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What Is The Meaning Of The Snake In Sweat By Zora Neale Hurston

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After reading “Sweat” by Zora Neale Hurston, you’ll never think of snakes the same way ever again. In “Sweat”, a snake ends the suffering of a woman who’s too afraid to stand up for herself. Snakes are a symbol of a penis and sexual power. In the story, Hurston describes the snake as “long, round, limp, and black”(1), which are adjectives similar to describing a penis and in this story the snake represents sexual power. For example Sykes says to Delia “‘Taint no use uh you puttin’ on airs makin’ out lak you skeered uh dat snake’”(6). Meaning that Sykes believes that Delia is pretending that she's scared of the snake which represents sexual power. Sykes implies that Delia likes Sykes having sexual power over her. Also, Sykes says “‘He wouldn’t

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