essay about thank you ma'am

A Summary and Analysis of Langston Hughes’ ‘Thank You, Ma’am’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Thank You, Ma’am’ is a 1958 short story by the African-American poet, novelist, and short-story writer Langston Hughes (1901-67). In the story, a teenage boy attempts to steal a woman’s purse, but she catches him and takes him back to her home, showing him some kindness and attempting to teach him right from wrong.

Plot summary

The story begins by introducing a ‘large woman’ who carries a ‘large purse’ slung over her shoulder. Late one night, she is walking alone when a boy tries to steal her purse, but because it is so heavy, he ends up falling backwards. She kicks him in the backside before shaking him vigorously and ordering him to retrieve her purse from the ground. She then asks him if he is ashamed of himself for trying to rob her.

The boy, who is dressed in tennis shoes and blue jeans, is around fourteen or fifteen years old and clearly intimidated by the large, imposing older woman. She comments on how dirty his face is and it emerges that the boy is not taken care of at home, so the woman takes him back to her home to wash his face.

The boy just wants her to let him go, but she reminds him that he was the one who imposed himself upon her when she was minding her business. She reveals that her name is Mrs Luella Bates Washington Jones. She comments that if the boy were her son, she would teach him right from wrong.

Once she has the boy inside the house she shares with other people, she asks his name, which he reveals to be Roger. She takes him into the kitchenette and finally lets go of him, ordering him to go to the sink and wash his face. Although Roger initially considers making a run for it, he does as he is bid and goes to the sink.

As the two of them talk, Mrs Jones learns that Roger attempted to steal her pocketbook because he wants money to buy some blue suede shoes. She tells him he could’ve just asked her for the money: a response which confuses Roger. Again, he thinks of running for it, afraid that she will take him to jail, but instead, when she offers to cook him something to eat, he sits down and behaves himself.

Indeed, he even resists the temptation to steal her purse, which she leaves on the table close to him while she goes behind the screen to prepare the food. He offers to go to the shop to get food for her if she needs it, and when she asks if he wants to get some sweet milk for the cocoa she’s preparing, he says that canned milk will be fine.

As they eat, she tells him about her job in a hotel beauty-shop, and offers him some cake. Then she gives Roger ten dollars and tells him to buy himself the blue suede shoes he wants, but not to try to steal from her or anybody else again, because shoes bought from ill-gotten gains would ‘burn your feet’.

As Roger leaves, he wants to thank her more fulsomely than simply saying ‘Thank you, ma’am’, but finds he is unable to. The third-person narrator of the story tells us that he never saw her again.

In this very short story, Langston Hughes suggests that all teenagers who have fallen into a life of petty crime need is someone to put them back on the straight and narrow, and Mrs Luella Jones is the person who does this for Roger in ‘Thank You, Ma’am’.

The story presents the details of the narrative in generally direct terms, with Langston Hughes’ third-person narrator rarely passing comment or providing extra detail which can help to fill in the gaps to the two central characters’ lives.

This means that the story contains some tantalising lacunae, or missing details. Although ‘Mrs’ Luella Bates Washington Jones must have got married at some point, there is no sign of her husband in the story, and she appears to live in a rented room in a larger house which she shares with other people. Is she divorced? Did her husband die? Or is he in jail, and this explains why she takes such an interest in helping Roger set his life back on the right track: she doesn’t want him to go the same way?

Similarly, she appears not to have any children of her own, although at one point, she tells Roger that he ‘ought to be’ her son because she could give him the moral compass he so badly needs. Is this the yearning of a childless woman who tried to have a son or daughter of her own but never managed to conceive?

Meanwhile, other women are able to have children but are either unable or unwilling to be proper mothers to them (she clearly isn’t impressed with the indifference, or absence, of Roger’s parents: he tells her that nobody is at home even though it is late at night by this stage).

The end of ‘Thank You, Ma’am’ also leaves things open to our interpretation and analysis. Roger is seemingly overwhelmed by the woman’s kindness and clemency: he feared she was going to turn him over to the police, but instead she gave him the money to buy the shoes he wants (curiously, Elvis Presley’s hit song ‘ Blue Suede Shoes ’ had been released just two years before Langston Hughes published his story). This is presumably why he is unable to say more than ‘thank you, ma’am’ to his benefactress as he leaves her home.

At the same time, the narrator tells us that he never saw her again after this chance encounter one night. This leads us to speculate: would Roger listen to her advice and learn from what had happened? Would he, from now on, decide against stealing things because she had been kind to him and he had had a narrow brush with justice?

