Gender Inequality In Sweat By Zora Neal Hurston

In 1926 Zora Neal Hurston published a short story about a married working woman named Delia and her struggles to gain independence and peace through here husbands perspective in the story “Sweat”. This story has become to surpass its simple ideas of marital struggle between two people into a story which vividly fosters discussion about female equality and the struggle woman have face to get there. In “Sweat” the protagonist is not only looking for equality in her own household but she is also obtaining certain measure of gender equality through her diligent work place triumphs. “Sweat” is rare in its ability to transcend racial and cultural issues to openly discuss the severity of a singular major issue which is gender equality in the early …show more content…
In the first few paragraphs of the story Sykes is described as scaring Delia with his bullwhip as he knows she is tremendously terrified of snakes or anything that resembles one. A few moments later Sykes enters into a fit of rage once he notices the white men clothes Delia is cleaning for her job as a wash woman. Sykes begins to kick the clothes out of there neatly folded piles and threatens to throw the clothes out in the dirt and beat Delia as well. It’s at this moment that Delia’s pursuit for gender equality inside her own household really comes into effect as Delia grabs a iron skillet off the stove and goes into a defensives position at Sykes. This moment of courage and self defense symbolize that Delia will no longer be treated as a second class citizen and that her fight for gender …show more content…
In one of the early scenes of the story Delia even mention to Sykes that her job as a wash woman is what paid for the house and even put food on the table. In this short but integral statement in the story we get a glimpse into the independent strong female side of Delia. In standing up to Sykes to and reminding him of the benefits of her hard work Delia begins to realize herself that she doesn’t need Sykes and that she is better off by herself. As mentioned in the text after their first big argument Delia is described as building a “triumphant indifference to all that he was or did” (Hurston 3). This was the first true sign that Delia was moving on wither life without Sykes. Without her job and the income she received Delia would not be able to stand on her own leg or challenge Sykes authority as head of the household but with her work place equality Delia is able to garner a sense of independence and freedom which will play a integral part in her moving on from