Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones In Langston Hughes 'Thank You, Ma' Am

The central meaning of Langston Hughes' story is that kindness, empathy, and understanding, have greater impacts on the lives around us than cruelty does. Hughes demonstrates this concept by using Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones interactions with Roger. From the first time they meet, when Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones purse, to the end when she gives him ten dollars for a new pair of blue suede shoes, she never ridicules or truly punishes him for his actions. Instead, she asks him why he tried to steal and uses kindness to show him that there are other ways to survive, without resorting to stealing. The clear message here is that we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. By not immediately judging

Luella Bates Washington Jones from “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself, but also lent a helping hand to those who were in need. When confronted by a boy trying to steal her purse at night, she simply turned and showed him that he had made a mistake. “The large woman simply turned around and kicked him right on his blue jeaned sitter.” (64,9) This shows how tough she is, and that when it comes to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, she doesn’t mess around.

"The large woman simply turned around and kicked him in the blue jeaned sitter," Though it may not seem like this is a story of learning and positive influences, so begins one of many such stories about a child being positively influenced by a parental figure in a way that will affect every decision he/she will ever make. Parents have an enormous impact on what their children do and what ideals said children believe in. Without parental interaction, children may become lost or come to accept mistaken ideals such as the rightfulness of stealing which Roger, a main character symbolizing a child, actually agrees with when the reader originally reads the story. While some children might find their way if left alone, many would become overwhelmed and their young minds would perish. In this article, two texts will be discussed that express this topic: "Thank You, Ma’am" by Langston Hughes and "Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan. In the Modern Era, it is all the more important to

The use of character foil in “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes reveals how Mrs. Jones shows herself through Roger. Mrs. Jones and Rogers contrast with one another ends up allowing Roger to bring out the best in himself. The story begins with Mrs. Jones not punishing Roger for trying to steal her purse but acting compassionate and helpful to Roger. The large woman, Mrs. Jones brings Roger back to her home and lets him wash his face and he asks ¨You gonna take me to jail?” asked the boy, bending over the sink. ¨Not with that face, I would not take you nowhere,¨ said the woman.¨ (pg.2) Mrs. Jones shows the quality of being kind to the boy who tried to snatch her pocketbook, which reveals that she is a good person. Mrs. Jones showed her personality

after reading reviews from him thank you ma'am I have came up with a few similarities and one difference one somewhere or is that the setting in another is the characters change of heart the differences how the short stories end

Nearly every dictionary defines compassion as a sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others; but this locution goes deeper than a monotonous and heartless rendition. In Langston Hughes's prominent short story, ¨Thank You Ma'am¨, the newly formed relationship between a skinny and ragged boy named Roger, and a large, strong woman by the name of Mrs. Jones, begins to unfold. On the way from work, Mrs. Jones feels a wrench on her purse, and sees a teenage boy-Roger. At this point, the strap was beginning to snap from the boy´s weight, sending him to the ground. Within a matter of seconds, Mrs. Jones commences on gripping Roger by the front of his shirt, dragging him behind her, ignoring his cries to be released.

The purpose of this essay is to examine the theme of three Langston Hughes poems; “I. Too,” “Mother to Son,” and “Theme for English B.” The theme of these three essays is civil rights. Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri in 1902. His parents separated early in his life, he lived with his mother in Kansas City. Langston Hughes attended High School where as a senior he wrote, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” Langston became a Merchant Seaman in 1923 and visited Ports of West Africa. He lived for a time in Paris, Genoa, and Rome but returned to the United States after some time. In 1903 He became involved in radical politics, but

In “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes the woman was extremely soft-hearted. When she was walking at night this young man tried to rob her for her purse, but was very unsuccessful considering the fact that Mrs Jones was a large woman. Mrs. Jones was kind enough to turn the envy that she could have had toward the boy, into something helpful. Even though the man tried to rob her, she still went out of her way to welcome the young man like he was her own. She enhanced him with knowledge of dignity and manners.

In the story "Thank you, ma'am" Langston Hughes characterizes Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones as a person who has many different personality characteristics. First, she is strict. She tells Roger to go pick up her pocketbook. Next, she is bossy. She tells the boy to go wash his face. Last, she is being kind to Roger by giving him food to eat and she also gave him ten dollars to go buy blue suede shoes. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones is someone I would look up

“Compassionate people are geniuses in the art of living, more necessary to the dignity, security, and joy of humanity than the discoveries of knowledge.” -- Albert Einstein

In the short story, Thank You Ma’am, by Longston Hughs a powerful message is communicated. The story begins on an empty street in New York City where Roger attempts to steal Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jone’s purse. Roger has to decide between running away or going with her. At her home she lets him wash his face, eat dinner and she gives him $10s to buy blue suede shoes. All this generosity leaves Roger speechless at the end of the story. He could barely say “Thank you ma’am”. And then Roger never saw her again. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones has every reason to reprisal against Roger, but doesn’t. As readers we are left with the question, why does Mr. Luella Bates Washington Jones take Roger home? I believe that Mrs. Luella took roger home to teach him how to be selfless not selfish. An important lesson we seem to assume Roger lacks.

The author Langston Hughes characterizes Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones in many creative ways throughout the short story "Thank You, Ma'am". The first characteristic that stood out in the short story was Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones' kindness. She not only lets Roger clean up his face, but she lets him eat with her because she knows Rogers family at home probably was not taking good care of Roger. If a brigand came up to anyone else, I am almost positive they would not be so kind to the robber. If I was Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, I would very circumspect towards him. First, when Roger came up to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones and snatches her pocketbook unbridledly,

In the story “Thank you Ma’am” by Langston Hughes, the character Roger changes from an egocentric person to a more appreciative person. In the beginning of the story, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones is walking down the street at night, “…When suddenly a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse.” This boy’s name was Roger. What I know is that only someone desperate would try to steal someone’s purse. The boy did look like he needed food, but that’s not what he was going to do with Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones purse. He only wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. Therefore, making Roger egocentric. Later in the story, after Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones makes Roger go clean his face. She then starts to prepare food

In the book “Thank You, Ma’am” Hughes sets the tone for how people are to be treated. Even though the book is not in public domain does not mean we cannot read parts of it and apply it to our lives now. In this short story book, he details an interaction of a young black child, Roger, who tries to steal a purse but is stopped. What he doesn’t know is the purse he will try to steal is that of a strong-willed lady, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. In the story, he depicts Roger as a dirty boy trying to survive on the streets. He must resort to stealing things to survive. When he encounters Mrs. Jones, she shows him some tough love “Then it will get washed this evening, said the large woman starting up the street, dragging the frightened boy behind her” [Thank You Ma’am]. This shows that even though he did wrong she still treated him with respect. Hughes was known for writing his short stories, poems, and Jazz music that had to do with African Americans and the racial issues that he faced. He was noted to be only a “few black authors to champion racial consciousness as a source of inspiration, and cautioned young writers to avoid racial chauvinism and virulent anger in their work toward whites.” He did not want society to write angrily with another race but simply embrace and love each other.

“Seek the good in others and the best you will find.” In the short story, “Thank You, Ma'am” by Langston Hughes, Mrs.Jones lives by this quote. When a raggedy boy runs up behind you and steals your pocketbook you naturally would think,”he is not a good boy.” Well when this happened to Mrs. Jones one night she had a different approach. She sought the good in others by looking past the bad, giving second chances and kindness. She shows this when she took Roger in and taught him a lesson. From this story, we can all learn the important lesson of seeking the good in others.