Idle Hands

2 Pages 587 Words

Idle Hands?
In Sherwood Anderson’s “Hands,” the character of Wing Biddlebaum subconsciously expresses the emotions he is feeling through the actions of his hands. He is a very sheepish and timid character. Anderson feels that “the story is a story of hands,” which play an enormous role in Wing’s life (217). Nervous and “fiddling about” swiftly, Wing’s hands also demonstrate confidence through firm and assured movements. He rarely uses these solid motions, but when he does, it is when he is with his only friend George Willard. Wing seems to become disdainful toward his hands when later they seem to always find him trouble.
Throughout Wing’s life, he is faced with many problems that his hands cause him to overcome. Wing’s hands are what place him in his state of solitude. Being a school teacher, Wing touches the shoulders of the young boys and plays with their hair, yet Wing means no harm. He loses his job as a school master and almost loses his life, all because he uses his hands to comfort the young boys. He has altered his lifestyle to avoid everyday problems, concerning his hands. He does not know why he resents his hands, but he knows that his hands are to blame for his everyday predicaments.
Wing lets his hands control almost every aspect of his life. In the past, Wing’s hands have caused him to lose his job and his pride. In order to regain a strong sense of self and live a normal life, Wing must overcome the past. Society shuns him and he wonders everyday what he has done to deserve this mistreatment. He tries things as futile as changing his name, yet he cannot seem to satisfy his need to be content. Wing presently lives in constant dismay, desperately trying to realize or remember what his hands did to force him to live in such misery and solitude.
In this certain time, it is rare that a man holds the position of an elementary school teacher. This shows that Wing is a caring and ...