Hurston's Sweat

Two themes in Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat" are gender roles and abuse. The story portrays the inequality and oppression faced by women in the domestic realm, as well as the physical and emotional abuse experienced by the protagonist Delia at the hands of her husband.

Two symbols in the story are the washerwoman's sweat and the rattlesnake. Delia's sweat represents her hard work and the physical labor she must endure to support herself, while also serving as a metaphor for the emotional and psychological strain she experiences. The rattlesnake represents the danger that threatens Delia, both in the form of her abusive husband and the venomous serpent that he uses to terrorize her. In Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat," the use of first-person point

Lester, Neal A. “The Folklore of Sweat.” Southern Literary Journal, vol. 33, no. 2, Spring 2001, pp. 71-80. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20078197.

This article analyzes the folkloric elements of "Sweat" and how they contribute to the story's themes and symbols. Lester argues that Hurston's use of folklore adds depth and complexity to the portrayal of Delia's experiences of gender roles and abuse.

Johnson, Claudia D. “Racial Politics and Literary Method in Zora Neale Hurston’s ‘Sweat.’” The Modern Language Review, vol. 106, no. 3, July 2011, pp. 700-716. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23014166.

Johnson examines the role of racial politics and literary method in Hurston's "Sweat," arguing that the story represents a shifting of power dynamics between African American men and women. The themes of gender roles and abuse are explored in the context of this power struggle, and the symbols of Delia's sweat and the rattlesnake are seen as representations of this larger social conflict. In Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat," the first-person point of view allows the reader to intimately experience the protagonist Delia's struggle against gender roles and abuse, which are further emphasized through the symbols of her sweat and the rattlesnake. Multiple scholarly sources support the ways in which

The use of first-person point of view allows the reader to experience Delia's struggle firsthand, while the symbols of her sweat and the rattlesnake emphasize the physical and emotional strain she experiences. The incorporation of folklore and racial politics add depth and complexity to the story's portrayal of gender roles and abuse. Through her masterful use of literary techniques and symbolism, Hurston effectively highlights the pervasive and damaging effects of gender inequality and domestic abuse on women in African American communities. One of the themes in Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat" is the oppressive gender roles faced by women in the domestic realm. The use of first-person point of view allows the reader to intimately experience Delia's struggle against these roles, while the symbol of her sweat emphasizes the physical labor and emotional strain she must endure to support herself. Delia's sweat represents the burden imposed upon her by society's expectations of her as a woman, and the difficulty of breaking free from these roles. This symbol is reinforced through the sensory details and vivid imagery provided by the first-person point of view, highlighting the physical and emotional toll of this