Gender and Race in Zora Neale Hurston's Short Story, Sweat

Jaroly Asilis
Professor Harris

November 20, 2014
LIT 233

In Zora Neale Hurston’s short story, “Sweat” gender and race have undoubtedly shaped the story, filled its content with a deep political statement on social inequality. Gender comes into play in that the stereotypical ideal of men as the provider for the passive female is subverted in
Sweat. Race plays a larger role than one might initially expect and the way it is perceived by characters such as Sykes and Delia are drastically different. While Delia is a “good” woman, goes to church, and works hard for the white people whom she washes clothes for, her husband views her to be a hypocrite.
“But she was a wash-woman, and Monday morning meant a great deal to her” right off we’re introduced to Delia 's strong work ethic, it appears to be central to her identity. As the story continues, we come to learn that she works just as hard or harder than all the men in her hometown, and most definitely shows up her no-good husband.
Gender is a central theme to “Sweat,” like the big, scaly snake that Sykes brings back to the house you simply can’t ignore it. In the 1920’s American south, being a woman meant you’d most likely face a lifetime of prejudice, restrictions, and discrimination. Given this historical context, we can see what makes Delia such a remarkable and powerful character. Not only is she able to survive her gender-based oppression, she’s able to triumph.
“She lifted her eyes to the door and saw him standing there bent over with laughter at her fright.” Sykes is laughing at Delia for being scared of his bullwhip. This is a classic case of bullying, something he likes to do quite often to his wife to exert control and continue to take

advantage of her. From the moment we meet him, we can see Sykes is a disrespectful, pitiful man who uses his might to intimidate Delia.
“Sweat” can be read as a work of feminist fiction, although not for the reason one would think. While it is true that she does allow herself to watch her cruel, unfaithful, and abusive husband die at the end, this is not necessarily a feminist act within itself it is simply an end to the story. Although she takes abuse from her husband, Delia is actually a more empowered character than it may seem on first glance. She has built her own home, manages her finances, works hard, and takes pleasure in the results or her hard work. Generally, the only thing holding her back is her husband.
“You sho is one aggravatin’ nigger woman,” Delia said as she stepped into the room.
Insults are all this guy seems to be able to offer. Is it Delia’s fault she was born a woman? No. Is it Sykes’s fault that he treats her poorly? Yes. All she’s trying to do is work and all he’s trying to do is cause problems. I think Sykes is just intimidated by his wife’s impressive ability to provide for the both of them.
Much of what happens within the story between Sykes and Delia is based on how
Hurston has chosen to represent the idea of gender stereotypes within the framework of a dysfunctional, black married couple from the Southern. In regards to Sykes wanting to control
Delia and her actions, he does somewhat fulfill the stereotypical masculine characteristic of control and dominance. However, he never takes an active role in becoming the sole breadwinner for their household.

Delia is essentially a man as she fundamentally fits all the areas in which the term masculinity would be defined. She works and earns a living for herself and owns her own property. In this, the line between the physical gender and the characteristics that the couple embody is incredibly unclear at times, and yet as two diametrically opposed representations, biological sex becomes almost irrelevant as long as both masculine and feminine ideals are apparent in a marriage.
Though Delia’s situation is not a happy one, it is not a rare one either. Any man is capable of the darkness found in Sykes. During the story, the other men in town describe the sort of man they believe Sykes to be: “There’s plenty men dat takes a wife lak dey do a joint uh sugar-cane.
It’s round, juicy an’ sweet when dey gits it. But dey squeeze an’ grind, squeeze an’ grind an’ wring tell dey wring every drop uh pleasure dat’s in’em out. When dey’s satisfied dat dey is wrung dry, dey treats ’em jes lak dey do a cane-chew. Dey throws em away.” Many men, whether they are black, white, Asian or Hispanic, can treat women just as Sykes treats Delia.
Delia does seem somewhat stuck in her situation because of her race. The men in town gossip about Delia and Sykes, fully aware of how he has beat her for their entire marriage. Not one of the gossipers mentions helping Delia, or calling the police on her behalf. The one thing that works as a temporary deterrent against Sykes is when Delia threatens to call “the white folks” on him.
In conclusion, one can see that gender and race have certainly shaped the short story titled, “Sweat.” Hurston not only wanted us to see the struggles in African American women’s lives but also in men’s by showing us that society as always has expectations. Sykes was turned by the society of his time so he felt unaccepted and not in his right mindset or proper place

during that time. “Sweat” showed that it was not only a story about a person harming his wife to gain power and normal stability in his home, but a telling of a struggle about a person, a man, to have his own rightful place in an average, normal society at the time.
References
• Boyd, Valerie. 2007. "About Zora Neale Hurston." Zora Neale Hurston. Estate of Zora Neale
Hurston and Harper Collins. http://www.zoranealehurston.com/biography.html (accessed
November 27, 2011).
• Hurston, Zora Neale. 1997. Sweat. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP.
• Woolf, Virginia. 1986. “A Room of One’s Own.” Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader.
Cambridge: Blackwell. 47-96.

References: • Boyd, Valerie. 2007. "About Zora Neale Hurston." Zora Neale Hurston. Estate of Zora Neale Hurston and Harper Collins. http://www.zoranealehurston.com/biography.html (accessed November 27, 2011). • Hurston, Zora Neale. 1997. Sweat. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP. • Woolf, Virginia. 1986. “A Room of One’s Own.” Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader. Cambridge: Blackwell. 47-96.