Zora Neale Hurston's Sweat, By Zora Neale Hurston

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Recommended: “Sweat” — Zora Neale Hurston symbolism

Kojo Gordon
Composition and Literature 2
Paul Wray
March 30 2014

The short story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston is an interesting piece that utilizes literary techniques such as imagery, symbolism, and tone, which overall enhances the reading experience for the audience.

Zora’s use of imagery allows the audience to get a visual interpretation of the setting and climate in Florida. “The sun had burned July to August. The heat streamed down like a million hot arrows, smiting all things living upon the earth. Grass withered, leaves browned, snakes went blind in shedding and men and dogs went mad (Hurston 7).” This quote serves as an example of Hurston’s ability to create pictures with her words. This quote image reminds me of watching the movie Troy, the Athens soldiers from the fortress would ignite the arrows into the sky killing all of the Trojan soldiers that are trying to penetrate the walls .This quote is a simile
“It was a hot, hot day near the end of July. The village men on Joe Clarke's porch even chewed cane listlessly. They did not hurl the cane-knots as usual. They let them dribble over the edge of the porch. Even conversation had collapsed under the heat (Hurston4).”
This quote allows the reader to experience the heat characters are going through. I was able to relate to the characters because it brought me back to hot days in Jamaica where I enjoyed eating sugar cane before going to the beach with friends on a blazing hot day. You are able to further understand the intensity of the southern summer heat when Elijah tells Joe they should a get watermelon
“A grunt of approval went around the porch. But the heat was melting their civic virtue, and Elijah Moseley began to bait Joe Clarke. "Come on, Joe, git a melon out...

... middle of paper ...

...cause she wanted her readers to understand where the characters coming from.

The reason I responded to “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston is because of the message of the short story goes back two biblical quotes
“Do to others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31).” And “Live by the sword, die by the sword (Gospel of Matthew 26:52)”
The point I am trying to prove here is, Sykes would always want to scare Delia with a snake, the first time it was with the bull whip and the last night Sykes put the snake in the soap box to scared Delia to death. Little did Sykes know Delia had faced her fears and learned how to overcome of the snakes. Towards the end of the story when Sykes was supposed to be the master of catching Snakes, the rattle snake makes a transparent sound and bites Sykes. He wanted to scare Delia lifeless but his plan back fired on him.

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