A Character Analysis Of Delia In Sweat By Zora Neal

The story, ‘Sweat’ by Zora Neal revolves by this woman named Delia. Delia used to be a kind and soft woman that is until she started changing, for the greater good. Delia is a strong woman and she shows it through her actions by her religion her washing clothes work. The moment she stands up against Syke is on the second page of the story. That she is tired of him and always working. “Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat,” not only that she always sweat, she is always humming a christian tune. One of the pages Sykes and Delia had another argument and one of the insults that Sykes said to her was, “One of them amen-corner Christians--sing, whoop, shout..” Sykes is obviously aware of how strong Delia’s faith must be. With her strong faith this has made Delia’s actions much more stronger.
That she goes and gets the clothes on Saturday night and goes sorts them on Sunday after she came home from church, then delivers the now washed clothes next Saturday. Say if she didn’t have a job then she would have to deal with Sykes beating her. You could say her washing clothes is her safe haven, “ beside the great pile of clothes, sorting them into small heaps according to color, and humming a song in a mournful key..” She likes her job, it helps her through the fifteen years she has married her husband, Sykes. In the marriage between her and Sykes, Delia is the breadwinner, coming home with money of what she has earned that