Sweat tells the story of Delia Jones, a humble, timid woman trapped in a marriage with an abusive man who takes pride in mistreating her. The story opens up on a spring night in Florida, with Delia busy going about her job as a washwoman. We learn that her husband, Sykes, has run off with her horse and cart.

What is the story sweat about?

Sweat Summary. “Sweat” tells the story of a woman in an unhappy and abusive marriage who is eventually freed through an ironic twist of fate. The story opens on a Sunday night with Delia Jones, a hardworking washerwoman, sorting the week’s laundry.

What is the purpose of sweat by Zora Neale Hurston?

The central goal of Hurston is to empower and challenge her readers about the violence that exists within the black community.

What is the climax of the story sweat?

Tired, she decides to sit on the bed and rest as she works on the laundry. At this point the climax begins as Delia lifts the lid of the laundry basket and discovers the snake inside. She runs outside and hides in the hay loft where her suffering soon ends after Sykes returns.

What is the resolution of the story sweat?

Sykes later brings a snake to the house, still trying to frighten her away from the property, but the resolution of the narrative lies in the way the snake works justice on Delia’s husband. Hurston involves the community regularly so that the reader understands that Delia’s point of view can be trusted.

What happens at the end of the story Sweat?

Sykes buys a snake to torture Delia and make her afraid to be in their home, a home that her many long years of work has paid for. In a twist of fate, the snake ends up killing Sykes and freeing Delia from a poisonous marriage, something she realizes as she watches him die.

What job does the female protagonist have in Sweat?

Delia is the protagonist and main character of “Sweat.” A hardworking middle-aged black woman, she makes her living washing other people’s clothes.

What does Sweat symbolize in Sweat?

In “Sweat,” Hurston uses the symbol of sweat to represent the vital essence of Delia’s being. Along with her tears and her blood, “the salty stream had been pressed from her heart.” Her essence or being is devoted to her work, which can be seen as an extension of herself and in which she takes great pride.

How does the end of the story Sweat impact the reader?

At the end of the story, it becomes evident to the reader that Delia does not make any attempt to help her husband as he lay dying from the wounds inflicted by the snake, as the narrator informs us “Orlando with its doctors was too far.

What is the conflict of Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston?

The conflict in “Sweat” is between Delia and her abusive, adulterous husband, Sykes. The conflict starts when Delia decides to stand up for herself for the first time. The action begins when Sykes lays a bullwhip across Delia’s shoulders to scare her.

What happens to Delia’s husband Sykes in the end of the story sweat?

Tired of Delia and seeking out freedom with his “portly” mistress Bertha, Sykes hatches a plan to poison Delia by planting a rattlesnake in her washing clothes. In a bit of karmic fate, however, it is Sykes who is poisoned by the rattlesnake, fatally, in the neck.

What does Delia realize as she reflects on her marriage with Sykes?

Her husband, Sykes, mistreats her, leaves all work to her, and is unfaithful. After being married to Sykes for 15 years, Delia has lost all hope in the marriage. She is forced to go against her strict religious beliefs because of the life in which she has been leading since her matrimony to her husband.

Who are the main characters in sweat?

Characters

• Delia Jones.
• Sykes Jones.
• Joe Clarke.
• The Village Men.
• Bertha.

What is the protagonist conflict in sweat?

The main conflict revolves around the husband’s attempts to rid his house of his wife so that his mistress can move in. These attempts by the husband stem from his dissatisfaction with their marriage. He resents her for working for white people while he is unemployed.

What is the village men’s opinion of Delia?

The men agree that Delia is being horribly mistreated and that something should be done to help her. One of the men on the porch, Lindsay, says: “There oughter be a law about him.

How is the story sweat structured overall?

“Sweat” is structured around the contrast between Delia and her husband Sykes, and nothing is more basic to that contrast than their attitudes towards work. Through these two characters, Hurston affirms the value of hard work as a foundation for both moral integrity and survival under difficult conditions.