Preview

lather and nothing else

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
304 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
lather and nothing else
People must make a choice to resolve their problems when they are in trouble of their own inner conflicts. In the short story “Lather and Nothing Else” by Hernando Tellez, the barber conflicted himself because he must make a decision whether he killed the Captain Torres or not without danger.
The barber’s first decision for resolving the conflict was simply to kill Captain Torres because Captain Torres was on a foray against his fellow revolutionaries. This would be a natural way of thinking for him to do it because he wanted to revenge for his friends. The barber described how easy he could kill the captain and he imaged he had killed the Captain and his flood flowed all over the floor. “And so, which will it be? Murderer or hero? My fate hangs on the edge of his razor blade” (Pg. 364). If the barber had killed the captain, captain’s men would catch and kill him. This is the most important to him ---being a conscientious barber. And now come to his second decision to solve the inner conflict which he could not kill the captain. The barber “does not want to stain his hands with blood. Just with lather and nothing else” (Pg. 365). He didn’t want to lose his life because he knew someone is outside of the barber shop. They were going to catch him if he killed Captain “No one deserves the sacrifice others make in becoming assassins” (P345) revealed the barber had understood that it was morally wrong to kill another human being, no matter what the circumstances were .In conclusion, in the beginning of the story the barber was stuck in a dilemma—kill Captain or not.However, the barber finally decided not to be a murder, just simply a barber and values for his job.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Secondly, the barber would have been a coward because he would have to flee leaving all he had behind. He was well aware that he would have to run and thus he made a statement, “I would have to flee, leaving all I had behind, and take a refuge far away” (51). He would have to run, saving himself from Torres’ people. As he would have killed the captain cowardly, he had to hide his face from the society. He would have to find places to hide himself from Torres’ people. He might also have to lose his job. Furthermore, the barber would have been a coward because, he was vulnerable. He was weak and afraid of killing captain Torres, especially with his eyes open. Thus, when the captains’ eyes were closed, he whispered, “I could cut his throat just so – Zip, Zip! I would not give him time to resist and since his eyes were closed he would not see the glistening blade and my glistening eyes” (50). The barber would have thought that as the captains’ eyes were closed he might not come to know about his thoughts. The barber would even not give him the chance to perform any such actions which would create problems for him. Thus all such thoughts of the barber, about killing the…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The barber relationship with Captain Torres is an unstable and dangerous relationship. The tension between the two at that extent creates a setting of discomfort and distrust .the reader have a clear understanding of the type of atmosphere or mood the barber and Torres face. This allows the reader to think…

    • 389 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Opinion Essay Rough Copy The barber shouldn’t kill Torres. At the end of the story Torres tells the barber everyone thought he would be killed if he came to get his beard cut. The barber is clearly a well known man.…

    • 350 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The main character, the barber, an important character in the development of the story, has to deal with a life changing decision; he can either kill his enemy, Captain Torres, or he can choose a higher path and give him the perfect shave. Firstly, the barber has too much pride in his work. ‘’One of the tiny pores could be opened up and issue forth its pearl of blood. A good barber such as I prides…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Captain Torres should have been killed, as he was a cruel man who had killed and tortured in the past many. The barber had him right in his hands, but he didn't take the chance of killing him knowing that there would be an end of his killing and his terror. With Captain Torres dead, many civilians and rebels would be filled with relief that their life wouldn't be in danger every day. Many people would praise the barber for the deed that has been done to save many lives. However, at the same time, others would have gone to the barber to get revenge on Captain Torres.…

    • 171 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    I walked in hung my cartridge studded belt with a pistol holster suspended from it on a hook in the wardrobe and hung my hat above it. I turned around toward the barber, loosened my tie and said “It’s hot as the devil, I want a shave” with that I sat down and waited for him. It has been four days since my last shave; I have been out on the foray looking for rebels. He started to apply the shaving soap, he scraped a bit of the soap and applied some warm water and the lather began to rise. “We caught the leaders. Some of the brought back dead and some alive.” With a troubled tone he asked “How many did you take” I replied fourteen and with that he put the sheet on me and began to work. He started carefully; he slowly removed my beard I could feel his hand trembling. He knew who I was, Captain Torres the leader of the regime fighting the rebels like himself I was told if I come in or a shave he would kill me. I just had to find out if he would, I leaned back exposing my neck and closed my eyes and waited for him to finish. Once he finished I got said thanked him adjusted my buckle straightened my gun, put my hat on and pulled some coins out of my pocket as payment and headed towards the door. I stopped at the threshold and told the barber that “They said you would kill me. I came to find out if it was…

