Hands by Sherwood Anderson seems to have even more significance in our modern era than when it was written. It is the story of Wing Biddlebaum, a former school-teacher then known as Adolph Myers. Wing has been living in Winesburg, Ohio for two decades but does “not think of himself as in any way part of the life of the town where had had lived for twenty years” (Anderson 1). Wing has been given this “nickname” because of the continual fluttering motion of his long-fingered hands. Wing’s only friend is a young journalist names George Willard. Only with Willard does Wing allow his hands to come out of his pockets. He typically hides them because he seems to feel something about his hands is negative.
Wing and George develop a relationship that includes walks in the fields and conversation. When Wing is with George he uses his hands as the “machinery of his expression” but elsewhere he keeps them hidden and looks “with amazement at the quiet expressive hands of other men” (Anderson 2). One particular afternoon Wing explains to George that he must forget everything he has learned, learn how to dream, and resist being influence by others because, as he cries to George “You are destroying yourself” (Anderson 3). It is during this encounter that Wing tells George of a dream, one which embodies the Platonic ideal of older, wise men engaging in discourse with young men desirous of learning. At one point Wing places his hands onto the face of George. When they share a long and earnest look, Wing becomes frightened and immediately hides his hands “With a convulsive movement of his body, Wing Biddlebaum sprang to his feet and thrust his hands deep into his trousers pockets. Tears came to his eyes, ‘I must be getting along home. I can talk no more with you,’ he said nervously” (Anderson 3).
We find out that Wing used to be a school teacher in a school in Pennsylvania where h
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