Thank you mam short story summary. Themes & Summary of ā€œThank You Maā€™amā€ by Langston Hughes: Short Story Analysis 2022-10-29

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"Thank You, M'am" is a short story by Langston Hughes about a young boy named Roger who tries to steal the purse of an older woman named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. However, Mrs. Jones is able to overpower Roger and take him back to her home, where she feeds him, gives him a place to sleep, and teaches him a lesson about respect and kindness.

The story begins with Roger, a poor, teenage boy with a "tousled head," who is trying to steal Mrs. Jones' purse as she walks home from work. Mrs. Jones is able to catch Roger and hold onto him until the police arrive, but she decides not to turn him in. Instead, she takes him back to her home and gives him a meal of fried chicken and gravy.

As they sit at the table, Mrs. Jones asks Roger why he tried to steal her purse. He tells her that he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes that he saw in a store window, and he didn't have enough money to pay for them. Mrs. Jones asks him if he has any money at all, and Roger admits that he has five dollars in his pocket. Mrs. Jones then tells him that she will give him the rest of the money he needs for the shoes if he promises to never try to steal again.

After their meal, Mrs. Jones gives Roger a place to sleep in her home, and the next morning, she takes him to the store to buy the shoes. As they walk back home, Mrs. Jones lectures Roger about the importance of respect and kindness, and how stealing is never the answer to problems. She tells him that if he wants something, he should work for it and earn it honestly.

In the end, Roger is deeply grateful to Mrs. Jones for her kindness and understanding. He promises her that he will never try to steal again, and he thanks her for showing him a better way to live.

Overall, "Thank You, M'am" is a heartwarming story about the transformative power of kindness and understanding. It shows how a simple act of compassion can change the course of someone's life and help them to become a better person. It is a reminder that even in the face of adversity and temptation, we can choose to do the right thing and make a positive difference in the world.

Thank You Maā€™am: Summary and Questions Answers Ā» Smart English Notes

thank you mam short story summary

She puts him in a half-nelson neck hold and drags him up the street as he struggles to get away, uncertain what she is doing. Jones holds Roger up by the front of his shirt and notices that his face is dirty. . He doesn't know what to make of Mrs. She asks him if there is no one at his home to tell him to wash his face.

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Generosity In The Short Story Thank You Ma Am, By...

thank you mam short story summary

It may have been the first time in his life someone has treated him so kindly, tried to help him understand right from wrong, and even offer him a chance to right his mistakes, and Roger does not want to undermine that level of goodness. She asks if he is ashamed of himself, and Roger says that he is. Poverty With both of the story's central characters living in low- or no-income circumstances, poverty is one of the dominant themes in "Thank You Ma'am. Luella Bates Washington Jones, the reader could almost see her walking down the street. Breaking the Cycle Mrs. The opening paragraph begins with something scary: an attempted robbery.

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Thank You, Ma'am Summary

thank you mam short story summary

The theme of fear makes itself clear, as Roger has no idea what will happen to him. Finally, she frees him from her half-nelson hold and asks him to wash his face. He falls on the sidewalk. Jones lead Roger to the kitchen sink so he could wash his face. Though Hughes doesn't explicitly state what the setting of the story is, there are some clues that indicate the general place and time period.

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Thank You, Ma'am Plot Summary

thank you mam short story summary

To this, she surprises him by saying that he could have asked her for the money. His attempt fails as the strap breaks, and he falls on the ground. The story as it progresses unravels Mrs. From this, it can be assumed that he either lives alone, does not have parents who look after him or does not even have a stable shelter. Is the story always serious? He soon won other prizes and opportunities, including a college scholarship.

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Summary of Thank You, M'am

thank you mam short story summary

Luella Bates Washington Jones surprises Roger with the ten dollars he had originally wanted to steal. This is something Roger seems to lack in his life, which is one of the reasons it has a profound impact on him. Analysis In the opening scene of the story, In the first of what will be many instances of situational irony in the story, Roger winds up on the ground with Mrs. Readers can also infer that the story does not take place in a southern state. Jones stopped, jerked him around in front of her, put a half-nelson about his neck, and continued to drag him up the street. Jones's apartment building is described as having numerous tenants, and she works in a beauty shop in a hotel.

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Thank You, Ma'am by Langston Hughes

thank you mam short story summary

He does not seem to believe her. He was one of the early leaders of jazz poetry. Write about a time you gave someone a second chance or about a time when someone gave you a second chance. Jones learns that there is nobody at his home to cook him food or look after him. Jones takes Roger to her own home and teaches him how to wash his face in order to look more dignified in society. He often wrote about his experiences as an African-American and was the leading figure in the Harlem Renaissance.

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Thank You, Mā€™am Study Guide

thank you mam short story summary

He has learned too much about her and from her. Realizing that she is dealing with a weak and frightened boy and not a hardened criminal, Mrs. She tells Roger to wash his face and continues to question him. Jones and Roger once in a while to provide greater insight. Jones, still scolding, takes the boy to her boarding home to wash his face. She asks if he has anybody at home to tell him to wash his face.

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Themes & Summary of ā€œThank You Maā€™amā€ by Langston Hughes: Short Story Analysis

thank you mam short story summary

Jones attempts to break the cycle of incarceration and recidivism, or relapsing into criminal behavior, by adopting a restorative justice approach. She wants to stop the cycle perpetuated by a society that punishes and invades privacy. Roger does not realize that Mrs. Pick out two places where the tone of the writer is humorous. He says he will, so she refuses to release him. Roger politely responds that he will.


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Thank You, Mā€™am Summary & Analysis

thank you mam short story summary

While they eat, she refrains from embarrassing Roger by not asking him anything else about his life; instead, she talks about her job in a hotel beauty shop, where she meets women with all different colors of hair. The strap breaks, but the boy loses his balance and tumbles to the ground. She would lock Roger up and teach him lessons on good conduct. Of course, this does not fix the action- thievery is morally wrong- but readers understand that the intention was not out of malice but rather out of desire or desperation. Jones and instead of her calling the police she takes him to her home and gives him a washcloth to wash his face because it was dirty.

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