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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What two activities does the narrator say that Delia and Sykes now do in silence since their complete impasse?

2. What verb is used to indicate the manner in which Delia goes underneath Sykes's arm when he is blocking the doorway?

3. What pet name does Sykes call Bertha when they are in the store?

4. What is NOT one event listed as taking place during the dog days of summer in Eatonville?

5. When the men all grunt in approval in response to Old Man Anderson's suggestion that they kill Sykes, what does the narrator say then melts with the heat?

Short Essay Questions

1. What two differing reasons does Sykes give for why he was able to catch the six-foot rattlesnake in the first place?

2. What is Delia's reason for not trying to get rid of Bertha in some way in order to solve the problems in her marriage?

3. What argumentative method does Delia use in order to convince Sykes that he needs to take the snake away from her home?

4. What is the significance of the snake baring its "scimitar" (6)-like fangs at Delia?

5. How does Sykes go about showing the rattlesnake to Delia after he has brought it home?

6. What is Hurston's purpose for alluding to Gethsemane and the rocks of Calvary during the period of conflict with Sykes?

7. What arguments do the men present when they are trying to get Joe Clarke to bring out a watermelon for them to share?

8. What causes a "determined silence" (4) to fall over the porch when the men are about to slice the watermelon?

9. When Old Man Anderson suggests that the men kill Sykes, what is the men's reaction?

10. What does Delia say is different about Bertha in comparison to other women with whom Sykes has had affairs?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the significance of the Chorus within the short story. What is the author's purpose for including the group of men who gather on the porch of Joe Clarke's store?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of rebirth within the story Sweat.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of song as a symbol within the narrative of the story.

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This section contains 978 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample