In “Sweat,” Hurston uses the symbol of sweat to represent the vital essence of Delia's being . Along with her tears and her blood, “the salty stream had been pressed from her heart.” Her essence or being is devoted to her work, which can be seen as an extension of herself and in which she takes great pride.
What is the significance of the title Sweat?
The story's title “Sweat” refers to all the physical labor that Delia performs , which contrasts with Sykes' life of leisure and entitlement.
What does sweating symbolize?
Sweat is symbolic of fear, anger, and labor . Her sweat and blood are used to wash and care for the white people's clothes. She spends long hours toiling in the sun. Her labor keeps her house which brings her a lot of joy, arguably the only joy in her life.
What does Sweat clothing mean?
Clothing is one symbol that plays a major role in the short story that reveals some truth in Delia's and Sykes' marriage. ... Throughout the story, clothing represents Delia's job and the hard work she does .
What does Delia symbolize in Sweat?
In Sweat, the characters of Delia and Sykes represent the binary opposition between good and evil . Delia is a god fearing, caring, and overall virtuous woman who works endlessly to support herself and her husband.
How does the story Sweat end?
Delia abandons her meek posture and stands to defend herself. She proclaims that her sweat paid for the house and she will do as she pleases in it, threatening Sykes with a cast iron skillet. Sykes, surprised, slinks away to spend the night with his mistress. Delia finishes her work and goes to bed .
What does sweating mean in slang?
From this list of slang usages... Sweating – constantly after a girl or boy you want and making it extremely obvious .
What is the role of Christianity in Sweat?
Christian belief plays a major role in “Sweat,” both in the characters' lives and words, and in the way that the story itself interacts with Biblical stories. ... Delia is able to continue working hard and endure Sykes' abuse at least in part because she finds solace in Christianity.
How does Sykes feel about Delia and her work Sweat?
How does Sykes feel about Delia and her work? He teases her about her work but secretly appreciates it. He believes she should wash black folks' clothes as well .
What does the bullwhip represent in Sweat?
The bullwhip serves as a symbolic representation of the snake , and the rattlesnake serves as a physical one. Snakes also have a tendency to be related to the Devil and evil, and in turn, this association lends a hand to Sykes's character as well.
How do athletes test for sweat?
As the name suggests, this method involves completely washing an athlete in de-ionised water and then getting them to exercise (presumably naked) in an entirely enclosed plastic environment . Every drop of sweat produced can then be painstakingly collected and analysed for very accurate analysis in a lab.
What is sweat analysis?
Sweat diagnostics. Purpose. test for Eccrine sweat gland(mostly) Sweat diagnostics is an emerging non-invasive technique used to provide insights to the health of the human body. Common sweat diagnostic tests include testing for cystic fibrosis and illicit drugs.
What is the synonym of sweating?
In this page you can discover 49 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for sweat, like: perspiration , sweating, perspire, body-odor, insensible perspiration, beads of sweat, wetness, , excrete, transudation and wilt.
Why does Sykes call Delia a hypocrite?
Why does Sykes call Delia a hypocrite at the beginning of the story? ... Delia's husband, Sykes, considers her to be a hypocrite because she is working on Sunday . Sykes reveals his attitude about Delia's “hypocrisy” in the story's exposition .
What does the chinaberry tree represent in sweat?
Delia sits and waits under the chinaberry tree in the yard of her house for Sykes to die after he is bitten by the rattlesnake he brought into the house. The tree, symbolizing womanhood and fertility , has triumphed in the end.
How does Delia change in sweat?
In Zora Neale Hurston's story, “Sweat,” Delia experiences a transformation from a scared, passive woman to a strong, defiant one . At the start of the story, she keeps her head down and works hard; she is terribly afraid when her husband, Sykes, drops his whip on her shoulder, pretending it is a snake.
