Just Lather That's All Analysis

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The parallel between Camus’ “The Guest” and Téllez’ “Just Lather, That’s All” is the central theme of powerlessness and indecision due to an internal dilemma. Daru, the protagonist in “The Guest” is faced with an internal conflict due to the clashing of authoritative demands and moral beliefs, whilst the barber from “Just Lather, That’s All” is faced with a dilemma revolving around maintaining his stability in his role of a revolutionary rebel, as well as his professionalism as a barber, or to kill the political general that his group whom he aligns himself with antagonizes. Though there are notable differences, there are numerous similarities between Daru, from “The Guest” and the barber from “Just Lather, That’s All” which allows the parallel …show more content…
Similar to the dentist, Daru is conflicted with his internal struggle, where he desires to free the prisoner due to his empathy and sympathy for the native Arabs, but being someone who resides and works with the government creates the dilemma of morals or authoritative demands. Choosing either side would have mutual internal justification, where there is not a distinguishing right or wrong in the choices, but rather the outcome that results, and is why this dilemma conflicts Daru. Daru even shows relief when his subject seems to escape, “Good Riddance” (243), a sign of his internal indecision and how he’d rather let the prisoner control the situation. Nevertheless, the time for the prisoner’s departure arrives, and rather than Daru choosing a fate for the prisoner, he allows the prisoner to choose, perhaps due to his unresolved internal dilemma and indecision. As a result, due to the prisoner’s choice to go to prison because of the lack of direction in life, perhaps due to Camus’ absurdist views on the world, Daru is antagonized by both parties, the Arab natives and the government, and his indecision due to his attempted neutrality results in alienation and