the dog was laughing because the "gentleman thinks money can
buy everything." This marks a sense of affinity between Ashamanja and
the dog and symbolizes the fact that the protagonist is reclaiming his
power, showing the American businessman that money doesn't always
equate to power.

2. 2
What do many of Ray's protagonists have in common?'
Interestingly, many of Ray's protagonists are similar kinds of characters.
Firstly, they are often residents of Calcutta, and through them, Ray
beautifully describes the vibrancy of the city. Additionally, the
protagonists often feel the need to escape from the hustle and bustle of
city life.

Ray stated himself in an interview that he "usually likes to write about

lonely people and things happening to them." Indeed, many of Ray's
protagonists suffer from loneliness and have a desire for
companionship and connection.

3 What is the significance of Ashamanja's dog being English?

In "Ashamanja Babu's Dog," we learn that the protagonist, Ashamanja,
really wants a dog. Specifically, he wants an English dog, and decides
that he wants it to have an English name:

"How nice would it be if his dog obeyed such commands! Ashamanja

Babu liked to believe that dogs belonged to the English race. Yes, an
English dog and he would be its master."
Here, we see a certain power dynamic playing out. Ashamanja, an
Indian man, desires to have control over an English dog. As readers, we
might see this as a manifestation of the lack of control Ashamanja feels
due to the historical colonization of India, and a desire to take back the
power his country lost.