Yet he conciously followed the troubling events that shook our century and his books
reflect the problems man has stumbled over on his way ahead (and back...).
Recurring themes in his works are identity, guilt and innocence, self-image and the
problems that come up when we form images of others and see them only through
this narrow channel.

Another issue of Frisch that is one of the leitmotifs of his literary as well as his poli-
tical writings is his Swiss home. Switzerland's self-image as a respected consensus
democracy, a cradle of human-rights and tolerance is thoroughly questioned and
revised in Frisch's works. The small alpine country is itself a minature stage where
problems, struggles, ideologies and pretensions become evident in a focused
representation of the modern world.

Yet his position lacks the annoyingly permanent ideological raised finger that is 
characteristic for other authors such as Bertolt Brecht who has inspired Frisch in
the use of his form and style of the so called epic theatre.

Frisch is more of a moralist who lets his readers explore the depths of the human
soul and sets the path for him to draw his own conclusions while enjoying a good
book or an evening at the theatre. It is self-recognition not promoting an ideology that
Frisch is aiming at. In his plays he does not present the reader or the viewer with a
version of the world that pretends to be objective - Frisch believes that reality evolves
in the mind and imagination of every individual. All that the playwright can thus hope
for is to substitute this story that we deem reality.
It is only in this sense, as a "change of ideas" that real change is possible.