Doing The Right Thing 'And Thank You Ma' Am

Did you know that 1 in 6 young Americans have stolen something in the past year? Not many people in life have the courage and integrity to do the right thing. In the poem “The Road Not Taken,” commentary “Doing the Right Thing,” and short story “Thank You Ma’am,” the speakers in each text had an incentive to do the right thing. The question is, what gave them the courage to do the right thing? The most common theme in these three literary texts is that the worst times can bring out the best from people. After reading, “The Road Not Taken,” “Doing the Right Thing,” and “Thank You Ma’am,”it is concluded that a loved one, self confidence, and past experiences, gives people the courage to do the right thing. Sometimes

Sometimes all it takes is a leader to help you make better decisions. In the short story, “Thank You Ma’am” Mrs. Jones was being mugged by a young man named Roger. Roger is a poor boy who just wanted a new pair of blue suede shoes. “Thank You Ma’am” states that, “I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes.” (Hughes 29) Haven’t you ever wanted something you couldn’t afford or have? Roger was meaning to do no harm to Mrs. Jones. His temptation to get the shoes was what caused him to try to steal from Mrs. Jones. Therefore, Mrs. Jones thought it would be best to teach Roger a lesson. The text states that, “When I get through with you sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.” (Hughes 19) Mrs. Jones was clearly trying to teach Roger to make better choices. Therefore, Mrs. Jones did the right thing to help Roger. The question is, what gave her the courage to do the right thing? “Thank You Ma’am” says, “I have done things too, which I would not tell you, neither tell God if he didn’t already know.” (Hughes 35) Mrs. Jones has had past experiences as shown in the quote, leading her to have sympathy for Roger. Based on what happened to Mrs. Jones in the past is what gave her the courage to do the right thing. Sometimes it takes someone else to know how you truly feel to help guide you through your path to doing the right