    • 277 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The barber would have killed Captain Torres for the sake of the revolutionary group he was part of. However, there were risks that came with killing the captain: "I would have to flee, leaving all I have behind, and take refuge far away, far, far away. But they would follow until they found me." (Tellez, 16) Jack on the other hand, was mainly driven with the force of his own selfish reasons to be highly regarded among the boys, to get another chance at being leader. As seen in these stories as well as in human nature, a selfish motive is usually more motivating than a motive to help others; Jack decided to kill, while the barber decided not to because of the risks that were…

    • 628 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In conclusion, decision making comes in all forms. In these stories there decision making played a key role in their lives. When George Washington decided to resign as president, when the narrator in ‘’The Scarlet Ibis” decide to teach Doodle, and when Jim and Della both sold their most prized possessions to get what the other wanted. In these three stories the main factor was decisions…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the book, being a barber is the protagonist’s profession and desire. I can connect this to myself because I have a strong desire to play the piano 6 years ago, and I continue to do it today. This shows the similarities between the story and the experience in myself, by showing the type of passion that you are interested in and doing an activity that you are proficient in. In the quote, “I was also a conscientious barber, and proud of the preciseness of my profession, and this four days growth of beard was a fitting challenge,” this shows how the protagonist (the barber) expressed his enjoyment in shaving people and being a barber by using the words “proud”. Also, he expresses how he is dedicated into correctly shaving people, as well not showing any complaints of any challenges that he faces, which proves that it is his profession that he enjoys by not backing out in any circumstances.This also shows that he had no intention of killing Torres, even if he was faced with a decision in the future since shaving people is much more important in his life. In my experience with the piano, this shows that it is unlikely that I would play another instrument instead of the one that I had played for several years if given the decision to, which shows the amount of desire when playing the…

    • 818 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Inner conflict is the number one cause of depression and anxiety that is now found in approximately 3.2 million Canadian youth in today’s society. It is often an internal fight, man against self, one of the hardest battle one will ever have to face. With daily life, choices are always presented, and are made much harder when one is dealing with self conflict themselves. In the short story “ Choices” Susan Kerslake presents us with a young lady, Peggy, who starts of with making simple choices in the beginning of the story and later on bigger decisions that impact her choices from before. Another example of inner conflict is displayed in the poem “ My Last Duchess” by Robert Browning. In this poem the duke struggles with extreme jealousy towards…

    • 1037 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lather or Blood

    • 768 Words
    • 2 Pages

    “Just Lather, That’s All” tends to set confliction in the minds of its readers. “The day he ordered the whole town to file into the patio of the school to see the four rebels hanging there, I came face to face with him for an instance. But the sight of the mutilated bodies kept me from noticing the face of the man who had directed it all, the face I was about to take into my hands,” said the barber. This quote shows the barber’s realization and emotion over the situation. “On the other hand I, with his razor in my hands, stroking and restroking his skin, trying to keep blood from oozing from these pores, can’t even think clearly. Curse him for coming, because I’m a revolutionary and not a murderer. And how easy it would be to kill him. And he deserves it. Does he? No! No one deserves to have someone else make the sacrifice of becoming a murderer. What do you gain by it? Nothing,” he thinks. This shows precisely the confliction and confusion of the barber’s emotions on the subject of murder.…

    • 768 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    What were the geopolitical realities of Europe at the end of the 19th century? What alliances were the result? What destabilized the alliance system?…

    • 1470 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Secret River Context Essay

    • 1424 Words
    • 6 Pages

    “There is some good in the worst of us, and some bad in the best of us. When we discover this, we become less prone to hating our enemies” once deliberated Martin Luther King jr, a key figure in the American Civil rights movement, and a man that constantly strived for equality in racial-fuelled disputes, a key aspect of that being understanding when to and when not to engage in such dissension. His teaching can be instilled into the majority of conflicts faced in day-to-day life, and how crucial the choice can be when deciding whether or not to interfere. Many people adopt the ‘avoid conflict at all costs’ stance, removing themselves from any discord no matter how large the consequences may be. Admirable as it may be to some, to completely avoid confronting conflict without first evaluating the seriousness of it is simply cowardice, and a complete disregard for the ingrained ethical code branded into humans. Some disputes are so significant, perhaps proving to be seminal for the development of history that neglecting involvement in them could be detrimental for, depending on the scale, mankind or as narrow as personal failure.…

    • 1424 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Going through conflict can force people’s lives to change drastically both physically and mentally. It can improve someone’s mental state and make them a stronger person or it can completely ruin them.…

    • 496 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Encountering Conflict

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Without conflict we won’t truly know the capacity of someone’s inner strength and understanding. Conflict is a true test which raises issues that otherwise wouldn’t be raised, issues which need to be dealt with in order for us to grow as a person. As well as testing a person’s inner strength and understanding it can also expose their weaknesses and flaws.…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays