Delia A little awed by this new Delia he sidled out of the door and slammed the back gate after him?

In Zora Neale Hurston's "Sweat", Delia stands up to her abusive husband for the first time. This is the first change we see in Delia as she is usually submissive. Also, Sykes usually would go on and beat her but in this scene he chooses not to. He is possibly scared, desperate to get even and cruel or is just thrown off by her sudden change.