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Analysis Of Just Lather That's All

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In Hernando Téllez’s short story “Just Lather, That’s All”, the author depicts, through the use of alliteration, syntax, and symbolism, the barber's existential dilemma caused by a conflict between his two identities. This is shown by the barber's pride in his trade and his political beliefs being at odds with one another, his reluctance to start a cycle of violence, and the power dynamic between Captain Torres and the barber in his shop. To begin, as Captain Torres enters the barbershop, the barber immediately experiences an internal struggle since his identity as a rebel and an impartial barber conflict with one another. As the barber starts lathering Captain Torres’s beard, he states “Yes, I was secretly a rebel, but I was also a conscientious barber, and proud of the preciseness of my profession.” (Téllez, 2). …show more content…

The barber is prideful of his position as an experienced barber and thus, an attributed member of the community. The barber’s expansion and use of language in respect to his profession portrays a preference for one of his two identities, and displays the dignity with which he does his job. Furthermore, the mental debate the barber has is representative of his distaste for repetitive cycles of violence. As Captain Torres’s shave nears an end, the barber states, “No one deserves to have someone else make the sacrifice of becoming a murderer. What do you gain by it? Nothing. And how easy it would be to kill him. And he deserves it. Does he? No!”

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