Selections from the Middle School Writing Gallery
The Writing Gallery is an annual Middle School project that presents multi-genre pieces written by students and judged by a panel of Middle School English teachers. These works are designed to highlight our students as authors across all literary genres, and The Complexity of Her Hands is no exception. The story by seventh grader Carson McCoy reflects on his grandmother’s life, as told through the bumps and texture of her hands. To read other excerpts from the Writing Gallery, click here.
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The Complexity of Her Hands
Carson McCoy – Grade 7
My grandmother is a hardworking lady. She has a unique personality, an all-or nothing spirit, and a sense of humor that only she can describe. She has many tales to tell, but her hands tell a tale of their own.
My grandmother’s hands are the opposite of silk - as rough as sandpaper and as tough as trying to open a jar of jam. Her hands have held lots of different plants, and they push soil into the ground in a way that resembles a wrecking ball as it smashes into a wall. Her hands pull weeds ever so cautiously, making sure they grab every last bit of the roots; however, her grip on the plant is solid. She holds on to be efficient before the sun goes down for the day. Her phalanges are arched to an almost perfect O, a result of holding her worn-down, black leather steering wheel.
Attached to her fingers are her nails. They are only painted on special occasions; nevertheless, they have taken on the color of her daily chores. Her hands are long, broken, torn, and old, and they have bumps on them like a one-hundred-year-old tree.
My grandmother’s thumbs stand out to me. Arthritis runs down from her arm to them. Her hands are tough and strong, capable of holding her 100-pound dog, Maggie, who just wants to run free. When someone grasps my grandmother’s hands, they feel old, but nevertheless, ready for action. My grandmother’s life shows through her hands.
My grandmother’s thumbs stand out to me. Arthritis runs down from her arm to them. Her hands are tough and strong, capable of holding her 100-pound dog, Maggie, who just wants to run free. When someone grasps my grandmother’s hands, they feel old, but nevertheless, ready for action. My grandmother’s life shows through her hands.
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