Of course, we can only speculate on this issue. On the one hand, Mrs Jones provides Roger with both understanding and guidance: she tells him that she had done some things which she is so ashamed of she would never tell him about them, implying that she has been in a similar position in her own life before, but now leads a moral, honest life. Although Hughes never specifies the ethnicities of the two characters, given Hughes’ depictions of African-American life in Harlem, many readers will probably picture them both as black, so this arguably brings the two of them together.

But on the other hand, Mrs Jones will disappear from Roger’s life after this night. His chaotic home life will not. Whilst ‘Thank You, Ma’am’ shows how kindness and understanding may help a youth who has fallen into bad ways recover his moral honesty and integrity, the ending of the story remains ambiguous concerning the long-term fate of its adolescent protagonist.

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Thank You, M’am

Langston hughes, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Langston Hughes's Thank You, M’am . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Thank You, M’am: Introduction

Thank you, m’am: plot summary, thank you, m’am: detailed summary & analysis, thank you, m’am: themes, thank you, m’am: quotes, thank you, m’am: characters, thank you, m’am: symbols, thank you, m’am: theme wheel, brief biography of langston hughes.

Historical Context of Thank You, M’am

Other books related to thank you, m’am.

• Full Title: “Thank You, M’am”
• When Written: 1950s
• When Published: 1958
• Literary Period: Harlem Renaissance
• Genre: Short story
• Setting: An unnamed city at night
• Climax: Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones gives Roger ten dollars to buy a pair of shoes before sending him on his way
• Antagonist: Poverty 
• Point of View: Third person

Extra Credit for Thank You, M’am

Age-Old Parental Pressure. Hughes attended two colleges: first Columbia, which he left because of racial discrimination by his fellow students. Several years later, he took up studies at Lincoln College. At both schools, his father insisted he would only pay for his college if he studied engineering.

The Story “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes Essay

Mrs. Luella Bates Washington reacts in a different way than what Roger expects after he tries to steal her purse. Roger’s attempt to steal money from her is thwarted by his fall. The lady manages to hold Roger by his shirt and pulls him to her house. From then onwards, Roger has to follow everything Mrs. Washington tells him to do.

The story illustrates how children who are deprived in society are tempted to engage in criminal activities just to survive. Roger personifies children lured into crime because of the harsh circumstances they are facing (McMahan et al. 541). Mrs. Washington intends to help the boy realise that there is a better way to get something apart from stealing. She discourages the boy from stealing people’s purses as a way to earn a living.

Mrs. Washington manages to care for the boy even though he has wronged her. She takes him to her house where she makes him wash his face. ”I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?” (McMahan et al. 541). The lady takes time to understand the circumstances that have made the boy engage in petty theft.

As she is holding him tight, she observes his face and body structure. She realizes that the boy needs help because of the hardships he is going through at the moment (McMahan et al. 541). Her demeanor intimidates the boy, who expects a severe punishment from her. However, even though her tone is stern and menacing, she still takes the responsibility of letting the boy wash his face before advising him to stay away from crime.

Mrs. Washington takes responsibility for the boy’s plight and manages to show him, love. She teaches the boy proper social and moral codes, which everyone in the society needs to follow. The boy gets to understand that stealing is not the only way a person can get what he wants. She wants to make a positive impact on the boy and the only way she can do this is by being stern and uncompromising.

“When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs. Luella Bates Washington.” (McMahan et al. 541). She makes the boy sit after washing his face before she tells him to have supper with her (McMahan et al. 541). Mrs. Bates’s approach makes the boy attentive and he gets to learn that he needs to make the right choices in life.

Mrs. Bates reveals to Roger that she did wrong things in the past but she managed to turn her life around and become a good person. She makes Roger understand that it is human nature to crave for things that we are not able to get. Roger gets to understand that he needs to be more responsible for his actions. The story teaches us to take time to understand a situation first before making any rash decisions.

Roger personifies deprived children who are tempted to steal to satisfy their basic needs (McMahan et al. 541). Mrs. Bates gives the boy some money to buy suede shoes. The interaction Mrs. Bates has with Roger makes him see things in a new light. He gets a valuable lesson on good behavior, which he will remember for the rest of his life.

Works Cited

McMahan, Elizabeth, Susan X. Day, Robert W. Funk, and Linda S. Coleman . Literature and the Writing Process. 9th ed. New York: Pearson Education, 2010. Print.

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IvyPanda. (2020, May 5). The Story "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-story-thank-you-maam-by-langston-hughes/

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Bibliography

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Thank You, Ma'am

By langston hughes, thank you, ma'am summary and analysis of paragraphs 1 – 14.

Narrated by an unnamed third-person limited omniscient narrator, “Thank You Ma’am” opens with the story’s protagonist, a teenage boy named Roger , attempting to steal the purse of Mrs. Jones, the antagonist.

