Free Tone Creation in the Story Sweat Essay Sample
The story revolves around the suffering of a woman under the hands of merciless husband who not only despises her but also emotionally and physically abuses her. The writer uses various stylistic devices to express the woman's' suffering in the story. The tone of the writer is of sympathy throughout the story and has been created by us of various styles.
Biblical allusion is one of the greatest as it likens Delia's home to the Garden of Eden where man was cursed to working hard and sweats in order to sustain himself .The problem with the issue is that it's only Delia who is working hard whereas Sykes is wasteful. Instead of the man of the house working, he is depending on the wife and even eating from her sweat. Delia sufferings are at one point likened to how Jesus suffered on Calvary to a point where Delia says that her cup is over flowing with suffering and wishing if anybody could take them away. These sufferings look similar to those of Jesus, suffering for somebody yet they don't appreciate it. Another instance is when Delia's' desperation and agony lead her to recalling some quote from the bible of one reaping whatsoever he showed.
Narration has also been used to build on the theme of suffering in the story. It's through their narrative that we learn that Delia had been married for fifteen years and that her woes began barely after two months in her marriage. Through their talk that, we learn of how Syke despises her wife and even insults her. The imagery of likening a woman to a sugar cane joint which is juicy and sweet to a woman goodness .it becomes evident that after Syke had sipped all the goodness from Delia's hard work and determination ,he was more inhuman enough to mistreat her and throw her away for other women just as one throws away the chewed cane. The way the writer shows the suffering of Delia also through description .Delia is once described as young and soft to a point that one of the men in the neighborhood had been to a race to winning her against Syke .But now she is described as skinny, muscled limbs and harsh knocking hands.
It's also ironical that Sykes goes had to cheat on his wife with a woman who she promises to give everything she wanted .This is not realistic as even the food he eats at home comes from Delia's work let alone the house rent for their house. This only serve s to show how unfair Delia is treated by this unfeeling husband yet she puts a lot of effort in her laundry work which Syke keeps mocking her about and doing all forms of manners to make it even harder the task before her .The diction in the story is so strong and revealing the deeds of suffering by Delia. Sykes once describes Delia as a devils doll baby. There is also the words used by the neighbors who try to explain the magnitude of the beating of Delia where they term it as a beating which could have killed three women leave alone change their looks .This means that she used to be beaten beyond what she could take.. Through these and other devices the tone of sympathy has been successfully created.