41 pages • 1 hour read
J.D. and the Great Barber Battle
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Symbols & Motifs
Haircuts
Haircuts symbolize the internal and external conflicts that J.D. faces throughout the book and also represent The Tension between Confidence and Arrogance. J.D.’s internal conflict begins with his bad haircut in Chapter 1. From that moment on, J.D. is concerned with how others will react and view him, and this prompts him to search for a solution. Further, this leads to J.D. discovering his talent for cutting hair and triggers the main external conflict between J.D. and Henry Jr. Hair propels J.D. along his character arc, letting him find his confidence and then learn how over-confidence and arrogance can lead to him turning into someone he doesn’t like. This journey makes J.D. sympathetic toward Henry Jr., even after how the man threatens J.D.’s business. In doing so, hair represents community and forgiveness, as the partnership between J.D. and Henry Jr. benefits both of them, as well as the people of their town.
The stylish and unique haircuts J.D. gives himself and others also symbolize the importance of Taking Pride in Personal Accomplishments. More broadly, hairstyles are an important component of Black culture and hold historical significance, as hairstyles were often used to denote status, and during slavery they were a way to communicate or direct others to freedom. Specifically for J.D. and his friends, hairstyles are a way for the kids to express themselves, as seen by the designs J.D. cuts into his friends’ hair. Things like the Jumpman and Chicago Bulls logo J.D. gives Jordan are specific to Jordan’s interests, meaning the hairstyle is a reflection of who Jordan is and what’s important to him. Thus, having these parts of Jordan’s personality displayed for all to see helps him feel good about his interests, which leads to personal growth and a better outlook in general. As a form of art, hair supports the development of comfort and confidence.
The Barber Battle
The barber battle is the main external conflict of J.D. and the Great Barber Battle, and it represents The Tension between Confidence and Arrogance and develops the relationship between J.D. and Henry Jr. The battle itself is triggered by Henry Jr.’s threats. J.D. takes pride in his ability to cut hair, and he hates the idea that Henry Jr. is trying to stop him from doing something he enjoys. The battle is his solution, and while it starts as a way for J.D. to retaliate against Henry Jr and prove himself to the entire town, it morphs into something more intense as J.D.’s emotions get the best of him. By the day of the battle, J.D. is no longer content with winning the battle in order to prevail in his feud with Henry Jr. Instead, J.D. wants the battle to become proof of his own greatness in the barbering field, and he becomes overly focused on boosting his reputation with the entire community. Without realizing it, J.D. starts behaving just like Henry Jr., especially with his desire to close the man’s business. Thus, the battle escalates into something ugly, representing the consequences of becoming consumed by the idea of total victory. Rather than pursuing a more modest aim of preserving his own right to cut hair, J.D. allows the entire matter to get out of hand.
The format of the battle—in which either J.D. or Henry Jr. must win two out of three bouts of hairstyling in front of a live audience—mirrors the popularity and formats of televised competitions and shows. From performances and cooking and clothing design, such competition-driven programming has dominated the genre of “reality” television in the United States, and J.D.’s use of a public competition as a way to drive results is clearly influenced by this trend in popular culture. During the competition, two official judges determine the merits and flaws of each contestant and make the final decisions as to the winner of each round and of the overall competition, but audience participation also plays a key role. This set-up reflects the fact that some television shows rely upon viewers’ votes to intensify the drama. While the audience members’ scores during the barber battle have no bearing on the outcome, the numbers influence the contestants’ moods and choices in subsequent rounds. Good scores help to keep them focused, while poor scores increase their anxiety and cause them to make mistakes. In this way, the battle also represents the importance of ignoring criticism.
Hart and Son
Hart and Son has been the only barbershop in J.D.’s town for years, and as such, the business holds a bit of a local monopoly. It therefore symbolizes the potential harm that such businesses can cause through their considerable influence. While the shop has been a long-standing pillar in the community, Henry Sr. has also become a recognizable and respected figure in the town, supporting community projects and volunteering his time and skills to help those in need. When the business is threatened by J.D.’s emerging skills, Henry Jr.’s reaction shows the importance he places on the business and his father’s legacy, both of which are cornerstones in the local community. While Henry Jr.’s threats are inappropriate and represent an unfair attack on a competitor, his willingness to defend the shop and his father show that he deeply cares about the welfare of his business. In this way, Hart and Son indirectly represents the importance of drawing a line between protecting loved ones and destroying the livelihoods of others.
When J.D. agrees to work at Hart and Son in the book’s final chapters, the barbershop also becomes a symbol of the power inherent in teamwork. Prior to the partnership, both J.D. and Henry Jr. are in danger of losing their businesses. However, once they see past their differences and realize that they can help each other and themselves at the same time, new ideas bloom, and the two competitors push their rivalry aside in favor of pursuing mutually positive outcomes. Henry Jr. knows how to run a business effectively and is business-savvy enough to realize that recruiting J.D. will inject new life into his own business practices and barbering style. By contrast, J.D. is new to running a business, as shown by his naïve suggestion to engage in a competition to decide which of the two is the best barber. However, once J.D. wins the contest, he finds that operating a business is far more challenging than he realized. He learns that he needs to do actual work to make the kind of money that he wants to make, and instead of just buying what he wants, he now needs to pay his family back for the household items he has used, in addition to saving funds for future supplies. Taking the job at Hart and Son is the best of both worlds for J.D. He gets to make more money by doing what he loves (cutting hair), while Henry Jr. deals with the main business responsibilities. Within the context of J.D. and Henry Jr.’s new partnership, Hart and Son ultimately comes to represent the idea that complementary skills can be brought together to improve the overall quality of a business.
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