Lather and Nothing Else

The story narrates the inner conflict of a barber who is given the opportunity to take revenge on a man who caused immense suffering on behalf of a violent military regime. The story is narrated by the barber.

The story begins with the barber stropping his best razor. As he does so, a man enters his shop for a shave, and the barber recognizes him as Captain Torres, who is responsible for the torture and execution of many of the barber’s fellow rebels. While the barber continues to prep his razor, Torres makes a show of removing his “cartridge-studded belt” and removing his pistol so he may sit down and receive his shave (Paragraph 2).

This description of the belt and the pistol demonstrates the power that Torres has in the town and potentially over the barber. Additionally, it lets the readers and the barber know that he is, indeed, armed. As the barber prepares his soap and razor to shave Torres, he starts to think about the opportunity he has to take revenge on the man who caused his people so much pain. Torres casually strikes up a conversation with the barber, explaining that he has caught the rebel leaders and they will be “dead soon” (Paragraph 6).