Colette understood the expected submission role because she had lived the role of the wife several times. Also, as one of the few women in the workplace, she was subjected to even more male supremacy. She could write about the reasons why women comply because she understood and had been a victim herself. .
In "The Hand", Colette relates a story of a young bride. From the beginning of the story, she sets up the role of obedience in the woman, and the domination in the husband, this unbalance of power. In the beginning of the story, the husband is asleep, yet he still holds the power. While he sleeps comfortably, the wife is awake, supporting his head so that he may be comfortable. She won't even move because she fears waking him. He may not have consciously forced this authority over her, but he or she created it in her mind. When he twitches, the young wife believes it is her fault. She says guiltily, "I"m so heavy I wish I could get up and turn the light off. But he is sleeping so well ." (Meyer 163). .
She does all she can to satisfy him and to comfort him, even at the expense of her comfort or any other luxuries. For example, "the arm twisted again, feebly, and she arched her back to make herself lighter" (Meyer 163). Here, she is surrendering to him, even if it is through his unspoken wishes and through his actions. Even though this is a minute example, she is giving in to his desires. She gives up what she would rather have in order to keep him content. Colette uses the description of the characters to emphasize the unbalance of power. Not only does the husband outweigh the wife in power in the relationship; he is physically dominant as well. .
The young wife is described as slim and adolescent. The husband, on the other hand, is described as having physical, not only mental, power. He is handsome, athletic, and physically dominant. He has very big arms, hands larger than the wives whole head, and "powerful knuckles and the veins engorged by the pressure on his arm" (Meyer 164).
