The primary theme of the following stories ‘Sweat’ by Zora Neale Hurston and ‘The Man Who Was Almost a Man’ by Richard Wright has been in existence since the begging of time the theme of suffering. The stories evoke the actual difficulties on the ground. For instance, David Saunders is cornered in a planet that denies him of his economic and personal power. Dave views his life as an episode of humiliations and abuses. He is pressurized to respect his parents, labor as a field hand without payments and experiences ribbing from the other laborers.

Dave Saunders`s growing sense of shame is channeled from the economic and social issues that obstruct him from realizing his potential and track his dreams. The aspect of possessing a gun thus becomes his target, a sure strategy to quickly become manly and powerful. David strongly believes that holding a pistol will earn him more authority other others. Unfortunately, the death of Jenny further limits Dave`s future expectations by forcing him to compensate Mr. Hawkins the money for the dead mule. In other words, it can be interpreted that the accidental death of Jenny could be Dave`s insensible aspiration to rebel against Mr. Hawkins. By demolishing an identity of Hawkins`s authority and prosperity as the owner of the land, David may be distancing himself from the social order and economic system that he will always be left out purely due to his skin color.

Similarly, just like David Saunders, being a poverty-stricken African-American in the early 1920s did not offer you many options. In short story “Sweat” by Zora Neal Hurston the hard-working Delia suffers from oppression caused by her abusive, lazy and two-timing husband Sykes. Just like David Saunders, Delia is an African-American woman whose life is made miserable her gender, race, and social standing. Basically, Delia Jones seems appears to be living the poorest life ever, full of tears and abuses, endless manual labor just like David and physical exhaustion. As a result her only solution is to seek salvation by going to church.

The title “sweat” in the short story refers to the physical hard labor that Delia Jones performs. She is a washerwoman who overworks for several hours in a small Central Florida village that contrasts with her husband`s lifestyle of leisure and entitlement. Delia suffers alone as a result of marrying an irresponsible husband. For instance, for fifteen years that they have been married it is Delia who has been paying the rent. However, despite Sykes being a jobless man he resents that his wife cleans. Furthermore, Sykes pay for mistress Bertha house rent and even attend dates at a nightclub and leave his legally married wife in pain and sufferings.

The marriage between Sykes and Delia Jones is an abusive one. Two months after their marriage Sykes began beating his wife for no reasons and having stayed with her for fifteen years he knew all her weaknesses. This is the reason why Sykes scares his wife taking advantage of her fear of snakes. Sykes incorporates his action by throwing a snake-shaped whip at her wife. Delia at long last reacts towards her abusive husband and demands him to remove to remove the snake in her house. In response, Sykes being sick and tired of Delia and looking out for ample opportunity with his mistress Bertha, he strategies a plan to poison her wife by rooting a rattlesnake in cleaning attires. Ironically, it is Sykes who is poisoned and killed by the rattlesnake, unfortunately, in the neck. In response, Delia relaxes comfortably under chinaberry tree waiting for her husband to die and ignoring his plea for assistance.

In conclusion, it is evident from the two short stories that the theme of suffering has been in existence for a very long time. However, the solutions to every problem that human being undergo lies within the individuals. Just like when Delia finally comes into conclusion that she does not need her husband or his abuses he could not help him when he was bitten by the snake. The same is also evident with David in that when he discovers that he can no longer do with commitment and obligations, he chooses to escape with his gun. To him, he was strong convinced that it’s better to leave as opposed to working for Mr. Hawkins for two years to pay for the dead mule.