The major theme of “Sweat” is what comes around goes around. In this short story Sykes torments Delia with verbal abuse, physical abuse, and snakes. Delia endured this abuse for years until one-day Sykes brought a snake home. Delia repeatedly asked him to take the snake outside. Sykes refused to take the snake away just to outrage Delia. Then one day the snake got out. Delia heard the snake and left the house. Sykes came home and found the snake to be loose but couldn’t find it. This is where the theme what comes around goes around is shown. He was tormented by this snake the same way he tormented Delia. Then the snake bit him. He then lay dying and Delia refused to help and watched him
