Hands by Sherwood Anderson

Title: Hands

Author: Sherwood Anderson

Collection: Winesburg, Ohio

Genre: Psychological realism / Modernist short story

Summary:

The story centers on Wing Biddlebaum, a lonely, nervous man who lives on the outskirts of the small town of Winesburg, Ohio. He is known for constantly moving his hands — they flutter, tremble, and fidget endlessly. The townspeople find him strange and keep their distance, though they don’t know his full story.

Only one person shows him kindness — George Willard, a young reporter in Winesburg. Wing feels a strong affection and fatherly concern for George, and when they talk, Wing’s hands seem to come alive with expressive gestures.

As the story unfolds, we learn about Wing’s past: his real name was Adolph Myers, and he once worked as a beloved schoolteacher in a Pennsylvania town. He was gentle and affectionate with his students, often touching their shoulders or hair while talking — a gesture meant to encourage and comfort them. However, these innocent gestures were misinterpreted by a frightened boy, who accused him of being improper or abusive.

The townspeople, driven by anger and suspicion, violently drove Adolph out of town. Since then, he has lived in fear and shame, changing his name to Wing Biddlebaum and settling in Winesburg, hiding from human contact and suppressing his natural warmth and expressiveness.

The story ends with Wing alone in his small house, pacing anxiously and trying to still his restless hands — symbols of both his human warmth and his tragic isolation.