Summary Of Lather And Nothing Else By Hernando Tellez

“Lather and Nothing Else” is a short story written by Hernando Tellez that describes a rebel barber and his client, the Captain Torres, the executioner of his comrades and friends. The barber was left with the paramount decision as to kill the Captain or to spare his life. Throughout the story, Tellez utilizes multiple techniques to develop suspense. Suspense is a critical aspect in many novels, and aids in captivating the reader to compel them to continue reading to know the end result. Tellez creates suspense by including internal dialogue, imagery, and point of view to increase the reader's anticipation to find the final result.

The barber is continuously engaged in internal conflict, arguing that he was “a revolutionary but not a murderer” and

wanting to follow his conscience, even “knowing it would have been so easy to kill him” (Tellez, P20). The argument creates tension in the story, and the reader is constantly wondering what will become of the barber and the captain. He is constantly contradicting his longing to do what is just, yet the duty to kill the captain and the pressure from his peers is well depicted in the tale, creating further trepidation in the reader, therefore creating suspense. Tellez uses internal dialogue yet again to further create suspense further in the story. The barber is weighing the outcomes of his situation, for he would either be remembered as “Captain Torres' murderer … [who] cut his throat while … shaving him” (Tellez) He would be seen as “a coward.” However, he would also be seen as one who “avenged [them]. A name to remember… a barber of the people.” The likelihood of the barber killing the captain had grown, and he was now on the verge of a decision, and the prospect of being a hero is extremely appealing to people, so the reader was made to believe that there would be an equal chance of either outcome. This would create uncertainty as to what would happen in the story, urging the reader to continue reading. The complexity of the barber’s thoughts also creates a frenzied tone, which contrasts the seemingly normal situation on the exterior of the barber’s mind.
The imagery Tellez creates works extremely well to compare the frantic barber’s view of the situation to the reality, for the barber imagined, if he were to kill the captain, a “stream of blood [would] flow … down on [his] hands” (Tellez), intensifying the dark tone with the mention of blood.

It heightens the experience of reading by adding the aspect of violence and crime, which in turn also creates suspense. Furthermore, it creates a more personal aspect for the barber, connecting the blood to his being, him becoming stained if he were to have made the permanent decision of killing the captain. The barber had thought that Captain Torres’ “skin would give way like silk, like rubber, like leather.” (Tellez). The picture created by each of these substances portrays a different message, for silk would be extremely smooth and simple to cut through or damage, while leather, on the other hand, is known to be tough and resistant to wear. While the barber’s frenzied thoughts are beginning to affect his reasoning, he is also imagining how simple the task could be, but it begins to loom over him when he ponders the consequences, and the task soon may seem inconceivable, the difficulty constantly increasing in his

mind.
Throughout the tale, there is a constant concern as to whether the Captain would see the barber for what he really was, a secret revolutionary. The barber was convinced that “Torres didn't know that [he] was his enemy” (Tellez). The reader is left with the suspicion as to what the Captain knows due to the limited point of view, only being able to examine the barber’s thoughts, and is not seeing the other perspective in the story. However, the captain had only come to evaluate the rumors that "[the barber] would kill [him]”, and he had. “c[o]me to find out if it was true” (Tellez). If the story were told from a point of view in which it was possible to see both the barber’s and the captain's thoughts, the reader would no longer be left with any uncertainty, and one would immediately know why the captain had visited the barber in his small shop, and would no longer be anticipating to see whether the captain would determine the barber being a revolutionary due to his racing thoughts, which affected his actions.
Suspense is a key element in a story and is often used to impel the reader to continue the story to reveal the outcome of the conflict. It creates uncertainty in the reader's mind so that any conclusion could be possible, which spurs the reader to finish the tale they may be reading. Suspense is critical in many genres, and when applied correctly using proper technique, creates an enthralling story in which the reader feels compelled to complete. Without suspense, a story can easily become dull, losing the reader midway due to lack of interest. Tellez uses the many techniques to create suspense exquisitely, which creates a riveting story to read and experience.