Inequality in Literature

Paper Summary:

The writer of this paper focuses on Nancy and Delia, the main characters in "That Evening Sun" by William Faulkner and "Sweat" by Zora Neale Hurston, respectively. This paper analyzes how both authors deal with issues of gender and racial injustice in America in the early 1900s and show how two different solutions to a similar problem can lead to two very distinct outcomes. The repression of women by men is prevalent throughout both novels and clearly cited in this paper. This paper reviews the plots of both novels, while at the same time detailing the many similarities between Delia and Nancy, which underscore the role that race, gender and social class play in each of their suffering. Nancy is a housekeeper while Delia is a wash-woman. Their jobs are similarly menial. The writer discusses the manner in which both Nancy and Delia essentially share the problem of social injustice toward black women as well as how each woman resolves the situation she's in. The writer contends that Faulkner lets the reader see the silence, acceptance of inequality and re-activity in Nancy's solution while Hurston shows speaking-up, denial of inequality and pro-activity, which leads to a better life for Delia.

From the Paper:

"The many similarities between Nancy and Delia underscore the role that race, gender, and social class play in each of their suffering. Nancy is a housekeeper; Delia is a washwoman. Their jobs are similarly menial. Such jobs were typical for black women in the American South at the time, and, for most black women. In most cases, this was the only kind of work they could find. Faulkner and Hurston each choose black women as main characters in order to illustrate how black women in particular were treated by men at this time. Nancy and Delia have one very serious common problem: each is violently abused, and violently repressed by her husband. Delia works very hard to own her dream home, but Sykes still feels that because he is the man of the house, he has the right to control Delia. Jesus and Sykes each act as leaders of their households, not because Nancy and Delia want to be followers, but because they, as men, insist on dominating their wives."

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