"Thank You, Mam" is a short story by Langston Hughes about a young boy named Roger who tries to steal a purse from a woman named Mrs. Jones. However, Mrs. Jones is able to catch him in the act and decides to teach him a lesson about honesty and kindness.
The story begins with Roger following Mrs. Jones down the street, trying to sneak up behind her and grab her purse. Mrs. Jones, however, is able to sense his presence and turns around just in time to catch him in the act. Rather than becoming angry or calling the police, Mrs. Jones decides to take Roger home with her and give him a meal.
While they are walking, Mrs. Jones asks Roger why he tried to steal her purse. Roger admits that he was trying to get enough money to buy a pair of blue suede shoes that he saw in the window of a store. Mrs. Jones, who is a kind and compassionate woman, decides to give Roger the money for the shoes as well as a lecture about the importance of honesty and hard work.
As they arrive at Mrs. Jones' house, she prepares a meal for Roger and they sit down to eat together. During the meal, Mrs. Jones asks Roger about his family and learns that he is an orphan living with his grandmother. She expresses her sympathy for his situation and tells him that he can always turn to her if he needs help or guidance.
After they finish eating, Mrs. Jones walks Roger back to his grandmother's house and gives him the money for the shoes. As he walks away, Roger turns around and thanks Mrs. Jones for her kindness and understanding.
In conclusion, "Thank You, Mam" is a heartwarming story about the power of kindness and understanding. Mrs. Jones' compassionate response to Roger's attempted theft teaches him an important lesson about honesty and the value of hard work. It also shows the importance of looking beyond appearances and judging people based on their character, rather than their actions.
Themes & Summary of “Thank You Ma’am†by Langston Hughes: Short Story Analysis – Short Story Guide
Instead of pulling it and running away, he falls to the floor from its weight, and Mrs. While the reader is never told this, Mrs. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. The desire for this possession stands in sharp contrast to his dirty face and messy hair; as status symbols, the shoes would make him look as though he had more money than he really had. The woman yanks the frail, frightened boy up by his shirt and scolds him.
Thank You Ma’am
She tells him she was also young once and wanted things she could not afford. Jones, and being empathetic. Though the boy wants nothing more than to run away, the woman insists on dragging him home with her to wash his face and feed him some supper. Instead, she hauls Roger up and shakes him "until his teeth rattled. She asks why he tried to steal it. Despite the circumstances of their meeting, she makes sure not to ask too many questions, not wanting to "embarrass him.
Thank You, Ma'am by Langston Hughes
The strap breaks, but the boy loses his balance and tumbles to the ground. Luella Bates Washington Jones to suggest that Roger wanted money from her purse for food. This may come as a surprise to some readers- why would he spend the money on a want instead of a need? This establishes a closer connection between them. Jones, Roger learns more about people, life, and circumstance than his own parents ever taught him. It had a long strap, and she carried it slung across her shoulder.
Thank You, M’am by Langston Hughes Plot Summary
Jones lives in a boarding house or apartment building with other people. The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse which she left behind her on the day-bed. Jones tells Roger that at the beauty shop where she works, "all kinds of women came in and out, blondes, red-heads, and Spanish. Luella Bates Washington Jones makes dinner, Roger asks if she needs him to run to the store. Jones kindness has affected him.
Thank You M'am' Summary & Study Guide
When they are eating together, she talks about her own job and home but does not ask Roger about his. The names of the characters are not common names today, but Roger was one of the most popular names given to babies in the 1940s and 1950s. The second is the date of publication online or last modification online. The boy says if he is let go, he will leave immediately, so Mrs. This is the first opportunity she provides for the boy to show her the respect she deserves; as she releases him from her grip, she instructs him on where he should go to wash his dirty face. She confides that, like the teenage boy, she used to do some pretty shameful things, too. But Roger adds that he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes, and Mrs.
