Student Question
What does the idiom "to have blood on your hands" mean?
Quick answer:
The idiom "to have blood on your hands" means being responsible for someone's death, either directly or indirectly. It can apply to individuals who have caused death through their actions or decisions, such as a politician supporting war policies. In "Just Lather, That's All" by Hernando Téllez, Captain Torres has blood on his hands due to his violent actions against rebels, while the barber refrains from killing, thus keeping his hands clean.
"To have blood on your hands" is an idiomatic expression that means you are responsible for someone's death. This could be the direct act of killing another human being, or it could be a situation in which you have indirectly caused someone to die. For example, a protester might criticize a pro-war politician for having blood on his hands, even though the politician has never killed anyone personally.
In the case of the short story "Just Lather, That's All" by Hernando Téllez, the character Captain Torres, a violent military man, has blood on his hands. Specifically, he has killed members of a rebel group, which he actively hunts.
In contrast, the barber who narrates the story does not have blood on his hands. Although he seriously considers killing Captain Torres, he makes the decision not to slit his throat while giving him a shave.
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