Lather and Nothing Else
Intertextual Connection
Lamb to the slaughter
The "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "Lather and"
Nothing Else" both feature irony in which one of
the two parties do not know what is happening.
In the Lamb to the Slaughter, the the police investigating the murder of a woman's husband do not know that they are eating the evidence and weapon themselves. In this text, the barber thinks the captain doesn't know that he was assigned to murder him, but it turns out that the captain did know. But, the captain wouldn't have expected that the murder weapon would've been so close to him the whole time he was getting shaved. The both texts feature some great irony, in which the readers are all left in a shock at the end.
The world
Mental Health
In many parts of this text, it seems as if
the barber is mentally unstable. He seems
more concerned about his job, than the murder
he was about to commit. He thinks to himself, and says "I can turn my wrist slightly, put a bit more pressure on the blade, let it sink in. The skin will yield like silk, like rubber, like the strop. There is nothing more tender than a man’s skin, and the blood is always there, ready to burst forth. A razor like this cannot fail. It is the best one I have". In these lines, he feels no remorse, no second thought about what he was thinking, but instead he mentions how his razor is the best that he has. After this, he immediately thinks about how he will be hunt down if he murders the captain. But, he also remembers he will be a hero. This is a genuine mental health issue that many people around the world struggle with. Intrusive thoughts are common in people with anxiety, depression, ADHD, and OCD. These thoughts can be very damaging to one's perspective on life and ones mental health. It's important that issues like these are taken seriously and people receive the help they need.
(Press YouTube Icon)
Diction
Descriptions
Captain Torres
The author used diction in a quite interesting
manner when describing captain Torres. The
choice while describing Torres could've been
filled with hate, as the barbers job was to kill
the captain. But instead, the captain was
described in a loving manner, as if the barber
was attracted to him. The author describes Torres'
face as "not disagreeable" which indicates that
Torres is attractive.
Furthermore, while describing Torres,
the barber mentions he becomes
"flustered". One tends to become
flustered when in a situation that
makes them nervous, in a rather good
way. The author creates confusion within
the audience due to this choice of diction
as this can imply that the barber
may be attracted towards the captain.
The barbers shave job
The author describes the barbers method of
shaving as if he is the best barber in the world.
The author mentions how Torres looked younger
basically due to the fact that the barber is "the
best in this town". While the barber continues to
have his own thoughts about the barber and
customers, the author still slides in descriptions
about the shave, and how the razor glides, how
the lather looks on his face, how the blades can
vary, etc. This shows the barber to be skilled in
his area.
The Potential Murder
The author uses quite straight-forward
language when the barber is contemplating
whether or not he should murder Torres
while shaving him. At first, the barber
hesitates while thinking about murdering
Torres, this implies that the barber is indeed
a good man. Then the author suddenly uses
descriptive language, saying that he could
"swish, swish!" and cut the captain's throat
with ease.
Additionally, the author shows well
that the barber is an indecisive man.
The way that the barber continuously
switches between wanting to murder
the captain and wanting to remain
a good man shows how the barber
isn't fit for killing someone. The barber
says;
"I can turn my wrist slightly, put a bit more pressure on the blade, let it sink in. The skin will yield like silk, like rubber, like the strop. There is nothing more tender than a man’s skin, and the blood is always there, ready to burst forth. A razor like this cannot fail. It is the best one I have.
But I don’t want to be a murderer. No, sir. You came in to be shaved. And I do my work honorably. I don’t want to stain my hands with blood."
In this excerpt from the text, one can see how the barber at one point does want to avenge for the innocent lives lost, but then he also honours his job. The author shows on multiple occasions how indecisive the barber is, making the choice of diction play a heavy role in how I saw the character. The character of the barber seems almost too cowardly for his 'murder' mission assigned.
Format
Overall Format
The overall format of the text was created
with a thought in mind. The story begins
quite normal, like a barber is just talking
about an attractive man he is shaving. But,
as the story unfolds, it's interesting to see
a plot-twist in every line. First, the timeline
becomes noticeable, then it becomes evident
that many lives have been lost due to the
captain, and lastly we discover how the barber
has actually been assigned to murder the captain.
The story has been written in such way that
each important detail is given to us as we read
on, and how everything small plays a role in
the cliffhanger ending.
Paragraph Format
Each paragraph consists of contradictions
to it's prior line, which in my opinion is an
interesting way to write a story. Some lines
features an oxymoron of some sort, where
ideas contradict each other.
In one of the paragraphs, the barber jumps
back and forth multiple times while thinking
about murdering the captain. At one point,
he calls himself a hero, and the next line
a murderer.
Inner Connections
Connections to my life
In some way, I can relate to the way
the barber contemplates everything
before making decisions, or even doing
a simple action. In many times of my day,
I am just as indecisive as this barber.
I think to myself before I make any
decision and ask myself if it'll make me
a good person, or a bad person. Before
I buy the last item on a shelf, I ask myself
if I really need it because it may help some-
one else. Before I take the last cookie, I
think about how my sibling may enjoy it
more than me. Just like the barber in the
story, I realize there is a good person in me.