Symbolism Through 'Sweat'

Symbolism through "Sweat”
Delia Jones is a hard working, Christian woman that has lived by two principles her entire life: work and sweat. Despite her husband, Skyes', cruelty, she keeps quiet in order to provide for them and keep a roof over their heads. The idea of good and evil in the characters is clear in the appalling story of Delia's abuse, the death of Skyes, and the struggle and survival of Delia at the end. In the short story “Sweat,” Zora Neale Hurtson uses symbols to represent how good wins over evil by using the title, Christian symbolism, and the concept of light versus dark.
“Sweat”, referring to the hard work Delia displays, is important to the plot of good against evil because of the idea that she works to provide for her

Light is typically used to guide people and give a sense of safety and direction, while in darkness you are unable to see what may be surrounding you or a way out of a bad situation. The end of the short story uses this concept through the saving of Delia in the light and the killing of skyes in the dark. “Delia enters the house, finds a match, and lights the lantern. Running from the snake, ‘the wind from the open door blew out the light and the darkness added terror’. Skyes enters the dark house, while Delia sits outside the bedroom window. The window shade keeps the morning light from shining through the house as Skyes hears the rattlesnake.” (Champion). The match Delia lights guides her away from the evil in the dark so she can escape the death planned for her by Skyes. The snake inevitably kills Skyes in the dark, this helps build on the concept that light saves the good, while darkness is where evil starts and ends. The concept of light versus dark also creates the atmosphere in the story, “The gray in the sky was spreading. Delia descended without fear now, and crouched beneath the low bedroom window. The drawn shade shut out the dawn, shut in the night. But the thin walls held back no sound.” (Zora Neale Hurtson), this dark ominous setting is made to give the reader a feeling that something bad is going to happen. The dark and gloomy sky, as well as closed blinds to keep the light out help bring a dark and evil feeling. All this was set for the death of Skyes, as he was the biggest source of darkness, and the survival of Delia through the use of a light