Critical Response Essay Example

from racial-economic depression to gender discrimination.

Women Oppression

Despite the already existing troubles Dee faces from the oppression attributed to African Americans, her own husband Sykes exacerbates the situation by verbally and physically abusing her. In the beginning, Sykes torments Dee with a whip resembling a snake, fully aware of her fear for them. Towards the end, he even brings home an actual rattlesnake with the sole intention of deeply frightening her. During an argument about the incident with the whip, Dee defends herself by adopting a defensive stance that surprises Sykes. "She grabs the iron skillet from the stove and assumes a defensive position... It intimidates him, leading him to refrain from physically assaulting her as he usually does" (Hurston 2).

In this paragraph, it is suggested that Sykes consistently beats Delia whenever she tries to fight back. He also torments Delia by openly flaunting his affair with his mistress Bertha, showing a complete lack of respect for Delia's feelings. This disrespectful behavior demonstrates Sykes' oppressive attitude towards women, treating them as objects rather than considering their emotions (Barnes). One of the townsmen, Clarke, compares Sykes' view of women to how sugar canes are treated: "When they are satisfied that they have extracted all they can, they discard them just like a chewed piece of cane" (Hurston 4).

Conclusion

In Sweat, Zora Neale Hurston explores multiple themes, with oppression being the most prominent. Hurston's work reveals that oppression exists not only between different races, but also within black communities, specifically through the subjugation of women.