Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston
STORY SUMMARY
Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat” tells the story of Delia Jones, an African American washwoman in a small Florida town who has endured years of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband, Sykes Jones. The story begins on a Sunday evening, with Delia returning home after a long day of washing clothes. Sykes immediately torments her, mocking her religious piety and using a whip to scare her by pretending it’s a snake—a creature she fears deeply.
Delia works hard to support the household, while Sykes contributes nothing and flaunts his affair with Bertha, a woman he openly brings into their shared community. Sykes shows disdain not only for Delia’s labor but for her very presence, abusing her emotionally and physically. Despite this, Delia endures, drawing strength from her work, faith, and inner resilience.
The story culminates in a twist of poetic justice. Sykes brings a real rattlesnake into the house
to scare Delia, but he eventually falls victim to the very creature he used to terrorize her. When Delia finds Sykes dying from a snakebite, she watches without intervening. The story ends with Sykes’s death, and Delia—sweatsoaked and silent—finally free.
LITERARY ANALYSIS
Narrative Style and Point of View
• The story is told in third-person limited point of view, largely filtered through Delia’s consciousness. Hurston blends standard narration with Southern Black vernacular, grounding the story in a specific cultural and geographical setting.
• This narrative voice creates an authentic portrait of African American rural life in the early 20th century while allowing readers intimate access to Delia’s internal strength.
Themes
• Oppression and Resistance: Delia is trapped in an abusive marriage and a patriarchal community, but she survives through labor, self-reliance, and quiet defiance. Her refusal to be broken—physically or spiritually—underscores the theme of resilience.
• Religion and Morality: De-
lia’s Christian faith is a source of comfort and strength, but the story complicates religious forgiveness. While she does not actively harm Sykes, she allows nature (the snake) to deliver what may be seen as divine justice.
• Labor and Identity: The title emphasizes the theme of work—Delia’s “sweat” is both literal and symbolic. Her labor is the means of survival and a metaphor for her endurance in the face of exploitation, not just from her husband, but from a larger system of gender and racial inequality.
• Poetic Justice and Retribution: The rattlesnake, introduced by Sykes as a weapon of terror, becomes the agent of his downfall. Hurston frames this as a form of natural justice, with Delia’s passive role suggesting both moral ambiguity and narrative satisfaction.
Characterization
• Delia Jones: A deeply sympathetic protagonist, Delia embodies strength, endurance, and moral complexity. Her character reflects the inner lives of Black women who survive through grit, faith, and an unyielding sense of self.
• Sykes Jones: A cruel and manipulative antagonist, Sykes represents toxic masculinity and the abuses of patriarchal
power. His laziness and aggression are not just personal flaws, but symbolic of larger systemic forces.
Symbolism
• The Snake: A multi-layered symbol—fear, evil, punishment, and ultimately justice. It echoes biblical allusions (Garden of Eden), but here it becomes a tool of liberation.
• Sweat: A recurring motif representing suffering, labor, sacrifice, and endurance. Delia’s sweat sanctifies her domestic space, while Sykes’s disdain for it signifies his moral corruption.
• The House: A contested domestic space. For Delia, it is her place of survival; for Sykes, a site of control. The presence of the snake destabilizes this space, and its final reassertion as Delia’s sanctuary reflects a shift in power.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1. How does Hurston use dialect and voice to enhance the realism and emotional depth of the story?
2. In what ways does Delia resist her oppression, and how is her resistance shaped by her gender and race?
3. What role does religion play in Delia’s morality—and in the story’s ending?
4. Is Delia’s refusal to help Sykes an act of justice, revenge, or something more complicated?
5. How does “Sweat” reflect broader themes of autonomy and survival in the African American experience?
FINAL THOUGHTS
Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat” is a compact, powerful story that blends folklore, realism, and moral drama. Through the lens of a working-class Black woman in the Jim Crow South, the story explores themes of endurance, justice, and self-worth. Hurston’s careful use of language, symbolism, and character paints a vivid portrait of a woman who, after years of suffering, finds a quiet, hard-won form of liberation.