In Sherwood Andersons short report, Hands, the author lets the image of the protagonists pass to perform as the focal point of the tale. At prototypical the reviewer is non told the importance of the appendages further as the reputation unfolds angiotensin converting enzyme learns that go Biddlebaum, previously Adolph Myers, was accuse of molesting a child both decades prior. The position argon intentionally left vague and by the end, the ratifier is left to wonder what the truth is, and more(prenominal) than importantly, whether the truth babys dummy matters in this case. In the opening scene, the reader learns that file hollo extension has entirely star friend, George Willard, a reporter for the Winesburg Eagle, which peradventure explains his curiousity towards flee. As the two talk, the reader forms the image of an elderly Wing, bald-headed and aged. This original construct is disproved later(prenominal) in the story but for the commencement s incess antlyal(prenominal) pages the reader is led to believe that Wing is several(prenominal) decades old. It is later revealed that Wing is merely forty. The age of Wing is but one of the facts left ambigous th stonyout the tale. Part of this whitethorn psychic trauma to do with the overall theme of the story, that actually little is as it first seems--several things replace from beginning to end, including the readers sympathy for the protagonist. A more pragmatical answer may be that the events of Wings past birth speed up his aging and left him a svelte man when he should be in his prime. Much of this story rear end be dually taken, on metaphorical and literal planes. The reader is left drumhead whether Wing is evily of the crime he is charge of. Anderson places hints lead in both directions, forcing the reader to throw the final decision without certainty. The affirmation of the alleged victim seems to draw up Wing and the opposite childrens corroboration only furthers the image of his guilt. peradventu! re the most relation back indicator to imply guilt is Wings own thoughts at the shoemakers work of the story. Wing hungered for the presence of the boy, who was the modal(a) th more or less which he uttered his love of man The select of words and phrasing by Anderson in this paragraph seems very deliberate. Its as if Wing was shouting out Forget the testimony of the boy! I pretend! The placement of the paragraph at the end of the story is besides important. These words be among the break taken in, fresh at the front of the readers mind as he begins to deliberate the facts to progress a conclusion. On the other hand, Anderson writes that Wings accuser imagined unspeakable things and ... went forth to posit his dreams as fact. And its accomplishable the other children may have blown-up or been coerced. Wing, being a tactile person, may have use touch to channel positive reinforcement for a job well make in the classroom, not realizing his expressions could be interp reted differently. After the one alleged incident, Wing went decades without another(prenominal)(prenominal) accusation. Child molesters are generally retroflex offenders; if Wing sincerely was guilty, why did he not look out another victim when he arrived in Winesburg? At the end of the story, when the reader is most conflicted, Anderson paints a vivid portrayal of Wing Biddlebaum, alone, kneel to pick up crumbs and forming the image of a priest praying to God. This serves to hold over the question further and can again be interpreted dually: Wing as the innocent, sanctimonious man who worships and lives a well-behaved vitality, despite unfortunate slew; and Wing as the member of a profession notorious for producing child molestors. Anderson prompts another question when the reader learns that Wing changed his guide on upon leaving Pennsylvania. Originally Adolph Myers, he took his naked as a jaybird last name, Biddlebaum, from a box of goods he power saw at a fre ight station in eastern Ohio. His new first name cam! e from his tendency to flutter his men about, as if they were the wings of a bird.. The reason behind the name change is never spelled out directly, but is implied to be a rubber eraser mechanism in case word ever reached Winesburg of the ruin from Pennsylvania. It is possible that the origins of the names Adolph (German) and Myers (Jewish) also played a role, though this is not a certainty. The story was published in 1916 and it is possible there was some sort of racial tautness in Ohio at the time.
The importance of Wing Biddlebaums pass on in the story cannot be understated. They were his most prized possessions and he used them in close to everything he did. When he talked, his hold flailed about, putting sustenance into his speech. If he was near a table or wall, hed seize it for emphasis. When move along the field, he would touch the fence; anything to forego his hands external stimuli. His hands were the catalyst that took his job and life and move him half itinerary across the country. Where he once used his hands to teach and inspire, Wing Biddlebaum ended up victimisation them to pick strawberries: difficult manual labor that leaves ones hands rough and callused. Perhaps Wing saw his situtation as a reckon punishment for what he had done in Pennsylvania. He may have taken the strawberry job because he knew it would harbor his hands busy and him out of trouble. At the end of the story, Wing picks up crumbs off the floor. Every detail of this story involves his hands in some carriage. During one conversation with George Willard, Wing calmed his gesturing and laid his hands on Georges shoulders. Something about George made Wing chance c omfortable around him. Anderson alternately paints Ge! orge as a boy and then a man, and during this instance he is depicted as a boy. This might contribute to Wings comfort; if he was in fact a child molester, he would feel more at ease around a child. This also explains Wings emerging reaction when he realized he was beginning to compress Georges face. Sherwood Anderson wrote a graphic tale of what can happen when a man is incriminate of a horrible crime. The details are left vague, but perhaps Anderson wrote Hands in this way so as to intentionally preclude the reader from roll a conclusive decision. Anderson seems to say that when a person is accused of a crime, then violently beaten and forced to flirt away from everything he knows and loves, in the end guilt and honor play second-string to the greater issue: words, even traitorously ones, can destroy a life. If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:
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