Sweat,” by Zora Neale Hurston,
Questions About Marriage
Why do you think Delia stays with Sykes for 15 years?
Do you think Delia is a good wife?
Was it easy or hard to get a divorce in the 1920s? Do you think this has something to do with Delia staying with Sykes?
Can we find any redeeming qualities in Sykes as a husband?
Questions About Society & Class
Judging by the characters presented, are the most of the towns folk lower class? Why or why not?
Why do you think Hurston focuses on Delia, a working woman?
How are whites viewed in the context of the story?
How are African American men viewed in “Sweat”? More specifically, how is Sykes seen by his peers?
Questions About Men & Masculinity
Why do none of the men seem employed?
Why does Sykes stay with Delia if he seems to like Bertha better?
Compare and contrast the way Sykes treats Delia and how he treats Bertha.
How do the rest of the men view Sykes?
Questions About Suffering & Struggle
Why does Delia continue to suffer with Sykes? Why not let him go?
How could Delia ease her suffering besides divorcing Sykes?
Do you think Delia would suffer more or less as a single woman?
What other characters demonstrate suffering and struggle, if any?
