In Zora Neale Hurston's short story "Sweat," Delia's inaction at the end, as she hears Sykes suffering from the snake bite, can primarily be attributed to fear—fear both of the immediate danger in the situation and of the repercussions of her long-standing fraught relationship with Sykes. Throughout the story, Delia is depicted as a resilient and hardworking woman who endures Sykes's cruelty. However, when faced with his suffering, her fear overrides any impulse towards revenge or action. In the climactic moment, she reflects on her situation with a sense of trepidation, noting, "She was afraid of the snake and afraid of Sykes." This fear encapsulates her internal conflict; while she has experienced Sykes’s abuse, the idea of confronting him—or even feeling a sense of retribution—becomes daunting in the moment of truth.
The seven essential parts of the story, namely exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, theme, and character, all converge at this pivotal point. In the exposition, we learn about Delia's struggle as a washerwoman and her abusive marriage to Sykes, establishing her as a character of perseverance and resilience. The rising action builds tension through Sykes’s cruelty, including his attempt to instill fear in Delia with the snake. The climax arrives when Sykes’s manipulation backfires, resulting in his perilous encounter with the snake. As the falling action unfolds, Delia's horror at Sykes's predicament becomes palpable, yet her fear ultimately paralyzes her. The resolution is complex: although she could reclaim her agency, Delia chooses to remain passive. The overarching theme of survival and autonomy in the face of abuse is reinforced by her inaction, as she becomes trapped not only by her circumstances but also by her fear of stepping beyond the boundaries of their tumultuous relationship. Within this context, fear is revealed as a powerful force, compelling inaction even in the face of dire consequences.