Men and women have not always had the same rights, nor have African-Americans and Caucasians. Zora Neale Hurston is the author of "Sweat", and a preeminent African American woman who was prominent in the Harlem Renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was a predominantly black cultural movement in the 1920's and 1930's. Hurston grew up in Florida during the 1890's and early 1900's, a time when racism and sexism was at it's peak. When she was growing up, women did not have a voice, especially African-American women. At this time, women were expected to stay at home and maintain the household. They were expected to wash and fold the laundry, cook for the family, maintain a clean household, wash the dishes, and what the man of the house wanted from them. Men would mistreat and abuse the women, and the women were expected to not stand up for themselves. Finally the women decided enough was enough, and started standing up to the men and thus began the "Feminist Movement". In these times it was very difficult for African-American women to stand up for themselves to their abusive husbands. Divorce was not very common, so most endured the pain and troubles of being abused. Since sexism and racism influenced Hurston while she was growing up, "Sweat" is a short story she wrote that is a feminist tale told from her own perspective.
             Her short story "Sweat" tells the story of Delia, a washerwoman in Florida, and her abusive and adulterous husband Sykes. "Sweat" is the story of their marriage and how karma comes back to get a person. If you treat someone bad, something bad will happen to you. Sykes is an ungrateful and cheating husband who does not work for a living and uses his wife's hard earned money on his mistress. In the beginning of the story, while she is washing clothes one Sunday night, Sykes comes in, late as always, and he throws his whip on Delia and she fears it is an actual snake. ...