'Gregory By Panos Ioannides Lather And Nothing Else'

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Decision making is a thought provoking process that one should consider what the most viable option is. But during times of war, complications turn into dilemmas for the opposing side to view a do or die situation as life changing. During a difficult scenario one must decide upon the safest outcome and avoid the associated risks. The decisions made in the short stories “Gregory” by Panos Ioannides and “Lather and Nothing Else” by Hernando Tellez are simply observed as the best resolutions to internal conflicts. Although the main characters the narrator and barber face different situations of an identity crisis, they both come to similar conclusions that would ultimately counteract the consequences of moral dilemma, showing that one’s future is not…show more content…
Ioannides emphasizes the struggle of friendship involving a hostage and a narrator after an order is given to the narrator to exterminate Gregory. The order transitions into a moral dilemma for the executioner to choose between friendship and the duty of his country. Although the narrator contains a strong bond with Gregory, he is later forced into a decision to do what he thinks is right for him and shoots Gregory, “I emptied the barrel. He fell and grabbed my leg as if he wanted to hold on.” This decision made by the narrator showed that he chose to follow his duty otherwise, if he chose to spare Gregory, he would have been executed as well. In “Lather and Nothing Else,” the barber struggled to choose over whether or not to kill the enemy who entered his shop. It was natural for the rebellious barber to be justified in the killing of Captain Torres since they were both enemies. Consequently, he also considered letting Torres live since losing his life was one of the eventual consequences. As the barber was becoming increasingly challenged, he believed that not killing Torres was the primary option and regarded his other choices as situations with risky outcomes. By complete

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