Sweat

"Sweat" by Zora Neale Hurston is filled with symbolism ranging from images that are easily captured to things that require a little bit more insight. Religion has apparently played a major role in Hurston's life, readily seen in "Sweat" with the references to a snake and Gethsemane. Symbolism plays a big part of this story and after analyzing these, they give the story a deeper meaning and can enlighten the reader as to the full …

…Christianity and goodness keeps her alive, keeps her sweating and working for what she believes in. The symbols in this story are highly religious and encompass a woman's strength and the repression she experiences due to her color and gender. Works Cited The Holy Bible. Genesis and Saint Matthew. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1972. Hurston, Zora Neale. "Sweat." The Story and Its Writer An Introduction to Short Fiction. Ed. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1999. 678-687.