Thank You Ma Am

Thesis statement: Hughes wrote this when Jim Crow laws were still imposing an bitter segregated society in the South. There were still lynchings of innocent African Americans, there was no Civil Rights Movement, there was no Civil Rights legislation yet, and Blacks couldn't eat at lunch counters in the South. Harlem, however, was not at all like the South in terms of blatant, legal segregation. However, racism was very much in place in many places in America. Blacks were second class citizens, their children attended schools that were ill-equipped, and the dreams of Black citizens were not being realized in this period.

There are many differences between the short story and movie versions of “Thank You Ma’am.” For example, in the short story, it takes place during the night. However, in the movie, it takes place during the day.

Many Americans did not know how and African American’s daily life went. Through Hughes’ writing he portrayed their lives to help show their desire and need for civil rights. In his poem, “Mother to Son”, a mother is talking to her son about how life is much harder for them, but that he must never give up, “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair...Don’t you fall now- For I’se still goin’, honey, I’se still climbin’, And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair”(Lines 1, 17-20). Hughes has assumed the role of speaking for the black community and the way that they live. Rita Dove and Marilyn Nelson write in their work, “Langston Hughes and Harlem”, how Hughes gives other Americans a glimpse of their lives, “His work offers white readers a glimpse into the social and the personal lives of Black America;”(1152). Hughes uses the simple conversation between a mother and son to show the American people how much different and harder their lives

The location of the story plays a large role in understanding the character’s interactions.  The story opens with instructions on cleaning clothes upon a “stone heap” (Kincaid 118). In 1983 America, most households would have already had washing machines or at least a wash board and bucket rather than the older form of washing clothes at the river and utilizing stones. The next

“So I’m standing there fuddled from breathing Miss Hinchcliff’s Midnight Marzipan perfume and cross-eyed with figuring. I couldn’t climb into the pit myself because I was doing twenty jobs already. I couldn’t ask Horst the Cat Man because he was a vegetarian to begin with, and his dentures would disintegrate the first time he hit a chicken neck anyhow. Suddenly your mama pops up for all the world like she was offering me sherry and biscuits. ‘I’ll do it, Mr. Binewski,’ she says, and I just about sent a present to my laundryman.”

“The boy wanted to say something other than “‘Thank You, M'am”’ to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, but although his lips moved, he couldn’t even say that as he turned at the foot of the barren stoop and looked at the large woman in the door”(130). Langston Hughes wrote an enduring short story called “Thank You Ma’m” that starts off with an old lady strolling an urban city at about eleven o'clock at night. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington-- otherwise known as “a large old lady” (10) teaches a lesson to Roger-- a thief searching for money to buy blue suede shoes. A central idea of “Thank You, Ma’m” is that believing in someone, despite extraordinary circumstances can change someone for the better.

No matter what goes through my mind in life that little speech Mrs. Luella gave me would never fade out of any thought Mrs.Luella stated, “You ought be my son least I can teach you right from wrong.” With her saying that to me really influenced me not to steal anything from anybody and to just work for the things I need. It’s first thing Saturday morning the weather is cool outside and there’s a little fog out the breeze is blowing and my hand feel as if they have frost bites so I tuck my hands into my bell bottom jeans. I am on my way to my Uncle Jerry's house to see what good news he said he have for me. As I walk on the bumpy paved road on the poor part of NYC,my feet are hurting because of the weared down shoes I have on my feet and i'm starting to get goosebumps down my arms. As I get closer to my Uncle Jerry’s apartment I can see his brown beetle car in the parking lot.I walked up the stairway to the apartments and knocked on Uncles Jerry door within two knocks he answered,when he opened the door he said “It's good to know your still shining nephew!” We are from NYC and that's just a

How does Mrs. Jones action changes Rodger? Well to begin Mrs. Jones is a kind, forgiving and passionate individual. On page 32 it states that Mrs. Jones thought that maybe Rodger was hungry but come to find out Rodger wasn’t hungry after all he wanted a pair of blue suede shoes but instead of asking he decided to attempt to snatch her purse.

Although Hughes is displaying hope for a better life, the tone throughout this poem is angry and resentful. He says “Of work the men! Of take the pay! Of owning everything for one’s own greed!” By saying this, he is showing he is angry at what the world has condemned to. He is saying America is greedy and he is angry about it. He is bitter that America has made people conform to this lifestyle and has made it difficult for people to accomplish their

The Washwoman, an old woman already into her seventies, works a full time job, requiring hard manual labor. Instead succumbing to old age the Washwoman battles it, refusing let her absence of youth keep her from completing the task at hand. During a cold polish winter, the washwoman, now into her eighties, succumb to a deadly sickness, still she determined to finish her weekly laundry saying “ I could not rest easy in my bed because of the wash. The wash would not let me die” (Isaac singer). Raging against her suffering health, the old woman refused even death in order to complete her task. Despite the difficulties sickness and old age, The Washwoman completes the task set before her, choosing to fight her struggles head

Furthermore, Judy Jones was a statue of a material girl who judged a man only by his material success and seemed to ignore the moral value. On the first date with Dexter, Judy straightforwardly told him about her recent upsetting love affair with a man who, in her words, “was as poor as a church-mouse”, and boldly asked Dexter “Are you poor?”. What if Dexter had said “Yes”? Logically, she might have thrown him out of her life at once!

Tom breaks Mrs. Wilson’s nose because he can, he has more power than she does. In his mind, she overstepped

     Langston Hughes’s writing showcases a variety of themes and moods, and his distinguished career led his biographer, Arnold Rampersad, to describe him as “perhaps the most representative black American writer.” Many of his poems illustrate his role as a spokesman for African American society and the working poor. In others, he relates his ideas on the importance of heritage and the past. Hughes accomplishes this with a straightforward, easily understandable writing style that clearly conveys his thoughts and opinions, although he has frequently been criticized for the slightly negative tone to his works.

Jones cooks dinner for Roger and realizes he is hungry. “ I believe you're hungry or been hungry to try to snatch my pocketbook”. (pg. 6). In this quote Ms. Jones tells Roger that he must have been hungry to try to snatch her pocket book. This is important because instead of trying to accusing him of trying to steal her pocketbook she put herself in his shoes and realized that he was hungry and needed the money because he was a poor kid with no one caring for him so he relied on stealing to get the things he needed. This relates to my theme because Luella Bates is considerate of Rogers needs so she could help him out by providing food for him so he doesn't have to