Hands Questions and Answers
Hands
What is the irony at the end of Sherwood Anderson's "Hands"?
The end of the story is ironic because the protagonist Wing Biddlebaum is described as has having "nervous, expressive fingers" as he picks up the crumbs from beneath the table. Wing has also lived...
Hands
What are the major conflicts and irony in the story "Hands"?
In the story "Hands", the main conflict stems from Wing Biddlebaum's fear of human contact. He is a man who expresses himself with his hands, and because of this he is vilified and misunderstood. He...
Hands
In Sherwood Anderson's "Hands," why does the narrator repeatedly say that Wing's hands story is a poet's material?
In the story titled “Hands,” by Sherwood Anderson, the narrator several times comments that the story of Wing Biddlebaum is a story that only a poet could properly tell. What does the narrator mean...
Hands
How does Anderson manipulate the point of view in "Hands"?
"Anderson plays with point of view in the story "Hands," but does not stray far from traditional narrative. The narrator uses third-person omniscient perspective, incorporating changes in the...
Hands
Why is the ending of "Hands" ironic, and how does the author foreshadow this?
1. The story is ironic in that Wing Biddlebaum is accused of molestation and forced to leave town, though he has done nothing to deserve such accusations. He himself is innocent and was simply...
Hands
What problems does Wing Biddlebaum face in Hands, and do they reflect societal issues? Does the theme of Hands still...
Wing Biddlebaum faces societal misunderstanding due to his expressive use of hands, which leads to false accusations of pedophilia and forces him into reclusion. This reflects society's inability to...
Hands
What is the central idea of "Hands" by Sherwood Anderson?
The short story "Hands" by Sherwood Anderson is about a schoolteacher who feels a strong physical attraction to his adolescent male students. He is nearly killed, and he leaves town and changes his...
Hands
In "Hands", how does the first paragraph's imagery forecast later themes?
The first paragraph of "Hands" uses imagery to foreshadow themes of loneliness, insecurity, and decay. It describes Wing Biddlebaum's decaying porch, a nearby ravine, and his "fat, little, old"...
Hands
What message is Wing conveying to George in their conversations?
In The Wings of the Dove , Henry James presents characters who are all deeply concerned with their own freedom and sense of self-worth. Yet most of them, if they are honest with themselves, will...
Hands
How is realism or naturalism portrayed in Hands?
Naturalism is used in Hands as Anderson's narrator describes the uncontrollable natural and social forces that work against Wing Biddlebaum.