Preview

Sykes's 'Sweat'

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
244 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sykes's 'Sweat'
“Sweat”
In “Sweat,” I think Sykes deserves to die due to how much he tortured his wife Delia. Delia was a very hardworking woman who spent most of her time doing her work as a wash woman. In this story, we see Sykes on several occasions distorting her pile of clothes. He was not a good head of the family and is on other occasions seen beating his wife up. He harasses her, and even tries to force her to quit her job even though she spends her money taking care of the house expenses. Therefore, his death was warranted as it was a way of paying for his mistakes (Hurston and Wall 23).
It is morally right for a person to return a favor to another person who does good by him or her. Sykes’s wife was good to him. She is a hardworking wife but Sykes

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    “She was always proud of it. She was just an old maid who loved everyone and everyone loved her”, Said a former employee.…

    • 216 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Another example that illustrates that a selfish deed is not always bad is when Brother takes Doodle to the kitchen in the go-kart for breakfast. Towards the middle of the story, the narrator explains what happen when Brother and Doodle entered the kitchen. Brother said, “At breakfast on our chosen day, when Mama, Daddy, and aunt Nicey were in the dining room, I brought Doodle to the door in the go-cart just as usual and had them turn their backs… I helped Doodle up, and when he was standing alone I let them look” (5). That day at breakfast Brother wanted to show his parents and aunt what he accomplished, and that he would not let Doodle embarrass him anymore because he taught Doodle to walk. Then when his parents saw Doodle walk they couldn’t help but cry and hug Doodle for what he accomplished and Doodle told everyone that Brother taught him to walk and everyone hugged him and cried. The short story written by James Hurst “The Scarlet Ibis” demonstrates a selfish deed is not always…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Arthur says, “our present moral code is morally reasonable and in need of no reform in the direction suggested by Singer” (Arthur, 846). Arthur goes in depth to explain and breakdown Singer’s principles and pick apart bits and pieces where Singer seems unreasonable with his requests. Arthur argues that we don’t even live up to the standards as they are so how can we raise the bar higher and expect us, human beings, to attain something so much higher than before. This leads into the idea, that also contradicts Singer, of not always giving away our money or food to the homeless and those who need it. Arthur uses an example of a hardworking farer and a lazy neighbor fisherman. The farmer worked all summer to grow his crops and have a surplus of food while his neighbor spent his whole summer fishing as leisure. The farmer should be able to keep his earnings because he worked for them and should not feel obligated to give them to his less wealthy fisherman neighbor. Arthur and Singer differ in their opinions on what we should do with that extra money/food we make, whether it’s better to give it up until we become just as poor or if it’s better to keep it all to…

    • 1415 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Throughout the Harlem Renaissance time period, many black Americans struggled to make ends meet and live a fulfilling life. Most black Americans were poor and few had the luxury of comfortably working and living among white Americans – who often reject their identity as a black person. In addition, some poor black Americans hid their frustration and/or depression by appearing to be satisfied through smiles and singing. In Zora Neale Hurston’s “Sweat,” Delia Jones hides her frustration about her unfaithful husband, Sykes, and the hard work she must do with songs and an overall contemptuous tone – even when feeling angry. Hurston highlights that Delia labors as hard as a man by maintaining a well-paying job and being the sole provider of the family; Delia is also given immense emotional strength to kill Sykes with no remorse. Moreover, Hurston makes subtle claims about race and segregation when describing Delia’s job as a washwoman.…

    • 2047 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Biography

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the essay “Be Cool to the Pizza Dude,” author Sarah Adams explains how being cool to the pizza dude will essentially result in good karma in the future. First, she gives the first principle saying that being cool to the pizza dude is a “practice in humility and forgiveness”. The author goes on to illustrate a situation of how the pizza guy cut her off, didn’t blinker, etc. while zooming passed her. Next, she reinforces her belief by saying the pizza dude brings everyone together. In Principle 2, she says that it is a “practice in empathy”. Then, she explains how everyone has taken jobs just for the money. Adams metaphorically compares life to a pizza by saying “In the big pizza wheel of life, sometimes you’re the hot bubbly cheese and sometimes you’re the burnt crust” (“Be Cool to the Pizza Dude” 1). Principle 3 is a “practice in honor”. She presents that pizza delivery guys aren’t CEO’s or anything like that. Lastly, Principle 4 is a “practice in equality”. The author explains everyone is equal because of the kindness in our hearts. To conclude, Adams suggests being nice to the pizza dude, because good karma will return.…

