What is the theme of the short story sweat?
“Sweat” tells the story of a domestically abused, religiously devout laundress and her adulterous, deadbeat husband. The dominant theme is good versus evil, but the story also incorporates the themes of hard work versus laziness and fate.
What is the meaning of the story sweat?
“Sweat,” a short story by Zora Neale Hurston, is a female empowerment text about a woman overcoming her abusive husband. Written in the 1920s, the story is set in central Florida, near Orlando. “Sweat” features Delia and her husband, Sykes, with their marital strife as the plot for the not-so-happy-ending fairy tale.
What happens in sweat by Zora Neale Hurston?
“Sweat” tells the story of a woman in an unhappy and abusive marriage who is eventually freed through an ironic twist of fate. The story opens on a Sunday night with Delia Jones, a hardworking washerwoman, sorting the week’s laundry.
Does Sykes die in sweat?
Sykes bring a snake into the house, hoping to scare Delia out. She finds it in the laundry basket and runs away in fright. That night, Sykes gets bitten by the snake. He dies, and Delia is free.
Why does Delia let Sykes die?
Expert Answers Hover for more information. The impetus for Delia’s decision is really a compilation of years of abuse from Sykes. His cheating, his disregard for her feelings, his misuse of her hard-earned money, and his condescension toward her all contribute to Delia’s allowing Sykes to die.
What is the irony in sweat?
The main irony in the story is that all of Sykes’ schemes against Delia result in unexpected, negative consequences for him. Sykes brings the snake into the house because he knows that Delia is mortally afraid of reptiles. To Sykes, the snake is a weapon. His main goal is to get Delia to leave.
What is the conflict in sweat?
The conflict in “Sweat” is between Delia and her abusive, adulterous husband, Sykes. The conflict starts when Delia decides to stand up for herself for the first time. The action begins when Sykes lays a bullwhip across Delia’s shoulders to scare her.
Why is irony important to a story?
Why is it important? Authors can use irony to make their audience stop and think about what has just been said, or to emphasize a central idea. The audience’s role in realizing the difference between what is said and what is normal or expected is essential to the successful use of irony.
Is dramatic irony a theme?
When using dramatic irony, it should tie in with your theme. The characters must make a statement in the story, through dialogue or action, which throws the absurdity, danger, or emotion of the scene into relief. The dialogue will usually have a changed or opposite meaning.
Can irony be a theme?
Authors sometimes use irony to reveal the theme of the narrative. For example, in “The Most Dangerous Game,” the author creates the situational irony of a world-famous hunter becoming the hunted in order to reveal a theme of the story – “What goes around, comes around.”