Sweat

In "Sweat", by Zora Neale Hurston the theme of empowerment plays a large role in the story. The protagonist of the story Delia works hard long hours as a washerwoman, working late nights while managing a household. Delia has to put up with a heavy load of work and her aggressive husband. Her husband Sykes is a controlling man, who nags Delia about everything. His abusive nature and arrogant ways are used to make him feel a sense of empowerment over Delia. Everyday Delia has to overcome obstacles that her husband Sykes inflicts on her. Sykes treats Delia like trash, he is unsupportive, selfish, and self-centered. He neglects Delia's work as a washerwomen, yelling at her for having white people's clothes in their home. Sykes knocks over the neat pile of clothes Delia made, and continues to provoke her with verbal abuse.

Towards the end of the story Sykes gets what he bargained for, karma makes Sykes pay for his mistreatment towards Delia. When Sykes gets attacked by the loose snake in their home, Delia who hears his loud cry for help simply ignores it and lets him die some might say. However, is it unclear whether  Delia was too afraid to help Sykes or that she let him purposely die. Regardless of her reason behind this decision, these turn of events in the story presents the theme of empowerment that has been handed over to Delia. Their roles had been reversed and now Delia had control over Sykes' life and her own for once.