The story thank you ma am. English Literature Notes: THANK YOU MA'AM 2022-12-20

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"Thank You, Ma'am" is a short story by Langston Hughes that was first published in 1958. It tells the story of a young boy named Roger who tries to steal the purse of a woman named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. However, Mrs. Jones is able to catch Roger and instead of punishing him, she takes him home and teaches him a lesson about respect and kindness.

The story begins with Roger attempting to snatch Mrs. Jones's purse as she walks down the street. Mrs. Jones is able to grab onto Roger's arm and hold him back, demanding to know why he is trying to steal from her. Roger tells her that he wanted money to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. Mrs. Jones is not angry with Roger, but rather she is sympathetic and understands that he must have been desperate to try and steal from her.

Instead of punishing Roger, Mrs. Jones takes him home with her and feeds him a good meal. She also gives him some money to buy the shoes that he wanted, but she makes it clear that he must earn the rest of the money through honest work. Mrs. Jones tells Roger that he needs to learn to respect himself and others, and she encourages him to be a better person.

Throughout the story, Mrs. Jones serves as a role model for Roger. She is kind and understanding, and she is able to see the good in him even when he makes a mistake. She teaches him about the importance of honesty and hard work, and she shows him that there are other ways to get what he wants in life besides resorting to stealing.

In the end, Roger is grateful to Mrs. Jones for her kindness and he promises to be a better person. He thanks her and says, "Thank you, ma'am," which gives the story its title.

Overall, "Thank You, Ma'am" is a poignant and poignant story about the power of kindness and understanding. It shows that even in the face of adversity, there is always the possibility for redemption and growth. The story serves as a reminder that it is never too late to change and become a better person, and that one small act of kindness can go a long way in making a positive impact on someone's life.

Thank You, M’am Summary & Analysis

the story thank you ma am

Even if the door is open, he does not escape. Roger can run, or stay. She takes the boy to her home and asks him to wash his face, comb his hair and feeds him. She makes him wash his face, saying she would not even take him to jail the way he looks, as in he is too dirty to go anywhere. So she tells Roger---- "Shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet" She wants to guide the boy by the example of her own life rather than unsettling him by questioning him about his past. Luella Bates Washington Jones, an elderly Black woman, as she walks home.


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Langston Hughes' Thank You, Ma'am Lesson Plan

the story thank you ma am

Luella Bates Washington Jones is the stern yet immensely generous woman whom Roger attempts to rob. Overall, one could surmise that Langston Hughes's short story "Thank You, Ma'am" is set in New York City during the mid- to late 1950s. Jones mirrors his taciturn answers: both are attempts to keep her away, suggesting he is not yet ready to own up to his mistake. Jones' response to Roger's letter each group responds to the letter they have been given. Up until this point, Roger has been Mrs.

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Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes Full Texts

the story thank you ma am

Karl Marx was a German philosopher who lived during the 19th-century. Langston Hughes Overview of 'Thank You, Ma'am' Were you ever been called out by an elder for your behavior when you were younger? When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Whenever I enter his room and car, I feel as if I lose my mind piece by piece because I never believed a room or car could be that messy. The woman did not ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would embarrass him. Jones got up and went behind the screen. He does not want her to think badly of him. When he answers 'no', she drags him home with her, saying when she's finished with him, he'll be sure never to forget he met her.

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Where is the setting of the story thank you ma am?

the story thank you ma am

The boy does not run; he does not want to be mistrusted. When she got to her door, she dragged the boy inside, down a hall, and into a large kitchenette- Furnished room at the rear of the house. Then she reached down, picked the boy up by his shirt front, and shook him until his teeth rattled. Jones is firm in her grip as they enter her house, which he realizes must be a boarding house with other tenants. .

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Thank You, M’am by Langston Hughes Plot Summary

the story thank you ma am

In a story, the climax is the moment of greatest tension and takes place just before the resolution. Jones leaves Roger and the purse out of her sight. Jones did in her youth, or anything about her children or husband, we know those things were so bad she couldn't even tell God. She makes the boy sit after washing his face before she tells him to have supper with her McMahan et al. When he answers 'no', she drags him home with her, saying when she's finished with him, he'll be sure never to forget he met her.

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Thank You, M'am Summary

the story thank you ma am

Or maybe you made a mistake and someone gave you a second chance? She tells him that she also did bad things when she was his age. The parent-like guidance attached to this surprise encourages Roger to be thoughtful about his decisions moving forward. Just taking it will get him "kicked" and "shaken. Jones lives in a boarding house or apartment building with other people. What did she do immediately? Jones purse was too heavy that he failed on taking it. When Roger gets caught by Mrs.

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Themes & Summary of “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes: Short Story Analysis

the story thank you ma am

This shows that he really has changed. Roger looks at the open door and looks at the large woman; he chooses to wash. And he did not want to be mistrusted now. But the boy took care to sit on the far side of the room where he thought she could easily see him out of the corner of her eye, if she wanted to. After he had dried his face and not knowing what else to do dried it again, the boy turned around, wondering what next.

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English Literature Notes: THANK YOU MA'AM

the story thank you ma am

Dignity is something one must first have within themselves. 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 time is probably present day for Langston Hughes--around 1958, when the story was published. Jones, who seems to be a substantial woman, first kicks him in the behind as he is sprawled on the sidewalk, and then hauls him up and shakes him. Roger loses his balance, and Mrs. Quickly, Roger corrects her mistake: he wanted a pair of blue suede shoes.

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Brief Summary Of The Story 'Thank You, Ma' Am

the story thank you ma am

But the boy took care to sit on the far side of the room where he thought she could easily see him out of the corner of her eye,if she wanted to. Not only that, but he wants to repay the trust she's shown him, and to that end, he refrains from trying to snatch her purse again and run away. When Roger enters Mrs Jones room she leaves the door open Why is this significant in the story? Luella Bates Washington Jones was returning home from the hotel's beauty shop around eleven o'clock at night. It would seem that she succeeded, because not only did Roger not run away, he also had a nice talk with Mrs. Jones resides in a communal living space suggests her own lack of immediate family. The setting is important because it actually helps to influence and even drive the action.

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What is the climax of "Thank You, M'am"?

the story thank you ma am

According to Roger, he wanted to get a pair of blue suede shoes. This shows that Ms. And this shows that Mrs. Instead of a hoodlum, she saw a human being. The climax comes at the end of the evening when the reader and Roger are very curious--and in Roger's case slightly nervous--to see how the story will end up. She switched on the light and left the door open.

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