"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 …showed first 75 words of 971 total…

…showed last 75 words of 971 total…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.