A Literary Analysis Of Thank You Ma Am, By Langston Hughes

Thank You Ma’am” is a short story in which Langston Hughes, the author, presents an important lesson about trust and kindness from a surprising meeting encounter. Roger, a young thief is the main character. He is given a gift to change and direct his life after he meets Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. Roger meets Mrs. Jones one night while trying to steal her pocketbook but things didn’t go quite the way Roger nor Mrs. Jones had planned. Mrs. Jones was just headed home to cook her some dinner; she didn’t know her night was going to be interrupted by some young boy who was stealing to survive because he knew no other way to survive. But after meeting, they both came to realize that you never know the reasons behind the actions of some people.

Jones apartment she shows that she stills trust Roger by leaving her purse out and leaving the door open. She doesn’t turn around to check on her purse or to see if the boy has run. Even though Roger is faced with temptation and fear of not trusting himself, he decided to sit where he think Mrs. Jones can see him. He has never had anyone to trust him so “he does not want to be mistrusted now (Hughes).” While eating dinner Mrs. Jones starts to ask Roger about his life, trying her best to avoid any offending questions. Roger informs her “there is nobody home at my house.” And that is when Mrs. Jones knows that with him trying to steal her purse didn’t make him a bad person; he was just a young boy trying to survive on his own. She also realizes that Roger has probably never been treated with trust or hospitality that she is showing him. Mrs. Jones asks Roger why he tried to steal her purse and find out all he wanted was some blue suede shoes. She relates herself to the young boy and tells him “I was young once and I wanted things I couldn’t get. I have done things too (Hughes).” Hughes shows that we all have done some things we are not proud of, but we have the opportunity to help make sure no one else has to make the same

Jones noticed that all Roger wanted to do was fit in. after they got done eating Mrs. Jones turns to Roger and says “Now, here take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes (Hughes).” Roger at that point was over whelmed with so many emotions. He has never had anyone to be so nice to him and treat him the way that Mrs. Jones has. He has never had anyone to even offer him a hot meal, so with Mrs. Jones handing him ten dollars to buy whatever he wanted really had a big impact on how he would live the rest of his life. Roger feels loved for the first time in his life, since he was out on the streets and no one cared about his well-being. Roger is a new person with a new outlook on life. He was speechless on how to reply to Mrs. Jones act of kindness, he didn’t want to say thank you because after all she had done for him, saying thank you was just not