Throughout “Hands,” the actions of Wing Biddlebaum’s hands and whether “they” are guilty of the crime of molestation is the central focus. Synecdoche is a figure of speech in which a part of something is used to refer to the entire thing. A common example of synecdoche might be referring to a vehicle as “wheels” or a “stick shift.” The expression “I need a hand,” which means needing the assistance of an additional person, uses synecdoche to replace a human being with a body part, as Anderson does in the story “Hands.” Accusations against the hands are accusations against Wing Biddlebaum, but his estrangement from the hands make it seem as though only part of him is guilty of anything. The use of synecdoche allows the narrator to compartmentalize Wing Biddlebaum’s actions and distance the character from the alleged crime.

The majority of the action in “Hands” takes place within a flashback, or a scene that takes place before the main setting of the story. Although the story itself takes place over the course of just a few hours on Wing Biddlebaum’s veranda in Winesburg, almost nothing happens during those hours.