Lather and Nothing Else--By Hernando Tellez
Barber’s Mental Arguments—FOR
Barber’s Mental Arguments—AGAINST
1. page 343
quotation: “…he had been gone on the last foray
after our men.”
explanation: revenge/retribution for hunting the
rebels down
2. page 343
quotation: “The day he ordered the people to file
through the school yard to look upon the four
rebels hanging there…”
explanation: revenge/retribution, especially
because Torres flaunted the executions
3. page 344
quotation: “and with the enemy in my house I felt
a certain responsibility”
explanation: the barber felt solidarity with the
other rebels and felt like it would be expected of
him to kill Torres
4. page 344
quotation: «yes, all of them» (referring to Torres
killing all the rebels who had been caught
explanation: revenge for the executions and
perhaps an act of protection against the
execution of future rebels being caught, including
the barber, himself
5. page 345
quotation: «How many of ours had he sent to their
death?»
explanation: revenge/retribution
1. page 344
quotation: “but at the same time I was a
conscientious barber…”
explanation: it’s his job and he feels a moral
obligation to do a good job
2. page 344
quotation: “A good barber like myself stakes his
reputation on not permitting…”
explanation: he feels it is his responsibility to do a
good job
6. page 345
quotation: «So it was going to be very difficult to
explain how it was that I had him in my hands and
then let him go…»
explanation: because some people might feel that
it’s his duty
3. page 344
quotation: “…I am a good barber, the best in this
town…”
explanation: he doesn’t want to ruin his reputation
4. page 345
quotation: «I am a revolutionary, not a murderer.»
explanation: he only wants to contribute to the
cause to a certain extent (ie. not killing anybody)
5. page 345
quotation: «no one deserves the sacrifice others
make in becoming an assassin»
explanation: it is not worth killing Torres if the
barber loses his personal freedom
6. page 345
quotation: “What a cowardly thing to do!”
explanation: he wouldn’t want to be considered a
coward for killing a defenseless person
7. page 346
quotation: «But I don’t want to be a murderer.»
explanation: he doesn’t want to be responsible for
taking someone else’s life
8. page 346
quotation: «You are an executioner; I am only a
barber.»
explanation: it’s not his job to kill people