    • 431 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Society in general would help one in need to relieve stress or because it is a good thing or a kind thing to do for someone (Cherry, n.d). Cherry (n.d), show that people do behave altruistic for selfish reason. However, it is possible for altruism to exist in this world (Cherry, n.d). When looking at the biological reason, people usually only help family members because they have to since it’s their own family. People should always help their family because they are blood relatives and it is the right thing to do. As to the societies friends, people tend to not help them often because friends are not blood related and people do not have to help those friends. This shows that people can be both selfish and altruistic, when helping others. This clearly shows that these acts can co-exist in the world, where people help they those in need with the potential of being selfish. Wilson (2015), found that humans were not the only species to be altruistic, but as well animals. A mother lion would risk her life to save her babies because it is imperative for any parent to protect their young so that they can pass on their genes. While this happens, the babies would carry on their mother’s genes and become altruistic lions for their future family (Wilson, 2015). This shows that animals can be altruistic to benefit their family's kin…

    • 412 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention speech, he introduced his ideology of “I am my brother’s keeper”: if someone else is hurt or negatively impacted, no matter their background, heritage, social standing, or economic stability, you have a responsibility to aid them. In a sense, this philosophy expands upon the “Golden Rule” principal of treating others as one would wish to be treated, and the idea that altruistic behavior between people forms mutual relationships that eventually benefits society as a whole. For instances, within Obama’s speech he conveyed: “I am my brother’s keeper. I want his children and mine to learn and be educated and have every chance at success and happiness in life.” This posed scenario, expresses…

    • 1041 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Did you know that many people around the world are suffering due to lack of resources within their countries? Some wealthier people and nations decide not to help these less fortunate people as they would rather spend money on frivolous things and think that it’s not their obligation. I believe that man has a moral obligation to help those less fortunate than him, though I believe that it is not morally right to only help those who are less fortunate just to make you feel like a better person.…

    • 591 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Beach Bag

    • 185 Words
    • 1 Page

    - Compassionate and humble? Mrs. Campbell did help him a lot but that's at the…

    • 185 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    ← Respecting Rodney as a moral agent is an obligation so others respect us equally…

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Jesus wants us to treat others as equal. Matthew 22:39 says “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (James, 1973). Jesus treated people whom he came into contact with as equals. Although he had the power to walk on water, cause the lame to walk and the blind to see. Jesus still thought himself no greater than those that were around them, he loved them all. From the prostitutes, to the thieves and even the tax collectors, Jesus treated us all the same. What that in part tells us is that, we should take time to care for all those who are around us, not just the ones we think are on our level. Whether they may be seniors, peers, or even subordinates. This is not only the right thing to do, but as time move on it allows others to feel more comfortable about us and improves our relationship.…

    • 321 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Definition Of Generosity

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages

    That is why they tell others about a courteous deed that they did. They do not want their generosity to go unnoticed. When someone is known for doing a good deed, their social status will typically rise. Unless, people realize that their generous act was actually an attempt to benefit themselves, and not the individual that received the "generosity". When people share an admirable deed that they did, it can come off as bragging if they do it all the time. Humans are extra generous when others are aware of their actions. (BERMAN, JONATHAN Z., et al) The dictionary definition of generosity is "readiness or liberality in giving". This means that the person is eager and always willing to assist others in need. It means that the person does not think twice about helping someone. It makes them feel content knowing that they made someone else's day a little bit better. An example of this would be the story of a little coffee shop in Winnipeg, Canada. One day, a man was getting a cup of coffee when the patron behind him decided to pay for his coffee. They were complete strangers. Then the next citizen in line paid for the other person's coffee. It continued on and on like that for the next 226 customers. Generosity is absolutely contagious. Contagion happens when an individual who has interacted with generous people in one group donates more in the next group. (Tsvetkova, Milena, and Michael W. Macy). That is what happened…

    • 758 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Claudius the Machiavelli

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages

    One of the characteristics that make Claudius a Machiavellian character is his willingness to end other people’s life for his own gain whether it is directly or indirectly. In the beginning of the play the previous king hamlet is bit by a snake and dies, as the people were told. The truth is Claudius, the previous king Hamlet’s brother murdered him married his wife and gained the title of the new king. Claudius admits to his murder in the play in a form of a soliloquy, “Thanks, my dear lord/ O my offence is rank, smells to heaven./ It hath the primal eldest curse upon it,/ a brother’s murder. Pray can i not./...Can serve my turn? ‘ forgive me my foul murder’?/ That cannot be since I am still possessed/ Of those effects for which I did the murder/ May one be pardoned and retain the offence?/... Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe!/ all may be well.” (Shakespeare III. III 38-75). In this scene Claudius admits to the audience through a soliloquy that he had murdered the previous…

    • 1644 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Uplifting Principle

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Let's face it: when we do something for someone we wanted to be treated with respect. When you are doing a favor for someone it is to help them and they can help you later but if it feels like you keep doing favors that they will not return or just treat you badly you are being used. It's good to remember the feelings of the people around you. [S2] Lift good; eat good; treat good.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Kantism Research Paper

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages

    We had a chemistry assignment due on Monday. One of my friends asked me for help with a question. Even after sending the answer and explaining how I got the answer, she was not able to understand it. Although I had a lot of other homework to do, I decided to help her with understanding the question. My motivation behind this action was to follow the moral law because it is my duty to help others in need, regardless of whether I like it or not. The maxim behind this…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics