Summary Of Sweat By Zora Neale Hurston

The short story Sweat is set in Florida, in the town where author Zora Neale Hurston was born. This story is about Delia Jones, a Christian woman who is hardworking and unappreciated by her husband Sykes. She has been married to him for fifteen years and early on in their marriage Sykes began to abuse Delia both physical and mentally. What makes it even worse is that he gains much pleasure in antagonizing her, and is completely mean spirited towards Delia and does not care about her whatsoever. Following this it states in the book “He slapped his leg with his hand and almost rolled on the ground in mirth. “If you such a big fool dat you got to have a fit over a earth worm or a string, Ah don’t keer

Throughout “Sweat”, Zora Neal Hurston illustrates a number confrontational instances which occur between Delia Jones and her abusive husband, Sykes. The story opens with Sykes scaring Delia with a whip, which was initially thought by her to be a snake; an animal of which she explicitly states her fear. Their encounter on that evening ends with Delia pulling a cast iron skillet on Sykes who threatens to beat her as he leaves the house. Despite Sykes knowing of his wife’s snake-fear, he brings one into the house and neglects to kill the reptile which eventually kills him. When Delia approach her dying husband, Sykes calls out, “Delia, is dat u Ah heah” (Hurston 571), to which she does not respond. Therefore, it can be concluded that Sykes open

Delia Jones and Snake Symbolism Slender, strong, patient, and vengeful—it waits in the shadows and is the physical representation of transformation and bravery. It connects the divide between good and evil and is at the core of the short story, “Sweat,” by Zora Neale Hurston. The animal who boasts this title is the serpent. While symbolic descriptions for snakes can differ between cultures and time periods, it is generally seen as a symbol for charm, danger and sexual energy, and considered one of the oldest examples of symbolism that is still utilized in numerous literary and visual works today. Snake symbolism is present within the short fiction, “Sweat,” and is represented in its main character, Delia Jones.

For example, perseverance is a key attribute that Delia possesses. The reader soon discovers that Delia makes a living by washing clothes for the community. However, her husband Sykes does not contribute to their income in any way, is unfaithful, and beats her. The author of this story, Zora Neal Hurston, shows how Delia expresses her frustration towards Sykes and surprisingly, this may have been the first time Delia has stood up to him. “Ah been married to you fur fifteen years, and Ah been takin' in

In Zora Neale Hurston’s story “Sweat,” Delia spent her days and nights washing clothes to support herself. Her husband, Sykes spent his adulterous days with other women and his nights abusing Delia. Typically, Delia

She attempts to be civil with Sykes at first: “Two or three times Delia had attempted a timid friendliness, but she was repulsed each time” (356-357). However, her whole attitude shifts once he puts the snake in her house. She tells him, “‘Ah hates you tuh de same degree dat Ah useter love yuh’” (358). Her hatred for Sykes and her cold heartedness is shown in the end. Once she is safe in the barn and has calmed down some, she realizes Sykes put the snake in her clothes hamper in an effort to kill her and she is filled with “a cold, bloody rage” (359). She watches from the barn loft as Sykes enters the house where the deadly snake is slithering around free. Then, she hears him: “All the terror, all the horror, all the rage that man possibly could express, without a recognizable human sound” (359). Delia does not help him even when he calls out for her repeatedly: “Delia, Delia!” (360). She finally comes out and sees him on his hands and knees desperate for help. However, she is so coldhearted by this point in the story that she feels no pity for him and leaves him there to

Zora Neale Hurston's short story, “Sweat,” portrays a conflict between the elements of good and evil. Delia, a battered wife, represents God or a God like figure. Sykes, or the evil Satan like figure, constantly inflicts physical, psychological, and verbal damage to this God like figure. He does this to attempt to overcome Delia, or defeat God. If his actions are successful, it could be perceived as Satan defeating God.

