Theme in Sweat

              One of the themes in sweat by Zora Neale Hurston is what goes around comes around. Sykes, which is Delia's husband has been abusing her for 15 years. he emotionally and physically abused her. Towards the beginning of the story Delia said,"'Sykes, what you throw dat whip on me like dat? You know it would skeer me--looks just like a snake, an' you knows how skeered ah is of snakes'"(1). Sykes replied to her, '"Course I knowed it! That's how come Ah done it"(1). This is proof of his intimidation of his wife. He even went so far as to bring a rattlesnake home in a box and refuses to remove it. And one day she has enough of his mistreatment and makes him leave, but he refuses to take the snake with him. One day wile Delia is away from the house, Sykes comes back and puts the rattle snake in the laundry basket, knowing she would wash clothes later. this is done as an attempt to kill her. When she comes home she sees it and runs. Sykes goes back to the house and is bitten by the snake and dies. he calls out for Delia but she doesn't go inside the house. Sykes was abusive to Delia and tries to kill her with a rattlesnake, but he ends up dying instead.