It is often said that a story is only as good as its villain and, while argued by many, there is much truth in this statement. In the short story “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, the villainous figure is represented by Sykes, Delia’s husband, who abuses her not only physically but emotionally as well. His innate moral corruption makes him a clear candidate as the antagonist in the story. Hurston develops Sykes’ depravity using dialogue, symbolism, and flashbacks, and, in turn, she expresses the truth about human corruption and the affect it has on others.
Dialogue is one of the more prominent ways that Hurston expresses the manner of Sykes’ emotional torment, as well as develops his villainy. From the very beginning, Delia suffers from verbal torment thrown by Sykes, such as “Well, you better quit gittin’ me riled up, else they’ll be totin’ you out sooner than you expect. Ah’m so tired of you Ah don’t know whut to do. Gawd! how Ah hates skinny wimmen,” (Hurston 2) which is said on page two. He constantly insults her and mistreats her. Indirectly stating that he hates her as well as directly threatening her both serve as punctuation …show more content…
The first flashback shown on page two addresses the first of fifteen years of beatings. “Two months after the wedding, he had given her the first brutal beating,” (2) states Hurston, proving that he had not only emotionally abused her but physically as well. The second flashback, occurring in the same paragraph, discusses his lack of stability; “She had the memory of his numerous trips to Orlando with all of his wages when he had returned to her penniless,” (2,3) Her abuse was heightened by a lack of financial stability due to his carelessness with money. The combination of his types of abuse sets him over the edge as the perfect antagonist, and enhances the story by causing
Dialogue is one of the more prominent ways that Hurston expresses the manner of Sykes’ emotional torment, as well as develops his villainy. From the very beginning, Delia suffers from verbal torment thrown by Sykes, such as “Well, you better quit gittin’ me riled up, else they’ll be totin’ you out sooner than you expect. Ah’m so tired of you Ah don’t know whut to do. Gawd! how Ah hates skinny wimmen,” (Hurston 2) which is said on page two. He constantly insults her and mistreats her. Indirectly stating that he hates her as well as directly threatening her both serve as punctuation …show more content…
The first flashback shown on page two addresses the first of fifteen years of beatings. “Two months after the wedding, he had given her the first brutal beating,” (2) states Hurston, proving that he had not only emotionally abused her but physically as well. The second flashback, occurring in the same paragraph, discusses his lack of stability; “She had the memory of his numerous trips to Orlando with all of his wages when he had returned to her penniless,” (2,3) Her abuse was heightened by a lack of financial stability due to his carelessness with money. The combination of his types of abuse sets him over the edge as the perfect antagonist, and enhances the story by causing