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Irony In Thank You Ma Am

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“I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It’s as simple as it gets in this complicated world.” Julio Diaz has an interesting view on people and the world and so does Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones in the story “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes. In the radio show, Morning Edition hosted by Michael Garofalo, he tells the story of a man named julio Diaz and how he treated his mugger with kindness. In “Thank You, Ma’am” Mrs.Luella does the same and teaches a young boy what’s right and what’s wrong. Many people shun or act rudely to the people who don’t know any better. Oppositely, in these two stories, the irony is used to show that people who don’t know any better must be taught. “Thank You, Ma’am” uses irony to emphasize the victim acting nicely towards her harasser, giving off a message of kindness to others and teaching them what is right and wrong instead of punishment. “...because shoes …show more content…

“You forgot something. If you’re going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm.” (Garofolo 5). It shows irony that is also used in “Thank You, Ma’am” that a person who was attacked shows kindness to the person who had tried to do them wrong, and in the process, changed how they think and thought them what was right. Neither of them used violence but did use ironic situations to talk to the attackers. Irony can be used to create humor, but in the stories “Thank You, Ma’am,” and “A Victim Treats His Mugger Right” irony is used to develop the central ideas. In two stories where an older figure treats the young in a kind manner and teaches them a life lesson. Normally when someone does wrong to another, the victim thinks no good of the other, when really they need to be taught what is right and what is

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"Thank You M'am¨ is a piece of prose written by Langston Hughes. " Thank You M'am '' talks about how a large woman named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, almost gets her bag taken by a boy named Roger. But luckly Mrs. Jones caught him before he could go far. Landston Hughes uses foreshadowing, point of view, and reversal to show suspense in the story. Landston Hughes uses foreshadowing in the story ¨Thank

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All the irony gives the piece a vast dynamic in characters and themes. The first irony found in this story is the whole idea of the “Good Man”. The Grandma throughout many different scenarios in the story skewed the definition of a “Good Man” by using it until it became meaningless. She used it to describe Red Sammy after he let two people screw him over by letting them charge their gasoline.

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168 Words | 1 Pages

“Thank you M’am” is a piece of Prose written by Langston Hughes. Roger tries to steal Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones’s purse to get some Blue suede shoes. Instead of taking Roger to the authorities, she shows Roger kindness. The author uses suspense through setting, mystery, and dilemma. Without a doubt, the author uses the setting in the text by, stating that Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones was walking home alone when someone came up behind her and tried to steal her purse.

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600 Words | 3 Pages

The Ironic Truth Irony is a complex and important element of literature that can help discover hidden perspectives within characters or hide the truth in plain sight. The story by Edgar Allen Poe, “The Cask of Amontillado” is a great example the dark ironic twist that happen in the story. The main character, Montresor, is hell-bent on getting his revenge on the man who shamed him, Fortunato. The verbal and dramatic irony that is being used in the story “The Cask of Amontillado” helps hide the true intentions that Montresor has planned for Fortunato. Verbal irony happens when one character says one thing but actually means something completely different.

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1081 Words | 5 Pages

Irony is the opposite of what you would expect and it can show how distorted the brain can get when reaction to fear. In “The Tell Tale Heart,” “His room was a black as pitch,” says the narrator, “with the thick darkness (for the shutters were closed and fastened, through fear of robbers,)”(75). The irony here is that the old man puts up the shutters in fear of being robbed or killed by people coming in, however, he didn't expect the threat to come from the inside. Fear led not only the old man to shut himself in, but also for the narrator to kill the old man

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325 Words | 2 Pages

“ I have done things too, which I will not tell you,” Mrs.Luella Bates Washington Jones said to Roger the boy that tried to steal her purse. In the story “ Thank You Ma 'am ” I believe that Mrs Jones is caring because Mrs. Jones brings Roger into her house, and tries to help Roger. The most obvious why Mrs.Jones is caring is because she lets Roger into her house even when he tried to steal her purse, I know I would never just let him in my house if he tried to steal my purse I would of called the police. First of all she brings Roger to her house and then makes him dinner. I would never make a boy dinner who tried to steal my purse.

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581 Words | 3 Pages

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.

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1208 Words | 5 Pages

Irony can be seen throughout the story in the words and phrases of the character. The irony can create a disturbing, yet slightly humorous scene with the audience not knowing what’s coming for the characters. In the short story, The Cask Of Amontillado, irony can be seen through the conversations of the two characters, Montresor and Fortunato. Although, Montresor is the character with most literary devices. Verbal irony can be seen in the story when Montresor told the “attendees” to stay in the house while he was gone.

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484 Words | 2 Pages

In Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado,” irony is applied throughout to help foreshadow future and give more of an insight to the readers, all while adding some humor. Irony is divided into three main types: dramatic, situational, and verbal. Poe uses dramatic irony when he has Fortunato dress as a jester, “a tight-fitting parti-striped dress and his was surmounted by the conical cap and bells” (Poe). The get-up makes Fortunato looks foolish and foreshadows his actions of following Montresor into the catacombs to taste some wine. Montresor even compliments the outfit and says “My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met” (Poe), but it was not Fortunato who was in luck, but Montresor who would gain profit of their meeting.

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1049 Words | 5 Pages

In Thank You Ma 'am” by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones showed the golden Rule by bringing Rodger into her home. She showed much hospitality towards him, even though he tried to do something horrible to her. Mrs. Jones could have done something cruel to Roger, but instead she was kind to him. She taught him a valuable life lesson, although she was not mean about it. Following the golden rule in life is very important for everyone, you should always follow this rule, no matter what.

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277 Words | 2 Pages

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.

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803 Words | 4 Pages

“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.

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765 Words | 4 Pages

Another example of irony in this text is dramatic irony. The reader knows that the narrator is planning to kill the man very soon, while the man has no clue that he is about to be killed, and he is just sleeping. “To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts.” The readers know that the narrator is stalking the old man, while the old man is just sleeping. Suspense is created since the reader does not know what the old man will do, whether he will be killed, or whether he will notice the

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870 Words | 4 Pages

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.

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1213 Words | 5 Pages

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

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