Mrs. Jones is a large woman with a large purse containing many things. At eleven o’clock at night on a street in an unspecified city, Mrs. Jones is walking alone when Roger runs up behind her and grabs the purse.

The strap breaks when he tugs the purse, but the weight of the purse makes him lose balance. He falls on the sidewalk. The attempted robbery does not frighten Mrs. Jones: she turns around and kicks Roger in the bottom.

Mrs. Jones picks Roger up by the front of his shirt and shakes him until his teeth rattle. She commands Roger to pick up her purse and return it to her, continuing to hold him but giving him enough slack to bend down to lift the purse.

She asks if he is ashamed of himself, and Roger says that he is. She asks why he did it and Roger says he “didn’t aim to.” Mrs. Jones accuses him of lying. Passersby stop to watch the scene unfolding.

Mrs. Jones asks Roger if she lets him go if he will try to run away. Roger politely responds that he will. Mrs. Jones says she won’t turn him loose then, and she continued to grasp his shirt.

Roger whispers that he is very sorry. Mrs. Jones expresses disbelief and mild outrage. She says that his face is dirty, and she thinks she should wash it for him. She asks if he has anybody at home to tell him to wash his face.

Roger says that he does not. Mrs. Jones says that in that case she will wash his face that evening. She walks up the street, dragging the frightened Roger behind her.

The narrator comments that Roger looks as though he is fourteen or fifteen. He is frail and willowy, and wears tennis shoes and blue jeans. While dragging him, Mrs. Jones tells Roger that if he were her son, she would teach him right from wrong. The least she can do is wash his face.

Mrs. Jones asks if he is hungry. Roger replies that he isn’t hungry. He says he just wants her to let him go. Mrs. Jones ignores Roger’s request that she turn him loose.

In the opening scene of the story, Langston Hughes establishes the comical tone of “Thank You Ma’am” by describing Roger's almost cartoonish failure to steal Mrs. Jones’s purse. Although Mrs. Jones’s large size and seeming vulnerability as a woman walking alone at night makes her appear to be an ideal target for theft, Roger discovers that Mrs. Jones’s purse is so heavy that he can’t snatch it without falling over.

In the first of what will be many instances of situational irony in the story, Roger winds up on the ground with Mrs. Jones standing over him, not at all frightened by the would-be thief. More than anything, Mrs. Jones is incensed by the undignified position of having her purse on the ground. To rectify the situation and save face while teaching the boy a lesson, she grabs Roger by the shirt and lowers him to the ground, making him lift the purse up for her.

The thematic preoccupation with dignity continues when Mrs. Jones asks Roger if he is ashamed of himself. Completely at the mercy of this overpowering woman, he politely admits that he is ashamed. The same politeness turns comical when Roger admits he will try to run away if Mrs. Jones releases her grip on his shirt. It is only then that Roger apologizes for his crime.

Realizing that she is dealing with a weak and frightened boy and not a hardened criminal, Mrs. Jones addresses Roger with familiarity, speaking to him as though he were her own child. The theme of dignity arises again when she notices that his face is dirty and scolds him because of it. In this instance of situational irony, Mrs. Jones treats having an unwashed face as though it is a worse crime than attempting to steal her purse.

Mrs. Jones's actions continue to build situational irony, as she decides to drag Roger home to teach him how to wash his face. While Roger is unaware of what she is doing with him, Mrs. Jones asks the boy if he is hungry. He doesn’t trust the woman enough to answer honestly the first time she asks, and repeats that he simply wants to be turned loose. Roger does not realize that Mrs. Jones asks if he is hungry out of genuine concern for him. This moment subtly introduces the theme of generosity, which will only become more relevant as the story progresses.

Thank You, Ma'am Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Thank You, Ma'am is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Thank You M'am

Mrs. Jones response to Roger's attempt to steal her purse infer that she her main purpose is to make him take responsibility for his actions, in addition to the fact that she likely understands his circumstances.

Thank you Ma’am

I'm sorry, this is a short-answer literature forum designed for text specific questions. We are unable to assist students with speeches or other writing assignments.

Thank You Ma'm

A. "' You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?'" (Paragraph 16)

Study Guide for Thank You, Ma'am

Thank You, Ma'am study guide contains a biography of Langston Hughes, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Thank You, Ma'am
• Thank You, Ma'am Summary
• Character List

Essays for Thank You, Ma'am

Thank You, Ma'am essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Thank You, Ma'am by Langston Hughes.

