Narrative Strategy in Hurstons Sweat :: Hurston Sweat Essays

Narrative Strategy in Hurstons Sweat   The narrative strategy and focalise of view in Zora Neale Hurstons Sweat mold the readers intellect of the story. They craft the personalities of both Delia and Sykes as well as developing their relationship. The choice of a third person omniscient narrator charges the story with more brute(a) honesty than would any other type of narration. The scene where the village men discuss Sykes and Delia holds relevance as a narrative tool and explores an alternative point of view to the narrator. The narrator draws the character sketches of both Sykes and Delia. Hurston lets us see their thoughts that allow her to develop their personalities rapidly and thoroughly. In a story of roughly only septet and a half pages Hurston manages to create vivid and complex characters. Much of this can be credited to her choice of narration. Long passages of narration mixed with the dialogue target a relationship fed on pain She lay awake, gazing upon the d ebris that cluttered their matrimonial trail. Not an image left standing along the way. Anything corresponding flowers had long ago been drowned in the salty stream that had been pressed from her heart. Her tears, her sweat, her blood (1675).   Since the thoughts of Sykes and Delia are so different, a series of contrasts develops their relationship and personalities. Hurstons choice of narrator lends credibleness to the entire story and makes Delias plight more extreme. If Delia were the one telling the story things would be quite different. The reader would not give her version of the story the uniform credibility he gives that of an outside narrator. It also makes the reader more sympathetic for Delia. A combination of what Delia feels and what Sykes does to her leads the reader to feel sympathetically towards her. This can be distinctly seen with the addition of Bertha--the other woman in Sykes life. Too late now to hope for love, even if it were not Bertha it would be s omeone else (1675). What happens to her seems truthful and real which directs the readers judge reaction to the story.   The scene where the men of the town discuss Delia and Sykes rounds the view of the characters. In this passage perhaps the most significant lines in the story can be found Theres plenty men dat takes a wife lak dey do a joint uh sugarcane.