Thank You Ma Am By Langston Hughes

In the short story, “Thank you Ma’am,” by Langston Hughes, Mrs. Jones changes Roger in a way that has a large impact on him. “When we are young, we sometimes want things that we can not get”(Hughes 34). This is a modified quote from the story, not only talking about possessive things, but also worldly things that we may need or want to have. When Roger took the action of trying to snatch Mrs. Jones’ handbag, she knew he was an unbehaved boy that was up to no good. He needed some shaping up and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones was just the person to do that. She took him home, made strict expectations of him, and cared for Roger. He learned a valuable lesson that day and they never say eachother again. In “Thank You Ma’am,” you find out Roger’s real backstory, Mrs. Jones’ compassion, and how they relate to each other that creates an exhilarating story.

Jones is a very proper, and wealthy women. You also may put into your mind that Roger is just a misbehaved, poor, thief. Don't judge a book by its cover. Then, the reader later finds out that they two are well alike. Mrs. Jones takes Roger home, and while caring for him, she asks him, “Ain’t you got nobody to tell you to wash your face? (Hughes 12) Roger has an answer of no, which explains how he doesn't have anyone at home. He is almost homeless, definitely poor, and is a young child with no one to go to and nowhere to go. While reading, you may have thought Roger was taken to Mrs. Jones to be punished, but her ended up in an exact opposite place. She took him home, washed him, groomed him, fed him, and when letting him loose, she gave him ten whole dollars to buy himself a pair of blue suede shoes. She used to be just like Roger, wanting things that she could not get. They boy was very surprised at this jaw dropping news. This could have been the reason she took Roger in and was so compassionate. She wanted to change him, so she