Hands

Winesburg, Ohio establishes many universal themes and criticisms of society. Whether these qualms are justified is up to interpretation. Also debatable is the meanings of the stories that Sherwood Anderson tells. For example, the most controversial and possibly most devastating objection that Anderson makes his in the beginning of the novel in the chapter ‘Hands’. This chapter details the isolation of Wing Biddlebaum, a rarely seen and mysterious old man who has hands that shake profusely. Through Wing Biddlebaum, Anderson highlights and makes a social and critical commentary on the nature of pedophilia and molestation.

Wing Biddlebaum is the epitome of desolation. He leaves the broader establishment of society and nobody in Winesburg is quite sure why. Surprisingly, he has caused self-exclusion rather than exclusion by another force. This is seen when Anderson writes, “Wing Biddlebaum, forever frightened and beset by a ghostly band of doubts, did not think of himself as in any way a part of the life of the town where he had lived for twenty years” (Anderson, 8). Here it is evident that Wing recognizes his isolation, but remains resolved to maintain his current state of affairs. The reason for this withdrawal is based on internal character developments. As seen in the above quote, Wing is in a permanent state of fear, induced by “by a ghostly band of doubts”. This is the first indication that Wing has committed some sort of act in the past that continues to haunt him. The idea of self-induced isolation is significant to the idea of pedophilia because it highlights the fact that even the character recognizes the wrongdoing in general.

Wing’s attitude around George Willard and his beliefs toward younger men in general highlight his descent toward molestation and attraction to younger children. Immediately in the chapter, Anderson creates a dichotomy between Wing being alone and him with George Willard. Anderson highlights this in multiple instances, first he shows this in Wing’s voice, claiming “The voice that had been low and trembling became shrill and loud”(Anderson, 9). Next he directly claims that George functionally inverses his personality, claiming

“In the presence of George Willard, Wing Biddlebaum, who for twenty years had been the town mystery, lost something of his timidity, and his shadowy personality, submerged in a sea of doubts, came forth to look at the world. With the young reporter at his side, he ventured in the light of day into Main Street or strode up and down on the rickety front porch of his own house, talking excitedly.” (Anderson, 9)

            This quote shows the shift and the binary created between other individuals and younger males, i.e. George Willard. Another and possibly more significant example of this is Wing’s dream where he is thinking about George and young men claiming “Out of the dream Wing Biddlebaum made a picture for George Willard. In the picture men lived again in a kind of pastoral golden age. Across a green open country came clean-limbed young men, some afoot, some mounted upon horses. In crowds the young men came to gather about the feet of an old man who sat beneath a tree in a tiny garden and who talked to them”(Anderson, 11). Here shows how Wing is attracted to the idea of younger men overall and becomes obsessed with the idea of them so much so that he dreams about them.

            It is also important to recognize diction and how Anderson carefully displays the language that he does to describe Wing’s actions. The most explicit example is the use of the word ‘caress’, which has a denotation of ‘to touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner’. Anderson’s use of this word specifically emphasizes the love he has for George Willard and how deeply he feels about him. The almost sexual nature of this encounter only highlights the nature of Wing’s actions.
  Pausing in his speech, Wing Biddlebaum looked long and earnestly at George Willard. The context of the word is perhaps the most prevalent example, upon seeing George, Anderson describes Wing saying "His eyes glowed. Again he raised the hands to caress the boy and then a look of horror swept over his face." (Anderson, 11). This quote combines all the elements previously discussed. It uses caress, but also highlights the idea that Wing recognizes his corrupt actions.