* The razor is a tool of violence: A razor is inherently associated with cutting and potentially harming someone. It embodies the potential for inflicting physical pain and death.
* The barber's profession: The barber, who is about to shave the revolutionary, is trained in the use of the razor. The story highlights the ironic duality of his skill – he is a professional capable of both gentle care and potentially lethal violence.
* The barber's inner struggle: Throughout the story, the barber wrestles with his conscience. The razor represents his inner conflict and the struggle between his loyalty to the revolution and his fear of harming the man before him.
* The act of shaving: The story emphasizes the meticulous care and precision with which the barber shaves the revolutionary. This meticulousness becomes a tool of suspense, as the reader anticipates the moment the razor might be used for a different purpose.
The razor, in this story, is more than just a tool; it becomes a powerful symbol representing the barber's conflicting emotions, his potential for violence, and the dangerous political landscape he finds himself in.