SHAVING

BY LESLIE NORRIS
HELLO!
WELCOME TO THE THIRD
TUTORING SESSION

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OUR IDEAS TODAY

O1 AUTHOR 04 CHARACTERS
Who is Leslie Norris? Who are the main characters?

O2 SUMMARY 05 THEME
A brief recapitulation of the story. What’s the main topic?

O3 QUESTIONS 06 MORAL
What do you know about the story? What is the author message?

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1.
AUTHOR
Let’s start with the biography

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LESLIE NORRIS (21 May 1921 – 6 April
2006)
George Leslie Norris was a prize-winning Welsh poet and
short story writer. Up to 1974 he earned his living as a college
lecturer, teacher and headmaster. From 1974 he combined
full-time writing with residencies at academic institutions in
Britain and the United States.
Today he is considered one of the most important Welsh
writers of the post-war period. His collections of stories and
poems have won many prizes, among them the David Higham
Memorial Prize and the Welsh Arts Council Senior Fiction
Award. 5
2.
SUMMARY
Let’s continue with a brief recapitulation of the story.

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SUMMARY
In “Shaving” by Leslie Norris, a seventeen-year-old
rugby player, Barry, changes and accepts the
inevitability of his father’s death. Not only his personality,
but also his maturity are changed as he deals with the
emotional crisis before him
The author uses Barry’s physical description, nature,
and the ritual of shaving to reinforce Barry’s transition
from boyhood to the responsibilities of manhood.
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SETTING
The short story
“Shaving” by
Leslie Norris
takes place in
April, in Spring.

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3.
QUESTIONS
Let’s talk a little bit…

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QUESTIONS
◈ What was wrong with Barry’s arm?
◈ What did he use to look like as a boy?
◈ What about his personality?
◈ How has his personality changed now?
◈ Why did he refuse to have a cup of coffee with
Jackie and Sue?

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QUESTIONS
◈ Why was Barry’s father’s head “scarcely denting the
pillow”?
◈ Why were his lids blue?
◈ Why did Barry feel humble and ashamed although
he had played so well?
◈ How is Barry’s razor and its case described?
◈ And the shaving mug?
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QUESTIONS
◈ How did Barry get prepared to shave his father?
What did he do?
◈ Why do you think the writer includes so many details
about the razor, its case, and the mug?
◈ Why didn’t Barry use his electric razor, which would
have been easier?
◈ Why is the phrase “the window was full in the beam if
the dying sunlight” so significant?
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QUESTIONS
◈ “And Barry stood…illuminated in its golden
warmth…” Why is the significance of this phrase?
◈ When the writer tells us “…knowing it would soon be
gone” he is not really referring to the sunlight. What
is he anticipating?
◈ What season is the story set in? Why is this
symbolic?
◈ If we associate the beard with age and experience,
what does Barry’s shaving his father’s beard mean? 13
4.
CHARACTERS
Let’s analyze each character…

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WHO IS THE
MAIN
CHARACTER
?

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BARRY STANFORD
In “Shaving”, Leslie Norris portrays Barry, the
protagonist, as a mature and strong youngster who is
ready to become the patriarch of the family since his
hopelessly ill father is slowly slipping away.
Barry is characterized as being tall, athletic, strongly
made, and feet were adult-like and heavy.

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MINOR CHARACTERS

Barry’s father Barry’s mother

He is terminally ill. He
remains inert in bed Jackie & Sue
with his eyes closed
They are Barry’s
and his breath irregular
friends.
and shallow.

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5.
THEME
Let’s talk about the main topic…

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COMING OF AGE
The short story “Shaving”
analyzes the importance of
life as well as prioritizing life
decisions. The author leads
the reader to connect with the
protagonist on the deepest
levels of human emotion.
Leslie Norris superbly
illustrates Barry’s physical
appearance, the physical
traits of his coat, his strength
in sports and his hands to
reinforce Barry’s transition
from boyhood to manhood.
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6.
MORAL
Let’s take into consideration the author’s message…

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“
In this story, Leslie Norris brings
back a feeling of nostalgia from when
we were just on the verge of
adulthood, an eye-opening moment
or series of experiences that make us
who we are.
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THANK
S!
Sandra Quintero