• Character Comparison Essay: "The Scarlet Ibis" and "Thank You Ma'am"
• I wonder where Christ's gone”: A Marxist Critique of Organized Religion in Langston Hughes’ “ On The Road”
• Jazz Subculture in Short American Fiction: The Blues I'm Playing and Sonny's Blues
• The Bounds of Society Cripple Those Who Dare to be Different: Comparing "Seven People Dancing" and "A Perfect Day for Bananafish"

Lesson Plan for Thank You, Ma'am

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to Thank You, Ma'am
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• Thank You, Ma'am Bibliography

Thank You, M'am

40 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

What is the significance of the title of “Thank You, M’am”? How does it reflect the story’s themes?

Discuss the meaning of the blue suede shoes . Why does Mrs. Jones decide to give Roger the money to buy them?

Consider Hughes’s physical descriptions of Mrs. Jones and Roger , as well as the focus on Roger’s hygiene. What role does appearance play in the story?

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Thank You Ma Am — A Theme of Compassion in “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes

A Theme of Compassion in "Thank You, Ma'am" by Langston Hughes

• Categories: Compassion Langston Hughes Thank You Ma Am

About this sample

Words: 565 |

Published: Jun 29, 2021

Words: 565 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Langston Hughes's short story 'Thank you, Ma'am' masterfully conveys the theme that compassion holds the power to catalyze change. This theme finds poignant support in the actions of Ms. Jones and Roger's reactions to her kindness.

Throughout the narrative, Ms. Jones exemplifies compassion by choosing understanding over judgment when confronted by Roger's attempt to steal her purse. Instead of summoning the authorities, she takes him to her home, where she offers him the simple comforts of washing his face and sharing a meal. However, her most profound moment of compassion occurs when Roger confesses his motive for theft: "I was young and I wanted things I couldn't get." Despite her own evident financial struggles, she selflessly hands him a ten-dollar bill from her purse, allowing him to fulfill his desire for suede shoes, all while delivering a heartfelt admonition to behave.

Ms. Jones's acts of compassion underscore the story's central message that even in the face of adversity, extending empathy and understanding can spark transformative change. Roger's future remains uncertain, but this encounter with unwavering compassion has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on his path forward.

Works Cited

• Hughes, L. (1964). Thank You, Ma'am. In Langston Hughes: The Short Stories. Hill and Wang.
• Smith, C. J. (1997). The Short Stories of Langston Hughes: A Study Guide. Hall.
• Hornback, R. (1995). A Langston Hughes Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group.
• Rampersad, A. (1986). The Life of Langston Hughes: Volume I: 1902-1941, I, Too, Sing America. Oxford University Press.
• Rampersad, A. (2002). The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. Vintage.
• Baraka, A. (2009). The LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka Reader. Basic Books.
• O'Meally, R. G. (2001). Lady Day: The Many Faces of Billie Holiday. Da Capo Press.
• Williams, R. (1991). Black Women in the Fiction of Langston Hughes. University Press of Mississippi.
• Bontemps, A., & Hughes, L. (2016). Arna Bontemps-Langston Hughes Letters: 1925-1967. University of Missouri Press.
• Berry, F. (2017). The Short Fiction of Langston Hughes. Hill and Wang.

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85 Heartfelt Thank-You Card Messages and Words of Appreciation

A handwritten note is so much more meaningful than a generic store-bought card.

Thank-you messages for gifts

Thank-you messages for wedding presents, birthday thank-you messages, graduation thank-you messages, thank-you messages for help given.

While the etiquette is clear on the necessity of thank-you cards, what goes inside can be a bit trickier. Sure, you can always buy one at any card store, with the sentiment still being very sweet, but a personalized message really goes the extra mile to show someone you cherish their effort, time and ultimately, their sweet gesture.

What is the best thank-you message?

While the best message to write in any kind of card is always a personalized one, we all need a little inspiration sometimes. Start with some of these sentiments and then add an element that makes it your own.

Maybe that's a memory you share from the party where you received a gift, an inside joke from a vacation you went on together or how you plan to use a monetary gift. Whatever it is, don't forget to seal it with love. And while it's best to send thank-you cards as soon as you can after a birthday, wedding , special event or meaningful favor, there's no expiration date on gratitude. Whenever you get to it, they'll appreciate the thought.

• I couldn't have picked out a better gift for myself if I tried.
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• Thank you for being a bridesmaid — hope I wasn't too much of a bridezilla!
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• Thank you for always being the first to show up and the last to leave.
• You're the peanut butter to my jelly.
• You always lift me up when I'm down.
• Thank you for coming through on such short notice. You're a lifesaver.
• I love you and am so thankful for you.
• How can I ever thank you enough? This is a start.
• Everything turned out perfectly, thanks to your help.

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