Lather and Nothing Else

Lather and Nothing Else

The Solar System is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the objects that orbit it, either directly or indirectly. Of the objects that orbit the Sun directly, the largest are the eight planets, with the remainder being smaller objects, the dwarf planets, and small Solar System bodies.

Inner Connections

Mars is a cold, desert-like place covered in dust. This dust is made of iron oxides, giving the planet its iconic red hue.

Mars shares similarities with Earth: It is rocky, has mountains, valleys and canyons, and storm systems ranging from localized tornado-like dust devils to planet-engulfing dust storms.

Connections to my life

A planet's day is the time it takes the planet to rotate or spin once on its axis.

Write down Mars's day measured in Earth days.

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.

Diction

Neptune is about the size of Uranus and is known for supersonic strong winds.

Neptune is far out and cold.
The planet is more than 30 times as far from the sun as Earth.

Neptune was the first planet predicted to exist by using math, before it was visually detected. Neptune is about 17 times as massive as Earth and has a rocky core.

Format

Neptune has thirteen moons that we know of and one more waiting for confirmation.

The largest moon is slightly smaller than Earth's Moon and has active volcanoes which erupt like geysers and eject nitrogen frost over the surface.

Name this moon and at least 4 others.

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.

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.

Descriptions

Our Solar System has eight “official” planets which orbit the Sun.

Each planet is at a different distance from the sun. Name its position.

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.

"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.

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;

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.

Captain Torres

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 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.

The world

Uranus is an oddball. It has clouds made of hydrogen sulfide, the same chemical that makes rotten eggs smell so foul.

It rotates from east to west like Venus. Its tilt causes extreme seasons that last 20-plus years, and the sun beats down on one pole or the other for 84 Earth-years at a time.

Methane in the atmosphere gives Uranus its blue-green tint. It also has 13 sets of faint rings.

Mental Health

How long does it take for Uranus to go around the sun?

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)

Intertextual Connection

Jupiter is a giant gas world that is the most massive planet in our solar system.

Its swirling clouds are colorful due to different types of trace gases.

And a major feature in its swirling clouds is the Great Red Spot, a giant storm more than 10,000 miles wide. It has raged at more than 400 mph for the last 150 years, at least.

Jupiter has a strong magnetic field, and with 75 moons, it looks a bit like a miniature solar system.

Lamb to the slaughter

How long does it take for Jupiter to go around the sun?

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.