Brief Summary Of The Story 'Thank You, Ma' Am

“Thank You, Ma’am” tells the story of Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, an elderly woman walking home, and Roger, a teenager who tries to steal her purse to get money so he can buy a new pair of blue suede shoes that he wants. But Mrs. Jones purse was too heavy that he failed on taking it. But what Mrs. Jones does is, she takes him to her house instead of the police station, gives him food and cleans him up, while doing this she leaves the door of her house wide open and her purse on the couch without thinking if Roger would try to steal it from her once more.
Mrs. Jones takes Roger home because she feels empathy with his discouraged situation. There is little evidence in the story that she does not have children but does have motherly concerns for Roger. While she still had a grip of Roger, she asked him why was his face so dirty. “Um-hum! And your face is dirty. I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?” …show more content…
Jones, is described as a young teenage boy who is clearly not looked after at home. “He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans” (Hughes). Mrs. Jones has a hard life, but she still has wisdom and pride. She tells Roger that she is sure he grabbed her purse only because he is hungry, so she takes him home to feed him. “I believe you’re hungry- or been hungry- to try to snatch my pocketbook” (Hughes). She makes him wash his face, saying she would not even take him to jail the way he looks, as in he is too dirty to go anywhere. She has pride, honesty and integrity, but not arrogant that might keep her from sharing her humble meal with him, though she has very little. She shows him that wanting what you do not have should not lead you to do the wrong thing, like stealing purses. She treats him with dignity and respect and expects the same from him, as in treating others how the person wants to be treated