Zora N. Hurston

“What goes around comes around!” I really enjoyed reading “Sweat.” It was ironic how Sykes met his fate in the end. When he brought home the snake to torment Delia (and I suspect placed it in the laundry basket) he was bringing home his own death. I admire Hurston’s portrayal of the strong, black woman in this poem. Delia was an amazing character; she persevered through so much and was well respected by others in her community.

The hardships Delia faced were immense. She not only had to deal with the problems that came with being a poor, black in the South, but also being a woman placed her at a disadvantage. I kept wondering throughout the story why she didn’t just kick Sykes out of the house or divorce him. Then, I had to remember that was probably not an option in her day. Although she was the one whose sweat and hard work paid for their home, I wonder if she would have had any legal claim to it. I thought it was significant that Sykes carries a bullwhip in the beginning of the story. Maybe Hurston was trying to symbolize his attempt at control over Delia. But, she also describes the whip as being “limp.” At this point in her life she is no longer willing to allow Sykes to mistreat her as he has done in the past.

I always like to learn more about the author’s we are reading. According to this biography (http://www.zoranealehurston.com/biography.html), Zora led an interesting (though sometimes sad) life. A turning point in her life seemed to be the loss of her mother @ age 13. She stated: "That hour began my wanderings," she later wrote. "Not so much in geography, but in time. Then not so much in time as in spirit." Zora became friends with Langston Hughes and others in the Harlem Renaissance movement. She was extremely popular and well published. Unfortunately, she still died poor and in an unmarked grave. Another admiring author later furnished a marker for her burial place.

I believe that many of Zora’s life experiences likely shaped her writing. The dialogue in “Sweat” and the Florida setting seems to enhance the realness of the characters. Although the characters were poor, common, everyday people their language and experiences are still important.