Thank You, Ma'am

"Thank You, Ma'am" By Langston Hughes

Summary 
 
Mrs. Jones is a women walking late at night when a boy named Roger runs up behind her and tries to steal her purse. The weight of the purse causes Roger to fall over. Mrs. Jones then takes Roger to her house. At her house she gives him food, and cleans him up. Throughout the story, Mrs. Jones constantly shows Roger kindness and respect. At the end, Mrs. Jones gives him ten dollars for a pair of shoes and lets him go. 

Characters:

Mrs. Luclla Bates Washington Jones - a large women who owns a large purse that has every thing in it but a hammer and nails

Roger - a young boy who relies on stealing to survive because his family is not there for him

Plot Elements:

Exposition - She was a large women with a large purse. She was walking down the street at about eleven o'clock.

Rising Action - Mrs. Jones is walking at night when Roger ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse but because the weight of the purse was to heavy Roger fell on the ground.

Climax - Mrs. Jones grips Roger by his shirt and takes him to her house.

Resolution - Mrs. Jones cleans Roger up, gives him food, and ten dollar so he can go and buy the pair of blue suede shoes he wanted. Mrs. Jones then sends Roger on his way.


Analysis:

This story is about someone who shows a true act of kindness for someone else. Roger is a boy who is very young. In the beginning of the book, Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones purse because he is poor and his family wasn't ever there for him. Roger steals for shelter and food but also for personal desire. Roger tells Mrs. Jones that the reason he was going to steal her purse was because he wanted a pair of blue suede shoes. After Roger got caught the first time, Mrs. Jones gave him a second chance to steal her  purse and get away with it. He chose not to because Mrs. Jones had been very kind to him. Mrs. Jones felt that he would not run away with her purse when she leaves him alone with it because she has been very kind to him. The kindness Mrs. Jones showed to Roger is rare because if you think about it if someone tried to rob you would you take them to your house? Would you give that person food, money, or would you call the cops? There are not very many people in this world that would be as kind as Mrs. Jones was to Roger.