Sykes’ bull whip, mistaken for a snake, invokes “great terror” (line 355) and extreme fear in Delia, foreshadowing is an event that is to come. An example of irony is that Delia is a washwoman, but her clothes stay dirty. An example of symbolism is the title “Sweat.” This symbol describes the hard work that Delia is doing to survive. The men in their town does not like Skyes. Several men talked about how Skyes does not work and how he controls Delia. The men also talk about how Delia was very beautiful before she got married to

Delia represents the good in the story. She remains calm, level-headed, and spiritually in tune despite her husband‘s determination to make her miserable. Once a "right pretty li'l trick," Delia is now worn and dried out like sugar cane that's been chewed to no end (“Sweat” 43). However her soul remains strong as she turns to her spirituality for comfort and hope. She has smarts although uneducated and the fact that she built her own house and now supports her and her husband by washing white

His rage over the previous statement in the story is illustrated by stepping “ roughly upon the whitest pile of things, kicking them helter-skelter as he crossed the room”(104). But Delia stands against him by reminding him that it is her sweat, cry, blood, pray, and hard work as a wash women for white people during their 15 years of marriage that has purchased their house and fed their bellies.

Delia continues to do her laundry and take care of the house while her husband is out with his mistress. Delia is helpless when it comes to defending herself against Skyes. After years of torture [evidence?] and abuse, Delia has become used to the situation. When Skyes is out with Bertha, he tells her that when he gets ride [rid] of Delia, that she can have anything in the house or in the whole town. Skyes is trying to make himself out to be a respectable loving man, and he wants Bertha to believe that he has power. The only power that he has is when it involves controlling his wife.

Delia Jones spent her weeks washing the townspeople clothing. She paid the bills, she cooked and cleaned. She even did yard work. “She had built it for her old, days, and planted one by one the trees and flowers there,” (Hurston) She really enjoyed her work. And you could really tell she has been working hard, probably her entire life to have the things she had now. The way the text described her to having knotty muscles limbs, her harsh, knuckly hand.” Delia was the backbone and engine of her household. Her husband, however, was unemployed and took advantage of her given that she upheld to her wifely duties no matter if he deserved it or not. Sykes took Delia for granted. Sykes fully disrespected and yet fully depended on Delia. Yet he claims to own all the fruits of Delia labor. If it wasn’t for Delia’s hard work and tolerance, he would’ve been forced to take care of himself. Women like Delia did a lot for their families. In an article titled theorizing difference from multicultural feminism by Maxine Zinn and Bonnie Dill, Zinn and Dill state, “Within the constraints of race, class, and gender oppression, women create viable lives for themselves, their families, and their communities,” (Feminist studies 328).

Another issue in the short story deals with adultery. Sykes is sleeping behind Delia?s back with a lady named Bertha. He parades her around town and rubs it in Delia face that he has another woman. This treatment of women happens a lot today. A lot women stay with their husbands even though they know they are cheating on them. A lot of women continue to take the verbal abuse because they feel they can?t find anyone else. Delia stayed with Sykes because she had low self esteem, which was caused by Sykes verbal abuse toward her. He would take the covers from her while they were in bed and kick her feet. But Delia was able to deal with it until she got peace.

Delia has been living strained marriage life with her husband who had no respect for her at all has been obvious from beginning of the story, he even began beating Delia after three month of his marriage. The story starts with Delia, who is sitting near the big pile of clothes and sorting it according to their color. In a meanwhile, her husband comes to house late and scares Delia with the big bullwhip. Sykes knows that Delia is afraid of snake, though he scares her intentionally, and he does not show any kind of guilt. Instead, he laughs and

Delia Jones starts off as a healthy religious woman who believes she found the love of her life, but little does she know that she will lose her beloved qualities of freedom. This submissive quality appears two months after their marriage. Considering she has experienced ongoing abuse for fifteen years, Delia has eventually had enough. I say it is because of Sykes’ irony that she develops hatred. Sykes’ selfish demeanor is the cause for Delia’s weak state. He then goes on to humiliate her by saying “Ah 'm so tired of you Ah don 't know whut to do.