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Just Lather


            Hernando Téllez', "Just Lather, That's All-, is written informally and in the first person. The story is written with somewhat of a slanted point of view, as seen through the barber's eyes. The story includes many conflicts between different sides and imagery and symbols are used to communicate unspoken works and feelings between the barber and Captain Torres. But most importantly, Téllez uses imagery and symbols when describing Captain Torres and also with the shaving cream and razor blade. Téllez uses animalistic features and actions when describing Captain Torres. "He said nothing when he entered (p.428)."" When an animal first enters a room is as if they creep in the room silently, which is exactly how Téllez seems to describe Torres in the beginning of "Just Lather, That's All-. Animals have fur and are rugged. Téllez describes Torres as having a "four day beard- (p.428). Téllez is trying to have us see through the barber's eyes to see how inhumane and cruel Torres can be. The shaving cream represents a security blanket for the barber and a barrier between the barber and Captain Torres. At the beginning, when the barber puts on shaving cream, he is thinking rationally and calmly. He asks Torres about his career and "got on with the job of lathering his beard- (p.428). With each stroke of the blade there is less shaving cream remaining on Torres' face. And with the less shaving cream on Torres' face the less rationally the barber thinks. He thinks about how "One of the tiny pores could be opened up and issue forth its pearl of blood."" The barber's mind starts rambling thinking about "How many of us had he ordered to be shot? How many of us had he ordered to be mutilated- (p.429)? When there is only little spots of shaving cream left on Torres' face the barber can't even think clearly. The thinks to himself "A little more lather here, under his chin, on his Adam's apple, on his big vein.


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