Just Lather, That’s All

  1. What kind of war is going on in the country where the story takes place? (K/U 1)

A civil war – rebellion.

  1. In the plot of the story, there are two main conflicts. Identify and state the reasons for each conflict. (K/U 2)

The war itself: people vs. society

Barber has to decide whether to kill Torres or not: person vs. self.

  1. The major crisis of the story occurs when the barber realizes that his “destiny depends on the edge of [his] blade”. The decision he makes at this moment can change his life forever. Give two reasons the barber tells himself for killing Torres and two reasons he tells himself for not killing Torres. (K/U 4)

The barber should kill Torres because he'd be avenging the rebels, and he'd be known as a hero.

The barber should not kill Torres because he would be captured and probably killed, or he might have to leave his life behind and flee, and he can't deal with being a murderer – he's supposed to be a barber.

  1. Give two different character traits of the barber and two for Captain Torres and support each trait with evidence from the story. (T/I 4)

The barber is honest because he decides not to kill Torres – he stays true to his profession. The barber is indecisive because it takes him a while to come to a decision.

Torres is brave because he walks in for a shave knowing that he might get killed.

Torres is confident because he thought he could get out of the barbershop alive.

  1. What is ironic about the ending of the story? Identify the type of irony. (T/I 2)

The ending can be ironic because Torres actually went into the barbershop for a different reason (situational).

Torres thinks that killing isn't easy, but we thought he'd think otherwise (situational).

The ending could be ironic because we thought the story was all about the barber deciding whether to kill Torres – but really Torres was testing the barber the whole time (situational).

  1. The barber realizes he doesn’t “want blood on [his] hands. Just lather, that's all”. How can this quote be taken both literally and figuratively? (T/I 2)

First of all, he doesn't want blood on his hands because he would get caught. But also, having blood on your hands can reference a guilty conscience, or remorse.

  1. Write a thematic statement for the story? (T/I 2)

War makes people do nasty things.

Everything happens for a reason.

Things aren't always as they appear.

Things aren't always as easy as they seem.

  1. What is the dominate mood? Provide two references that help support this mood. (3 K/U)

The mood of the story is tense because we sympathize with the barber's difficult decision, but also because we are anxious to see what happens to Torres.

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