In the short story “Spunk” by Zora Neal Hurston, the theme throughout the story shows that people get what they deserve from beginning to end. A character Hurston uses in the short story to show people get what they deserve would be Joe Kanty. Throughout the story, the other characters Elijah Mosley and Walter Thomas describe Joe as if he is not a threat in any sort of way. As they see Joe’s wife Lena Kanty with another man by the name of Spunk Banks and knows he is not going to do anything about it. Elijah and Walter, then tend to tease Joe “Say, Joe, how’s everything up yo’ way? How’s yo’ wife?’ (Hurston 1). Leading him to take action about the affair going on in his marriage between main character Spunk and his wife Lena. Joe seemed