1     The theme of  "Sweat" [Titles] is that in a fight between good and evil, good wins out eventually, because any evil done will come back to the source in time.  There are three concepts that support this theme.  They are conflict, irony and symbolism.

2      The conflict of the story is good vs. evil.  Delia is good.  She goes to church on a regular basis, sometimes more often than regularly.  She continues to stay and fulfill her marital responsibilities, regardless of the fact that her husband is cruel. [She also kills Sykes, or at least lets him die.]

3      [Combine with previous paragraph.] Sykes is evil.  He cheats on his wife and abuses her mentally, physically and verbally.  The most evil thing Sykes does is let the snake loose in Delia’s hamper.  His intent is that the snake will attack and bite Delia.  Delia would die from the snake’s venom, and then she would be out of his life.

4      Irony supports the theme of this story.  Sykes puts the snake into the hamper so that it will bite Delia when she goes to do the laundry.  Instead, Delia gets away from the snake, and Sykes gets bit.  This is ironic because Delia said, “What goes over the devils back, is got to come over his belly,”(762) earlier in the story. [What Delia says undercuts the irony.]

5      [Combine with previous paragraph.] Another irony of the story is when Delia notices there is only one match left.  She curses Sykes for never getting any, and then she lights her lantern.  When Sykes goes to get one, the match safe is empty.  He is left in the dark because he never bought any matches. [Wouldn't one expect no matches if no one bought any? I don't see the irony.]

6      The most important concept of this story is symbolism.  Sykes kicks a pile of white laundry, which symbolizes ["is"?] an evil act.  The laundry is white which symbolizes good.   Sykes “stepped roughly on the whitest pile” (761).  A snake symbolizes evil or death.  In the story the snake delivers the death.  The snake also symbolizes Sykes.  A snake is a traitor, a betrayer, cunning, and diabolical.  All these characteristics also apply to Sykes. [And to Delia?] Light symbolizes good and life.  When Delia goes into the match safe, there is one left, so she has light.  When Sykes goes to get a match, he discovers the match safe is empty.  He is left in the dark, which symbolizes evil and death.

7      The song Delia is singing is also symbolic.  The song is about reaching the promised land, and wanting to cross to the promised land at a calm time.  After Delia’s escape from the snake, she experiences many feelings.  Out of these feelings comes an “awful calm” (767). [Why is the calm "awful"?]

8      One of the most important symbols in the story is when the day goes from night to dawn.  This happens as the snake is attacking Sykes.  Night represents death.  The sky is dark when he goes into the house.  The dark sky represents evil.  As Delia is watching the sky, it goes from dark to light.  The light sky represents good.  [Ironic?] Dawn represents life.  Delia is alive.  The house is all closed up.  The drawn shade “shut out the dawn, and shut in the night” (767).  The evil is inside and the good is outside.  As s[S]ykes is being attacked the shade is pulled down and the dawn let in.  Good wins over evil.

9      In conclusion, In [in] a fight between good and evil, good will most likely win because what goes around comes around.  Sykes plots against Delia and he dies instead.  Delia crosses over to the promised land. ["In conclusion," at the end of a short paper, sounds like the writing of a middle school student. Most readers will recognize that this is your conclusion.]
 

     This writer has competently dealt with the story, using three concepts in an attempt to support a statement of theme. The primary weakness of this essay is that the writer did not delve deeply enough into the story.Delia is obviously Christian, and letting Sykes die is a betrayal of her religious beliefs. The end of the story suggests that she is sweating -- she may not make it to the promised land.

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