Sweat: Analysis of Main Ideas

Women should seek to gain independence.

Hurston presents Delia’s life as an example of how and why women should seek to gain independence from men. Delia’s existence at the beginning of the story is one of hard work and abuse. Although she is a capable businesswoman, respected in the community, her life is miserable because of her marriage. Sykes is cruel and violent to her. He does not work to contribute to their household, nor does he offer Delia love and kindness. Throughout the story, Delia improves her life by separating herself from him. Early in the story, Delia defends herself from his physical abuse and builds a spiritual barrier within herself, so that his hatred cannot hurt her. As the story continues, she stands up for herself by refusing to leave the house she has paid for with her work, even when he brings the snake to scare her away.

By the end of the story, Delia has become fully independent. She has found the love she needs by joining a more supportive church. She arranges her work according to her own needs, sorting laundry in the bedroom so that she can sit comfortably. Although she is terrified by the appearance of the rattlesnake, she rescues herself, a contrast to her paralysis at the false snake in the opening scene. In the final moments of the story, as Sykes dies, Delia sits under the Chinaberry tree she has planted for herself, a fitting symbol of Hurston’s message that women can and should build happy lives independent from men who would seek to control them.

Pride comes before a fall.

Throughout the story, Hurston portrays Sykes as an embodiment of the sin of pride. He is arrogant and inconsiderate, caring only about his own desires. He treats Delia cruelly now that he has tired of her. He showers Bertha with gifts and attention, showing that he knows how to be loving but chooses not to. Although he does not work or take care of the house as Delia does, he believes the house should be his alone, because he wants it and imagines himself to be so important that his wanting it ought to be enough. His arrogance is most obvious in his behavior regarding the rattlesnake that he brings to the house to intimidate Delia. When Delia is frightened and the men of the town advise him to kill the snake, he is dismissive and arrogant. Hubris leads him to imagine he will be able to set the snake loose in the house to terrify or injure Delia without facing any risk himself. Instead, his prideful belief that the house should be his and that he can control the snake leads directly to his death, as the snake he has let into the house himself attacks him.

Hard work leads to a good life.

The contrast between Delia and Sykes, and the town’s reaction to each of them, underscores Hurston’s point that hard work leads to a good life. While Sykes is lazy, Delia is industrious. Her laundry business is successful because she is organized and diligent in her work. Although she is tired by a long week in the opening scene, she nevertheless sets to sorting the clothes late Sunday night so that she will have everything finished on time. When Sykes arrives to torment her, it is her drive to get her work done that gives her the courage to stand up to him, the first step in the development of her independence. The men of the town speak disdainfully about Sykes but have respect for Delia’s dependable work habits, noting that no matter what, she delivers the clothes on Saturdays. While Delia’s work is demanding, Huston depicts her as content and calm while working, usually humming or singing to herself, happier in her work than in her life with Sykes. Delia’s work is also what allows her to create a life free of Sykes. With her earnings, she has built a house and planted a garden around it to enjoy as she grows old. The garden she has built with her earnings shelters her in the final scene of the story, and she will continue to live in the house she has paid for with her hard work.

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