FREE ESSAY ON LITERARY PAPER JUST LATHER THAT'S ALL

LITERARY PAPER JUST LATHER THAT'S ALL

Hernando Tellez', "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, Tellez uses imagery and symbols when describing
Captain Torres and also with the shaving cream and razor blade.
Tellez 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 Tellez seems to describe Torres in the
beginning of "Just Lather, That's All". Animals have fur and are rugged. Tellez describes
Torres as having a "four day beard" (p.428). Tellez 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...[And] I, with the razor in my hands can't
even think clearly...how easy it would be to kill him. And he deserves it? Does he" (p.
430)? With shaving cream on Torres face the barber seems to think clearly, but with only
a little remaining it is hard for him to think clearly and rationally.
The blade represents the power the barber has. The barber "took the razor, opened up the
two protective arms, exposed the blade and began the job." Suddenly it seems the barber
opens up his rationalism and lets it loose and exposes his internal strength and courage.
Every time the blade is cleaned, the barber reminds himself "I am a [good] barber, who
does things properly" (p.429). It's almost as if when the razor is dirty, this courage
and strength dissipates. With the blade in his hands, the barber feels in control, like
he could change the fate of many in his hands. He believed the people would say, "A name
to remember...He was the town barber. No one knew he was defending our cause" (p.430). He
thought he could be a hero if he killed Torres and he never thought in this way before
the razor blade was opened. The barber received strength from the razor blade, and Tellez
showed this through symbolism.
The imagery and symbolism used in "Just Lather, That's All", by Hernando Tellez helps
show the unspoken conversations between Captain Torres and the barber. The symbols are
used frequently throughout the story and are used logically. The imagery is used often
but not as frequently as the symbolism. Tellez uses these styles of writing nicely and
logically, so his readers can read between the lines and figure out what he is saying so
he doesn't have to come right out and say it.
Bibliography
Works Cited
Tellez, Hernando. Just Lather, That's All.
Thresholds: Literature-Based Composition.
Ed. J. Sterling Warner. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 1997. 427-431