Comparing Thank You M 'Am And The Story'

In the short stories "Thank You M'am" by Langston Hughes and "The Story-Teller" by Saki, the authors reveal the theme in similar, yet different ways. Both authors use the characters to reveal the theme.
In the story "Thank you M'am," the author communicates the theme through the plot. The central theme is that a person always deserves another chance to fix his or her mistakes, no matter what mistakes he or she makes. After Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones's pocketbook, Mrs. Jones said, "If I turn you loose will you run?' asked the woman. 'Yes'm,' said the boy. 'Then I won't turn you loose.'" This clearly shows Hughes’s theme because when Mrs. Jones decides to take Roger in and not turn him in to the police, she gives him a second chance: A chance to correct his mistakes. In contrast, Saki reveals the theme of his story simply through his characters. In Saki's "The Story Teller," the theme is that children enjoy entertainment more than education. The way the children react to both

The two authors used the characters' responses to either an action or a story to highlight the theme. With the help of their characters, both Saki and Hughes convey their themes effectively: Saki only uses characters, but Hughes uses the entire plot and the resolution of the conflict to expose the theme. For instance, Hughes reveals his theme throughout the entire story by using numerous details spread throughout the entirety of the story rather than during a single moment. One such detail is that Mrs. Jones said, "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." This quote undoubtedly shows how Mrs. Jones gave Roger a second chance by not turning him in. Without the plot of the story and the actions that happened prior to this quote, the theme would not have been conveyed to the