Abraham Lincoln

Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson is made up of many short stories describing figures which share similar histories of a failed passion in life. Many are lonely outcasts who struggle with a burning fire which still glows inside of them. "Hands" is a touching story in this novel which describes the lonesome, dreary life of Wing Biddlebaum. Once a normal person, Wing had a beautiful gift, he could use his hands to heal and to …

…is just afraid of them. Wing's situation is exaggerated in this tale, in order to make the reader understand why people act the way they do. This and many other stories of Winesburg, Ohio help the reader comprehend human nature, giving specific examples. In this story for example, the theme of loneliness and shattered dreams is rampant, making the reader empathize with the character, a technique called pathos that is used brilliantly in this account.