Hands

In the story, "The Moths" by Helena Viramontes, the hands show a transformation from: "bull hands," "clumsy hands," "masculine hands," and "large hands," to "helping hands," "comfort," "food preparing, and "helping hands." This can be looked at as a symbolic transformation of life from transmigration to transmogrification. The hands are representative of these lives.THe hands in the story become representative at times of Aupa's abuse when the hands are used for whippings, clenched in fists or violent. Fingernails and hammer and nails can be looked at as symbol of Christ's crucifiction on the cross. However the hands were also used in acts of kindness and peace such as bathing grandmother and carrying her body once she had passed.

Tiffany Noojin