Analysis Of Thank You, Ma Am By Langston Hughes

Have you ever felt so alone that you drive yourself to commit crimes just so you can have someone interested in you? That’s how Roger felt in the story Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes. In the story skinny Roger runs up behind big Ms. Luella Bates Washington Jones and tries to steal her purse. Fortunately for Ms. Jones, Roger falls back and she can regain possession of her bag. One would expect Ms. Jones’ next step to be calling the police, but she does quite the opposite. Throughout the rest of the story, Ms. Jones takes Roger home, tells him to wash his face, and eventually feeds him dinner and gives him money. By the end of the passage, Roger is considerably more trustworthy and grateful. It seems evident that Langston Hughes is trying to convey to the reader that the only way to help those who are struggling is to give care and advice. One fact that proves my theme is when Ms. Jones asks if Roger has eaten, and Roger reveals that there is …show more content…
Jones gives money and advice to Roger, despite him trying to steal in the first place. “ ‘Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s--because shoes that come by devilish ways like that will burn your feet’ ”(page 7). From this quote the reader can infer that Ms. Jones wants to help Roger rather than scold him. She is telling Roger that even if he does steal and get something good out of it, shoes in this case, karma will come back for him. Anything bought with bad money is a bad thing, no matter the reason. This is important because it reveals that Ms. Jones is aware the only way to help Roger is to give him advice that will help him turn his life around. Other people in the same scenario would not have taken Roger in, fed him, and actually given him the money he was trying to steal, but Ms. Jones knows that advice is stronger than