Crime And Punishment In Langston Hughes 'Thank You Ma' Am

Thank You Ma’am -- Crime and Punishment

We have numerous things to learn from this life we live. Although it's profitable to learn from others, we should grow and acquire experience through our own mistakes. Roger demonstrated this for us. Roger, a young boy who tried to steal a woman's pocketbook in

Langston Hughes' short story "Thank You Ma'am," immediately failed. The short story walks us through his implications, which was more of a lesson than an actual consequence. This brings up the discussion of crime and punishment. As we continue with the story, Roger expresses his gratitude for meeting Ms. Bates. Roger learns one of life's most crucial lessons from Ms. Bates.

While learning from his elders was beneficial to Roger in the story, it

The quote,

“Older adults can be great role models for children, while also passing on family stories, historical information and teaching the rituals and traditions of earlier times. Children can also improve their practical living skills and ability to problem-solve when applying the wisdom and life experiences gained from those that have lived for many years. (Burcham)”, further explains

Wills 2 why learning for the older generation can greatly impact younger people. While everyone needs to learn on their own, it doesn’t hurt to always learn certain things from those around you. Even though the short story was incredibly uplifting, it doesn't necessarily justify Roger's behavior.

Roger admits in the story that his household wasn't steady. He felt compelled to make an effort to support himself as a result. He found himself attempting to steal Ms. Bates' pocketbook. The strap snapped off her shoulder, and he stumbled and hit the ground. Learning from previous generations is beneficial in today's society. Roger may have ended up in jail or even dead if he had never met Ms. Bates. If he hadn't met Ms. Bates, the young boy, Roger may have been

This displays how real courage and empathy are. She did something quite touching, but I knew it wasn't enough.

Majority of the time, it's vital to accept the real responsibility for your actions. Ms. Bates discussed a gentle parenting strategy that may be effective but is not definitely assured. Only time will tell if he succeeded in what she had in mind for him. Although Ms. Bates' actions for

Roger were authentic, there is no guarantee that he fully understood the lesson he needed to learn. Which brings me back to what was said previously. If Roger would have learned this lesson on his own, then he would’ve gained the full punishment. I believe that he needed a little more discipline.

In summary, the story was unique in every way. The main moral concepts that tie this story together are kindness, empathy, and punishment. Given that the majority of people wouldn't have, Ms. Bates handled Roger with warmth and empathy, which says plenty. Again, her own experience relates to Rogers' predicament, which in my opinion wasn't a coincidence. Even though Roger might not have suffered a "normal punishment," he may have gained all