Analysis of Sweat
Zora Neal Hurston wrote Sweat during an era when men dominated in the world, and often on the pages of literature. However, Zora is still able to create a heroine, for the time, which stands off the pages and speaks, I matter. Heroine Delia Jones, also caught up in a world controlled, and tempered by men, finds a way to hold onto her independence – and in the end gain her freedom. Hurston’s Sweat depicts beautifully the struggle between husband and wife for control, through her incorporation of symbols in the snake, and use of weight.
From the beginning of the story the reader can see the struggle for power between Delia and her husband Sykes. Because, Sykes does not work, Delia is the head contributor to the household. Thus, she is the real controller of their house and property. Sykes does not actually own anything, yet he tries to uphold the illusion that he is in power. He tells Delia “Ah ain’t gointer have it in mah house. Don’t gimme no lip neither, else ah’ll throw ‘em out and put mah fist up side yo’ head to boot.” Once again, pushing his delusion of control. His terrorization of her through physical violence is all he truly has, because he is not actually running anything. I believe he brings in the snake into the house, because it is his final plot for ultimate control.
The snake then becomes a symbol of his authoritarian masculine energy. I believe Hurston intended this as Delia's true fear. It also reflects the shifting women's issues at the time. At this time many women were gaining rights to vote, and finding their independence. So, the collective fear for women in society was often the heavy- handed dictatorship of a man. Contrasted, the men in society were afraid of losing their control over women. Parallel with this, we can see Delia’s anxiety of the snake also being her fear of Sykes rule over her. The snake looming in the