Thank You, Ma Am, By Langston Hughes

Theme is the purpose and/or overall idea communicated through a story. It is the message and main idea the author is trying to convey, and generally a moral that is trying to be expressed. In his story, “Why, You Reckon?,” Langston Hughes portrays some intertwining themes. He shows some evident themes such as anger, misery, defeat, and even bewilderment. Hughes corresponds such themes through his main character when he says, “I went on up the street hongrier than I am now.

“Life is Fine” by Langston Hughes was published in 1949. This poem tells the story of an individual who tried numerous times to commit suicide due to a failed relationship with a loved one. It also tells of the narrator’s triumph of overcoming these feelings and realization that life is fine.

“Seek the good in others and the best you will find.” In the short story, “Thank You, Ma'am” by Langston Hughes, Mrs.Jones lives by this quote. When a raggedy boy runs up behind you and steals your pocketbook you naturally would think,”he is not a good boy.” Well when this happened to Mrs. Jones one night she had a different approach. She sought the good in others by looking past the bad, giving second chances and kindness. She shows this when she took Roger in and taught him a lesson. From this story, we can all learn the important lesson of seeking the good in others.

To begin with, “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes is a short story that takes place at night. In the story there are two characters; Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. It starts off with Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones walking to her home to have some dinner; then Roger comes in and attempts to snatch her purse and pocketbook but fails and instead falls to the ground. Mrs. Jones is outraged and yells at him for what he has done. Mrs. Jones notes that his face is dirty and Roger tells her that he has no one, so she takes him home with her; he wishes to just be let loose but she ignores his request and drags him home. Mrs. Jones tells Roger that he messed with the wrong person; she tells him that in the end he will remember her

In the short story “Thank You M’am”, Langston Hughes tells the story of a lady named Mrs.Luella Bates Washington Jones (or Mrs. Jones) and a young boy named Roger.

In “Thank You Ma’am” written by Langston Hughes, a young boy by the name of Roger attempts to steal the purse of a woman of the streets. Roger’s growth was greatly impacted through the teachings of Ms. Luella Bates Washington Jones, about choice, trust, and about honesty. As Roger is caught he learns a valuable lesson from the compassionate woman who treats him with kindness rather than reporting him to the police. If a person who was nearly robbed caught the thief they would not have been so kind as to do the things the Ms. Jones did for her robber. Every life decision made is a choice, people choose to go one way or another. Roger chose to steal the purse of the women on street. He chose to put himself in a situation that could potentially end badly. After his encounter he did not expect to receive the kindness that he did from the women.

“Thank You Ma’am” is an American short story written by Langston Hughes. The story was published in 1958; however, some people, including me, seem to believe that it was written in the 1930’s due to the racial undertones (www.americanliterature.com 1). Also, Langston wrote many of his short stories in the 1930’s. In the story, a boy named Roger tries to steal a purse from what seems to be a large, African American, elderly lady named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. When Roger reaches out and snatches the purse, he loses his balance and falls flat on his back. Mrs. Jones simply gives him a swift kick in the rear and tells him to get up. Then, instead of continuing to beat him, she sees his dirty face, and her motherly instincts resurface. She carries the boy home, makes him wash his face, cooks him a hot meal, and then gives him the money that he was trying to steal. Why she does this, I do not quite understand, but the traits such as her size, strength, name, and motherly instincts may provide the reader with a clear explanation of the woman Langston Hughes was portraying throughout this story as well as provide insight as to why others have seen the character as a symbolic feature of slavery.

Langston Hughes short story “Thank You Ma’am” takes place during the evening hours. Roger, a poor young boy, tries to take Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones pocketbook so he may purchase a new pair of shoes. That didn't quite go as planned since Mrs. Jones caught Roger in the act. Rather than taking him to the authorities, she is taking him to her house to to teach him a lesson. One lesson in the story suggests that there are people in a person’s life that help them along the way.

Have you ever wanted to help someone in need? Well, that's exactly how Mrs. Washington felt when she crossed paths with someone who tried to steal from her. In the story, “Thank You Ma’am,” the author, Langston Hughes, tries to illustrate many themes in the book, but it later seems very evident that the theme is: in order to build a stronger community everyone must help each other out.

“Thank you Ma’am”, is a short story authorized by Langston Hughes. Using the omniscient point of view. Without reading the story we get a gist of the authors perspective by reading his quote, “When someone you don’t know does a kind thing that ends up changing your life, perhaps it’s enough to just say…” Throughout the story, Mr. Hughes tried emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and showing kindness towards someone despite their wrongdoings. He unravels these themes in the rising action, climax, falling action and the denouement of the story.

In the story “Thank you ma’am” there is a kid named Roger, which in one night trying to steal a lady’s, Mrs. Jones, purse. The woman stop him before he can even take the purse. She takes him back to her place and feeds him, and gives him 10 dollars. Then he leaves the house and goes to buy the shoes. The theme of “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes is how you should give someone another chance so you see if they are trustworthy as shown how he(Roger) had a chance to run or stay in the house, and how he was so close by the purse and a place where Mrs. Jones can see him just in case he did grab the purse.

“I, Too” was written by Langston Hughes, a poet that published works in the nineteen-twenties. With segregation prevalent, his works reflected his opinions in the flawed society. He wrote relentlessly about racism and the ridiculousness of segregation. In “I, Too”, Langston Hughes expresses the American Dream will eventually be available for African Americans. When he says, “Tomorrow … I’ll be at the table … When company comes … Nobody’ll dare .. Say to me … Eat in the kitchen,” he is actually observing that the people in America will treat Blacks fairly in the future.

Is there something that will stay in your heart forever that you gained during childhood? In the short story, ‘Thank You Ma’am’ by Langston Hughes, teenaged boy, Roger, is unsure of himself and desperately needs adult guidance. Mrs. Jones recognizes Roger’s needs immediately after he tries to steal her purse. She grants Roger forgiveness because her childhood consisted of doing wrong similarly. Back at her home, Roger learns to clean himself up physically and mentally as Mrs. Jones treats him with dignity. Ten dollars is given to Roger for new shoes that he had originally wanted. A sense of hope is gained in terms of doing the right thing. Mrs. Jones changes Roger in offering him an example of goodness and spiritual guidance, which will better him for the future.

In the short story “Thank you ma’am” by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Jones Was walking home and was attacked. The attacker was a child named Roger. Mrs. Jones took Roger to her home. Once home, she made Roger go to the bathroom to wash his face off from all the dirt and find out why he attacked Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones gave him ten dollars for blue suede shoes and way on his way out. After attacking Mrs. Jones, Roger was able to learn a lesson from Mrs. Jones which is not to steal.

“The boy wanted to say something other than “‘Thank You, M'am”’ to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, but although his lips moved, he couldn’t even say that as he turned at the foot of the barren stoop and looked at the large woman in the door”(130). Langston Hughes wrote an enduring short story called “Thank You Ma’m” that starts off with an old lady strolling an urban city at about eleven o'clock at night. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington-- otherwise known as “a large old lady” (10) teaches a lesson to Roger-- a thief searching for money to buy blue suede shoes. A central idea of “Thank You, Ma’m” is that believing in someone, despite extraordinary circumstances can change someone for the better.