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Refund by Fritz Karinthy

                                                              Refund by Fritz Karinthy


Introduction

Fritz Karinthy was a famous Hungarian writer known for his humorous and satirical works. He often used comedy to criticize society and the education system.

About the One-Act Play

The Refund is a funny one-act play. It talks about a former student named Wasserkopf who comes back to his old school. He says that the school did not teach him anything. So he asks the school to give back the money he paid as tuition fees.

Wasserkopf and His Demand

Wasserkopf meets the headmaster and teachers. He complains that he learned nothing in school. Because of this, he demands a refund of his tuition fees. The teachers are worried because if they fail him again, they will have to return the money.

The Retest
The teachers decide to conduct a retest for Wasserkopf. They ask him questions in different subjects like manners, physical culture, alertness, perseverance, logic, and ambition. The teachers secretly plan to pass him so that the school will not lose money.

The Trick of the Mathematics Teacher
The mathematics teacher is very clever. He understands that the other teachers are trying to help Wasserkopf pass the test. So he asks questions in a special way to trick him.

Questions by the Teachers

History Master
The History teacher asks, “How long did the Thirty Years’ War last?”
Wasserkopf gives a silly answer: “7 meters.”
Still, the teacher praises him and says his answer is correct.

Physics Master
The Physics teacher asks about optical illusion.
Wasserkopf gives a strange answer: “Ass.”
The teacher again explains the answer in a funny way and says it is correct.

Geography Master
The Geography teacher asks, “What is the capital of Brunswick?”
Wasserkopf answers: “Same.”
The teacher again pretends that the answer is correct.

Mathematics Teacher
First, the Mathematics teacher asks an easy question:
“What is the circumference of a 109-sided polyhedron?”
Wasserkopf gives the wrong answer, but the teacher still says it is correct.

Then the teacher asks a very difficult question:
What is the exact amount of tuition fees that we must pay you?
This time, Wasserkopf quickly gives the correct answer because it is about money.

Conclusion
At the end, the teachers declare that Wasserkopf has passed the test. Because he passed, the school does not need to return the money. The play is humorous and shows the weaknesses of the education system in a funny way.

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