Short stories are written to share a lesson, or show and experience for the reader to relate to their own lives. Most stories show a challenge that someone has to overcome, such as a physical threat, or a mental confrontation that they have to face. In the story “Lemon Brown” by Walter Dean Myers, one of the two main characters, Lemon Brown, faced both types of challenges while having taught a message to the protagonist Greg Ridley. LIkewise, in the story “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Jones caught a child named Roger who tried to steal her purse for a pair of shoes. When thrown into a problematic situation, even without a similar background in the slightest, Lemon Brown and Mrs. Jones address their problems similarly..
She tries to cite facts of her experience as a witness when she was in a French bread shop and a man walked in the shop and the owner of the shop gives the man a cup of coffee and bread from leftovers and walks away without a word. Then the author uses the same rhetorical element Logos of asking herself “what compels this woman to feed this man? Pity? Care? Compassion?
“Was it fear or compassion that motivated the gift?”(Pg. 47) Ascher wonders why the mother gave the homeless man a dollar even if he did not ask for it. She also wonders why the French waitress gave the homeless man a coffee and a paper bag of food. “…Twice I have wondered, what compels this woman to feed this man?
In the beginning, the author describes a man who looks to be homeless and how the man stops in front of a baby. When the baby’s mother sees this, she seems to get a bit tense, so she searches inside her purse to find a dollar to give him. The author later questions the mother’s motive for giving the man the dollar and whether she gave it to him because she cared or she was frightened by him. Ascher later writes about an experience she had at a coffee shop. She describes a man, who is dressed poorly and has an unpleasant smell, being given a hot cup of coffee and a paper bag with something inside from the owner of the shop.
In the story Thank You M’am by Langston Hughes, Mrs.Jones treats Roger almost as if she were his mother, although he tried to steal her pocketbook. In paragraph 25 on page 53 the author writes, “‘Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face,’ said the woman, whereupon she turned him loose-at last.” This quote supports the claim because a mother would care about how you looked if you were dirty. Therefore, Mrs.Jones would not have cared about how Roger looked if she wasn’t treating him motherly. Especially after he tried to steal her pocketbook.
There is a book called "Memoir" written by a man named Zinsser. Zinsser wrote this book to give people advice about how to write a memoir and gave three pieces of guidance. Those are, to break the text down into small pieces, write it for yourself, and to only have one perspective in your book or journal. Now for " Thank You M'am" it is about an old woman named Mrs. Jones, who is helping this teen boy, who tried to steal her pocketbook. The text "Thank You M'am" is a weak example of Zinssers advice.
She on the other hand explained struggles of blacks in the black America. Unlike Langston Hughes explaining how he felt blacks couldn’t get a chance, she explained that blacks sometimes held each other down. She also wrote about the struggles
"'Dirty towels. Not much of a housekeeper, would you say, ladies?'" Mr. Hale assumed that Minnie Wright had nothing better to do than clean the house, but he was baffled by why it was so dirty. He says it in a way that implies that cleaning the rolling towel is such a simple thing, that it is ridiculous it is dirty. He wants the woman to agree with him that she is a terrible housekeeper.
“Thank You M’am” Essay Response In the story “Thank You M’am” by Langston Hughes, the boy Roger, seems to be lonely. The story is about a boy named Roger who tries to steal Mrs. Jones purse, she takes him to her house and takes care of him. Roger could be described as lonely because he has nobody home at his home, he is very respectful of Mrs. Jones, and he tries to steal.
She also lets the Roger wash his face with a nice warm towel and soap. Mrs.Jones could of just let the boy go
Thank You Ma’am By: Kush Can you imagine a woman who would kick a stranger and then later in the story feed the same person? Well, in the short story, “Thank You Ma’am,” by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, the protagonist, does just that. She has a very complicated personality because she is hostile, but still lonely and caring. A big indication that Mrs. Jone hostile is, after, a boy made an attempt to steal her purse and failed, he fell.
A central theme in the short story “Thank you Ma 'am” by Langston Hughes is a little kindness goes a long way. One act of kindness can change a person’s life forever. Her unnecessary kindness made a major impact on Roger and changes him. As the story progresses, we see that Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones shows empathy and kindness for Roger. That kindness appears to pass onto Roger near the end of the story.
“When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones,” the large lady said fiercely. In the edge of your seat story, “Thank You Ma’am,” by Langston Hughes, the main character of the story is very entertaining with every action that she takes. The main event that had happened in the story is, a boy (Rodger) wanted to get blue suede shoes and he didn’t have enough money, so he tried to steal Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones purse, and that was a bad choice. After that, she caught him with a strong, bold arm and took him to her house. While there, she talks with the boy and feeds him.
Jazmyne Nelson Dr. Rose English 101 December 11, 2017 Literary Analysis Langston Hughes’ short story entitled “Thank You Ma’am”, analyzes the interaction between Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones and Roger. It presents the readers, the idea of goodness, the theme of trust, forgiveness, and kindness. Hughes is able to convert a language that is easier to understand by characterizing the context of story, advancing important themes, and using dialogue among the characters. Trust is one of themes that stood out while analyzing the short story. Though Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones has been victimized Roger worries that she won’t trust him, so he moves.
He even offers to go to the store if she needs anything. One feels that his words “Thank you ma’am” although very simple, are very meaningful and sincere, so that shows how Mrs. Jones is a very kind hearted woman that made him at last tell her Thank you
