About Barbers by Mark Twain (1885)
The narrative presents a humorous and satirical exploration of the experience of visiting a barber shop, highlighting the monotony and predictability of such encounters. The protagonist recounts his visit, emphasizing the unchanging nature of barbers and their routines. He describes the familiar scene of entering the shop, the competition for the best barber's chair, and the anxiety of waiting for his turn. Upon finally being seated, he is attended to by the less skilled barber, who is distracted and unprofessional. The protagonist's frustration grows as the barber engages in idle chatter, becomes preoccupied with personal matters, and neglects the task at hand. The shaving process is depicted as painful and chaotic, with the barber's lack of attention leading to cuts and discomfort. Throughout the experience, the protagonist reflects on the absurdity of the situation, noting the barber's self-absorption and the overall lack of care in the service provided. The narrative culminates in a darkly comedic twist, as the barber suffers a fatal apoplexy shortly after the protagonist's visit, leaving him with a sense of delayed revenge. The work serves as a critique of social interactions and the often frustrating nature of routine tasks, using humor to convey the universal experience of dealing with service providers. The protagonist's observations reveal a deeper commentary on human behavior, professionalism, and the absurdities of everyday life.
By Mark Twain · First published 1885 · Genre: Humor, Social Commentary, Short Story · 1,787 words
First lines
All things change except barbers, the ways of barbers, and the surroundings of barbers. These never change. What one experiences in a barber's shop the first time he enters one is what he always experiences in barbers' shops afterward till the end of his days. I got shaved this morning as usual. A man approached the door from Jones Street as I approached it from Main -- a thing that always happens. I hurried up, but it was of no use; he entered the door one little step ahead of me, and I followed in on his heels and saw him take the only vacant chair, the one presided over by the best barber. It always happens so. I sat down, hoping that I might fall heir to the chair belonging to the better of the remaining two barbers, for he had already begun combing his man's hair, while his comrade was not yet quite done rubbing up and oiling his customer's locks. I watched the probabilities with strong interest. When I saw that No. 2 was gaining on No. 1 my interest grew to solicitude. When No. 1 stopped a moment to make change on a bath ticket for a new-comer, and lost ground in the race, my solicitude rose to anxiety. When No. 1 caught up again, and both he and his comrade were pulling the towels away and brushing the powder from their customers' cheeks, and it was about an even thing which one would say "Next! " first, my very breath stood still with the suspense. But when at the culminating moment No. 1 stopped to pass a comb a couple of times through his customer's eyebrows, I saw that he had lost the race by a single instant, and I rose indignant and quitted the shop, to keep from falling into the hands of No. 2; for I have none of that enviable firmness that enables a man to look calmly into the eyes of a waiting barber and tell him he will wait for his fellow-barber's chair.
What this Textopian page supports
About Barbers is listed on Textopian as a short story by Mark Twain, dated 1885 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Mark Twain
- Date: 1885 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Social Commentary, Short Story, Satire, Fiction
- Length: 1,787 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for About Barbers by Mark Twain
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering About Barbers?
- How does this short story by Mark Twain fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The narrative employs comedic elements and satire to depict the absurdities of the barber experience.
- Social Commentary — The text critiques social norms and behaviors associated with barbershops and the interactions within them.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative focusing on a single experience, characteristic of the short story format.
- Satire — The piece uses exaggeration and irony to mock the rituals and expectations surrounding barbers and their customers.
Tags
Satire · Social Commentary · American Literature · Humor · Fiction · Short Stories · Comedy · Irony · Sarcasm · Critique of Society · Commentary on Class · Observations on Human Nature