Question

To what extent does the story explore the motives for the behavior of the wife and husband, the husband’s mother, the servants, and the people who surrounded the suburb and the house? What motives can you infer for these people? What ironies do they display in their actions?

Answer 1

In the story 'Sweat,' the motives for the behavior of the wife, husband, husband's mother, servants, and people surrounding the suburb and house can be inferred through their actions and relationships. Irony is displayed in their actions in several ways.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the story 'Sweat,' the motives for the behavior of the wife, husband, husband's mother, servants, and people surrounding the suburb and house can be inferred through their actions and relationships. For example, the wife, Delia, continues to stay with her abusive husband, Sykes, out of fear, financial dependency, or a lack of alternatives. The husband's mother may exhibit motives based on loyalty to her son or a desire to maintain family unity. The servants may have motives related to their job security, loyalty to Delia, or personal gain. The people surrounding the suburb and house may have motives rooted in gossip, judgment, or indifference.

Irony is displayed in their actions in several ways. For instance, Delia's continuous dedication to her marriage despite the abuse may display the irony of her enduring suffering for the sake of commitment. The husband's mother supporting her son while he mistreats his wife may reflect the irony of her loyalty to family values at the expense of the victim. The servants performing their duties and witnessing the abuse without intervening may suggest the irony of their complicit behavior or fear of repercussions. The people surrounding the suburb and house gossiping about Delia's situation without offering support or intervention may demonstrate the irony of their shallow and judgmental attitudes.

Answer 2

The story explores the characters' motives both indirectly and directly. In the story, there is a lot of dangers that the family may encounter, so this renders them fearful. The parents and everyone else in the neighborhood build walls, fences, and install security systems purely out of this fear. This increased security does not essentially add anything to the neighborhood, it just keeps inspiring more fear. In creating these safety measures, they also create some problems. They still have a fear of their house being broken into, and their lives being in danger, despite having such increased security. This mere fact is ironic since despite taking precautions to ensure their safety and wellbeing, they still live in fear, and they created a danger for their child.

Hope this helps!

- Kay