Turning PointsLather and Nothing Else

What are some temptations that could be present in the life of a grade 9 student? e.g. drinking, cheating, drugs, smoking, etc.

When has choosing between right and wrong led you to a turning point in your life?

What is an old time shave like? Straight Razor Shave Review Elements of a Short Story, pp. 18 -

19

Lather and Nothing Else

What do you think has already happened? What clues let you know how the barber is

feeling? How does recognizing the short story elements

help with understanding? What setting has the author focused on? Did he

use effective word choice? Why or why not? Was there a clear voice? What are the conflicts? What do you know about the barber’s personality? What message is Hernando Tellez sending?

During Reading

What do you think now? When has choosing between right and wrong led you to a turning point in your life? How would the barber and Captain Torres respond?

Is first-person point of view effective for the story? Why?

How does the author intend us to feel? Did the barber do the right thing? Would the statement “it’s not easy to kill” be a

better title? Why? What did you learn that you may try in your own

writing?

Responding

Writing: Thoughts on Both Sides In one column of a two column chart, copy

the conflicting thoughts of the barber, and what the captain is thinking in the chair in the other column. What actions and tone would the captain use to reflect the tension he feels?

Use the chart to write an epilogue from the perspective of the captain or the barber.

Pass in for marks.

Follow-Up Activity

Write a 1 page “What happens next” in your journal. This will be marked out of 10. Continue the story on from the perspective of the barber, or the perspective of the captain.

Think about what happens that night, the next day, the next week, etc. Does the barber go to the school? Do other customers come in? What happens to the captain? Take the reader to the next place in the story.

Complete and pass in.

Epilogue