"Shaving" by Leslie Norris

The short story Shaving, by Leslie Norris, describes the role of the main character, Barry, who has to shave is sick Father's face because he is too weak to do so himself. The author shows, through her writing, how Barry had to grow from being a little boy looking up to his dad, straight to being a the man of the house, now taking care of his weak father. Barry shaving his dad's face was not just the simple act of shaving, it was an act of coming of age. it was a symbol of how is dad was so worn out, so tired, that he didn't have the strength to do simple everyday activities. One quote that perfectly describes the way that the roles of father and son have been switched between the two characters; "Barry cradled his father's head in the crook of his left" as if a dad would to his child as a way to comfort them. It is common for children who have ill parents to feel the need to grow up sooner and gain more responsibilities, but it doesn't always have to be the big things like paying the bills, it's the little things that make the biggest impact.