Espuma y nada más

by Hernando Téllez

Genres: Short Stories, School, Fiction, Classics, Read For School, 20th Century, Spanish Literature

5 pages

About the author

Narrador, periodista y crítico literario colombiano.

Fue un poeta del ensayo; fue un gran artesano del idioma, maestro en un manejo sobrio y eficaz del lenguaje. Fue un observador sensible de la vida cotidiana, un agudo crítico de la vida social y política del país, junto con Jorge Zalamea, fue uno de los primeros escritores sobre la violencia colombiana.

Reviews

[Arif Syahertian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the inner struggle of a barber who was uptight and had the opportunity to kill an executioner while he was shaving him, but he dared not kill him and when the executioner wanted to come out after he had finished shaving, he said he knew he had the will to kill him, but killing did not easy.

[Joselito Honestly and Brilliantly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some sort of war was going on. There are the hunters and the hunted, the former on their way to exterminate the latter. Some really cruel and nasty executions of the hunted had earlier been done. Now comes the leader of the hunters inside a barber shop, asking for a nice shave, with the barber caught by surprise as he was secretly a member of the hunted.

While shaving this barbaric piece of humanity, the barber was torn in a dilemma of what to do, just lather and shave, or slash his customer’s throat.

The ending floored me.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an exquisite tension created in such minimalistic way: we're shown every next step of the barber shaving off bit by bit the beard that has grown while the captain sitting in his salon was hunting revolutionaries that the barber himself sympathises with.

We don't know anything more than this one shaving session--and that there will be an execution later today, and it would have been so easy to stop it by just one deeper cut of a perfectly sharpened razor.

It's insanely good.

[Manda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's funny what sticks in your head. I read this back in high school for English class, where I knew it as "Lather, and Nothing Else" and it's a short story that I continue to remember to this day like no other. I don't remember exactly what grade it was (maybe 9 or 10). I don't remember what teacher I had. I remember that this was the first story we read as a part of our Short Story unit. I remember that for our assignment, we had to write our versions of what happens after the end of the story and I remember writing about the barber attacking and killing Torres, then escaping out the back of the shop though I think I would write a different ending now. I like that this is a story that makes you think, and writes questions about trust and humanity in so few words.

[Yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story was mentioned this evening as part of my ELA 30 class. It was mentioned in passing, but caught my interest. I'm glad I read it. Although short it is as if the book were a novel at the same time. You feel the dilemma the barber, nameless, was caught in as he shaved the Captain, whom had murdered his comrades. You know he is justified in his thoughts in murder and the action he takes. You catch your breath and surely he did as soon as the Captain walks in and again at the end. Masterfully written.

[Hákon Gunnarsson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this short story. It’s is suspenseful, and has well developed characters. It has a very interesting plot where two enemies, in a civil war I guess it is, meet in a barbershop. A barber who is on the side of the rebels, gets a high ranking military officer in his chair, and has to give him a shave. He has to face the question if he should kill the military man or not. Quite interesting, and the twist at the end makes all the more so.

[layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

honestly not what i thought but like shit that was pretty good. i didn't like all the narratives and all, but i never like all the narratives. i annotated this a lot heavier so i got a lot more and its a very quick read (unless annotating) and its written well

obviously i read this for school so ofc I'm a little biased

[livia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rep: Colombian characters
TW: revolution, talk of blood, capturing people, torture and murder

---

My Rating: 3.5 stars rounded down

"No one deserves to have someone else make the sacrifice of becoming a murderer."

- It just occurred to me that I can log the stories that I read in class on Goodreads. I feel like I just cheated the system, LOL.

- This was a pretty good story, although I'd probably enjoy it more if I wasn't reading it for school, or if I was reading it in the original Spanish. For a challenge, you know? I'm dreading annotating it, I hate annotating things, so that's probably not helping my experience. Overall, it's pretty decent, and you've probably read it in school. (Anyone wanna annotate this for me while we're at it?)

[Ariyana H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

So so short but so good!!

[Sammy Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pongo este cuento solamente pero porque fue mi fav

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barber x captain is my OTP. The romantic energy between these two is something no other author is able to capture between two people. While the enemies with a secret crush and the forbidden star cross lover are often over done tropes this book captures it just right.







(Please know that this review is based off a deep dive into the story and my opinions so don't try to correct it) ❤️

[Kaylee Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why was the beginning nearly gay

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in Grade 8, and just came across it again. It’s pretty telling if I can remember the name of a short story read 20+ years ago. It is a fantastic story to read.

[Malola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bastante bueno. Me gustó el monólogo. Ver Luke Cage.
"No one deserves the sacrifice others make in becoming assassins."

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the tension in this. The internal thinking of the main character let the story down a little. But the writing of the actions and uncertainty was very gripping.

[Makenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5😭 Another book I read in English. Absolute ass.

[annabelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I honestly feel like this could have been a beginning to enemies to lovers

[Kier Scrivener]

I found this essay written by fifteen year old me in 2012, so I will leave it here


In the short story Just Lather That's All by Hernando Tellez, the message the author strives for is that regardless to how people attempt to influence you, you will always listen to your values. This is illustrated by the character the barber, his internal conflict, and the choice he makes symbolized though the razor. To begin with the town barber is seriously tempted to slay his enemy Captain Torres, but he chooses to stick to his values instead. This is shown though what the barber thinks "I could cut his throat just so, zip! zip! I wouldn't give him time to complain" [16] and later "I don't want blood on my hands. Just lather, that's all" [16].The first quote demonstrates that the barber is letting his anger lure him into doing the unthinkable, nevertheless in the end his values prevail. Secondly the internal conflict is a vast part of the story, the barber is struggling with the decision to kill or shave the captain. It can be seen when he is impersonating what people say if he killed Torres " 'Captain Torres' murderer, he slit his throat when he was shaving him-a coward.' And on the other side. 'The avenger of us all. A name to remember." This establishes that the barber is questioning his judgement; wondering whether he should just take the captain's life, and his name will never be forgotten by the rebels as a hero. Finally, the symbol of the razor blade represents the barber's choice that will affect the entire course of his life. This is known since the barber thinks: "And what of all this? Murderer or hero? My destiny depends on the edge of this blade." [16] Hence the barber's whole destiny depends on how he uses the razor whether he becomes a fugitive or remains a barber; yet he sticks with his values. It can be concluded that in the case of Just Lather, That's All, by Hernando Tellez, that people will undertake to pressure you to make impulsive choices that will impact the rest of your life, but each time you should stand by your values, just as the barber stuck with his values and salvaged his life and that of Captain Torres.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story is one of the most beautiful short stories I have ever read. This story was written based on the interaction of the barber and the ecutioner. And the executioner is the murder of the people from the nation of the barber. But out of the blue, the executioner asks the barber for shaving his beard. However, the barber conceals his hate and anger toward the executioner but on the other hand, he has this thought in his mind about killing the executioner and become a hero of his nation. But he also considers that by becoming a hero in his nation by committing this action he will also be named a murder by another nation which he did not find pleasant and he was sticking between the dilemma of his choice. And at the end, he decides to not killing captain Torres because he said to himself "You [captain Toress ]are an executioner and I am only a barber. Each person has his own place in the scheme of things. That’s right. His own place." And he does such an honourable and perfect shave for the captin. But at the end when the captain sees his bear he said
“They told me that you’d kill me. I came to find out. But killing isn’t easy. You can take my word for it.” And he headed out of the barbershop store. This is beautiful because it showed that the story ends with the open-ended scenario which make this short story such a phenomenon wok by Hernando. Téllez

[Marc Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given to us the 10th grade to read, yet back then I read it for academic purposes only, and not in a way to take in the situation of the piece.

Anyways, a great short text emphasizing the self-conflict that the barber, nameless, had gone through. He was a mere barber, whom was also a part of a revolutionary in a sort of civil war, and a dictator named, Captain Torres, came up to him for a shave. At that point, the barber was conflicted whether he should slit the throat of the man who killed most of his comrades or do his job as a honourable barber.

In the end, he said to himself, "You are an execution and I am only a barber. Each person has is own place in the scheme of things. That's right. His own place." We all have a sole purpose in this world, and with that, we musn't meddle with matters that aren't our concern nor our job.

The ending gave us an open-ended closing, which is given to us readers to interpret. I wouldn't say that he was being forced as he said that it wasn't easy to kill, yet I would never know his background, perhaps someone was in control of him and his task was to get rid of those who opposed them. An inevitable job for Torres then.

[Shío López · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pensaba en el cine, cómo es que el autor va describiendo una toma cerrada con lujo de detalle y con ellos va develando el panorama más amplio del conflicto. Mientras se demoraba en la incertidumbre del protagonista sobre si matarlo o no, mi mente jugaba con la vuelta de tuerca, lo mataría o no, vendría alguien más a matarlo, sería el mismo protagonista quien muere?? sin embargo, nada de eso, la vuelta de tuerca es más sutil, tiene que ver con una frase "me dijeron que UD. iba a matarme, vine a comprobarlo, matar no es fácil", este cierre deja abierta más posibilidades, qué pasaría con el barbero, huiría, sería uno de los mutilados de la tarde, se convertiría a fuerza de circunstancia en asesino, se arrepentiría de no haberlo hecho (haber matado en su momento). ??
Muchas preguntas, un gran texto.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Contrary to what others have commented, I found the story predictable. There were also typos in the version I read. I can see why it was part of an assignment in my daughter's high school English, but I did not find its literary value to be that great. I think teachers have to use simplistic reading like this story to attempt to force students to create some of the masterful works of analysis that state standards require.

[Ryan Zandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

هرناندو تلز در این داستان کوتاه، پیچیدگی‌های اخلاقی در جنگ‌های داخلی را به تصویر می‌کشد. او نشان می‌دهد که حتی در موقعیت‌های به‌ظاهر ساده (مثل یک اصلاح ریش)، انسان‌ها میان ایدئولوژی و انسانیت گیر می‌کنند. تصمیم نهایی آرایشگر برای نکشتن تورس نه از ترس، بلکه از احترام به حریم بی‌طرفی شغلش است، اما این پرسش را باقی می‌گذارد: آیا این انتخاب، یک قهرمانی اخلاقی است یا یک فرصت از دست رفته برای عدالت؟

[Juergen John Roscher · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise short story about a barber who has the opportunity to kill the oppositions ruthless leader when he gives him a shave. Can a barber become a killer? Excellent story that quickly sucks you into the narrative. I recommend reading this short story.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one deserves the sacrifice others make in becoming
assassins. What is to be gained by it? Nothing.

This story is short and simple yet very absorbing. Recommended read!

[Chim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read this because of school, though it was okay, I wouldn't have picked it up myself and read it myself. I wish I knew what happened to the barber at the end because the Captain knew who he was. If the barber lived or if the Captain left him alive.

[Hale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.85

Really enjoyed the concept of self control and calm in this short story. Good read, considering I had to read this for my academic English class.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, it's fantastic. can be read online in three minutes. Go do it.

[Nadine]

gret

[lia]

Idk i read this at school