When Sykes returns to the house as Delia works on laundry at the beginning of the story, he drapes his bull whip over her shoulder to frighten her, knowing she is terrified of snakes. The faux snake scares and temporarily mutes her, which Sykes finds hilarious; through his cruel prank and insensitive reaction to his wife's terror, we can infer that he is a mean-spirited, unloving husband. The presence of the whip is indicative of Sykes's cruel streak, and also foreshadows the real snake that will enter their home and ultimately bring about his death later in the story. Since Sykes not only interrupts Delia's hard work to play a prank but also derails her progress by kicking and soiling the clothes she is attempting to clean, we can conclude that he is a lazy, ungrateful, and unhelpful partner, despite the fact that Delia's laundry work finances their home and lifestyle.
