"Dat niggah wouldn't fetch nothin' heah tuh save his rotten neck, but he kin run thew whut Ah brings quick enough. Now he done toted off nigh on tuh haff uh box uh matches. He done had dat 'oman heah in mah house, too." Nobody but a woman could tell how she knew this even before she struck the match. But she did and it put her into a new fury
while Delia was at church Sykes was cheating / sinning in her home. good use of irony
Delia, is dat you Ah heah?" She saw him on his hands and knees as soon as she reached the door. He crept an inch or two toward her--all that he was able, and she saw his horribly swollen neck and his one open eye shining with hope. A surge of pity too strong to support bore her away from that eye that must, could not, fail to see the tubs. He would see the lamp. Orlando with its doctors was too far. She could scarcely reach the Chinaberry tree, where she waited in the growing heat while inside she knew the cold river was creeping up and up to extinguish that eye which must know by now that she knew.
after treating her so poorly, cheating on her, beating her, scaring her, etc. the only person he was able to go to in his last moment was her. he had to die with the image of her unamused face
Sykes almost let the huge wad of corn bread and collard greens he was chewing fall out of his mouth in amazement
could also connect to the sugar cane analogy. he's been "chewing" on Delia for all this time and has now decided that he's over and cant enjoy her as he used to because she doesn't just sit down and accept it.
Ah hates you, Sykes," she said calmly. "Ah hates you tuh de same degree dat Ah useter love yuh
Delia is experiencing the effect of the sugar cane analogy from earlier but from the other perspective.
Sykes and Bertha arrived. A determined silence fell on the porch and the melon was put away again
the people don't want to start confrontation with Sykes b/c he is either: a. is actually high up with people from outside the town (a good acquaintance to have) b. scared of what he can do
since dat white 'oman from up north done teached 'im how to run a automobile, he done got too biggety to live--an' we oughter kill 'im," Old Man Anderson advised. A grunt of approval went around the porch.
he works with white people and has a license to drive. the others think this has gotten to his head and dislike him for it
Taint no law on earth dat kin make a man be decent if it aint in 'im. There's plenty men dat takes a wife lak dey do a joint uh sugar-cane
Clarke believes there's no saving Sykes. he has the wrong attitude for approaching relationships but its already too late for him to change. as Moseley said he has already beat her into a anew appearance.
Did Ah tell yuh'bout him come sidlin' roun' mah wife--bringin' her a basket uh pecans outa his yard fuh a present? Yessir, mah wife! She tol' him tuh take 'em right straight back home, cause Delia works so hard ovah dat washtub she reckon everything on de place taste lak sweat an' soapsuds. Ah jus' wisht Ah'd a' caught 'im 'dere! Ah'd a' made his hips ketch on fiah down dat shell road.
the people who know about the two of them don't seem to be fond at all of Sykes. just about everyone so far has been left a bad impression by him.
eight-rock
very dark skinned person
"Syke Jones aint wuth de shot an' powder hit would tek tuh kill 'em. Not to huh he aint. " "He sho' aint," Walter Thomas chimed in. "It's too bad, too, cause she wuz a right pritty lil trick when he got huh. Ah'd uh mah'ied huh mahseff if he hadnter beat me to it."
the people around the two of them know about their relationship and how unstable and messed up it is. they may even have a bit of animosity towards Sykes for treating her so poorly
She seized the iron skillet from the stove and struck a defensive pose, which act surprised him greatly, coming from her. It cowed him and he did not strike her as he usually did
he riled her up, but didn't expect her to give such a strong reaction back. This must be the first time she's done something as such, and Sykes doesn't know how to react
Delia's habitual meekness seemed to slip from her shoulders like a blown scarf. She was on her feet; her poor little body, her bare knuckly hands bravely defying the strapping hulk before her. "Looka heah, Sykes, you done gone too fur. Ah been married to you fur fifteen years, and Ah been takin' in washin' for fifteen years. Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work and sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!"
turning point. Sykes is starting to get the aggressive reaction he wanted from Delia
Delia never looked up from her work, and her thin, stooped shoulders sagged further. "Ah aint for no fuss t'night Sykes
Delia has become unfazed by the rough actions of Sykes. Maybe him acting this way after work is a common occurrence
his whole manner hoping, praying, for an argument. But she walked calmly around him and commenced to re-sort the things.
he seems to like / want the attention she gives him when she's aggravated ; goes out of his way to upset and rile her up
She lifted her eyes to the door and saw him standing there bent over with laughter at her fright. She screamed at him. "Sykes, what you throw dat whip on me like dat? You know it would skeer me
this seems like a playful relationship, although that aspect may only be one-sided