30 pages 1 hour read

Alice Walker

To Hell with Dying

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1988

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

Important Quotes

Quotation Mark Icon

“Mr. Sweet was a diabetic and an alcoholic and a guitar player and lived down the road from us on a neglected cotton farm.”


(Paragraph 1)

The initial description of Mr. Sweet as a diabetic while being called Mr. Sweet is a juxtaposition of the qualities that define him, being sweet in nature while burdened with significant internal conflict and sadness. The description contextualizes the character and the relationship between him and the narrator, but it does so in a nonjudgmental way, which speaks to the narrator’s positive view of him. The last description of the neglected cotton farm helps create a sense of place and time while setting the foundation for themes surrounding Mr. Sweet’s character.

Quotation Mark Icon

“Mr. Sweet had been ambitious as a boy, wanted to be a doctor or lawyer or sailor, only to find that black men fare better if they are not.”


(Paragraph 2)

This quote gives Mr. Sweet background and depth while also evoking empathy for Mr. Sweet in his childhood dreams being shorted because of his race. The words “only to find” emphasize the innocence of Mr. Sweet in his childhood. The reference to his ambition asserts a contrast to the innocence of childhood and the evil of segregation, as it took away Mr. Sweet’s dream. This helps partially explain the severe depression he struggles with throughout the story.

Related Titles

By Alice Walker

Plot Summary

logo

By the Light of My Father's Smile

Alice Walker

By the Light of My Father's Smile

Alice Walker

Study Guide

logo

Everyday Use

Alice Walker

Everyday Use

Alice Walker

Plot Summary

logo

Possessing the Secret of Joy

Alice Walker

Possessing the Secret of Joy

Alice Walker

Plot Summary

logo

Strong Horse Tea

Alice Walker

Strong Horse Tea

Alice Walker

Study Guide

logo

The Color Purple

Alice Walker

The Color Purple

Alice Walker

Study Guide

logo

The Flowers

Alice Walker

The Flowers

Alice Walker

Study Guide

logo

The Temple of My Familiar

Alice Walker

The Temple of My Familiar

Alice Walker

Plot Summary

logo

The Third Life of Grange Copeland

Alice Walker

The Third Life of Grange Copeland

Alice Walker

Plot Summary

logo

The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart

Alice Walker

The Way Forward is with a Broken Heart

Alice Walker