"Hands" (1939) Flashcards
Author
Sherwood Anderson
Type of Literary Work
Short Story
Themes
Individual Quest for self and betterment
Small town environment
Distrust of modern society and industrialization
Who are the major characters in the story?
Wing Biddlebaum
George Willard
Describe Wing Biddlebaum:
A fat little old man; forever frightened and beset by a ghostly band of doubts; for 20 years had been the town mystery
How did Wing Biddlebaum view himself?
He did not think of himself as in any way a part of the life of the town where he had lived for 20 years.
Setting:
Winesburg, Ohio
Describe how Wing Biddlebaum feels toward everyone:
He doesn’t feel like he is a part of the life of the town
He has only become close to one person, George Willard.
Who is George Willard?
Son of Tom Willard, the proprietor of the new Willard House; Reporter on the “Winesburg Eagle”
How did Wing Biddlebaum change when George Willard was around?
He lost something of his timidity, and his shadowy personality, submerged in a sea of doubts, came foth to look at the world.
His voice that had been low and trembling became shrill and loud.
His bent figure straightened
Normally silent, he would talk excitedly
How did Wing Biddlebaum come to be called “Wing?”
[His hands’] restless activity, like unto the beating of the wings of an imprisoned bird, had given him his name. Some obscure poet of the town had thought of it.
How did the town view Wing’s hands?
Winesburg was proud of the hands of Wing Biddlebaum . . .
What was Wing Biddlebaums former “less euphonic” name?
Adolph Myers
What happened in the Pennsylvania town that lead Adolph Myers to change his name and gave him such characteristics dealing with his hands?
He was a school teacher there and was very affectionate toward the school boys until one day he was accused of molesting one of the boys. The Saloon owner in the town went to the school house and beat Adolph. He was driven from the Pennsylvania town iin the night.
Where did Adolph Myers get the last name “Biddlebaum?”
from a box of goods seen at a freight station as he hurried through an easter Ohio town
