Trust In Langston Hughes

Just the slightest bit of care and compassion can change a persons whole persona. This is what happens in Langston Hughes short story “Thank You, Ma’am,” when the old Mrs. Jones catches Roger trying to steal her purse.When Mrs. Jones gets ahold of Roger, he asks her if she’s going to take him to jail in which she replies “Not with that face, I would not take you nowhere.” This is the first important theme in the story, sympathy. Later in the story she takes Roger back to her house and she leaves the door open. Figuring that she did this on purpose, Roger decides not to run out the door. This is the second important theme in the story, trust. The themes of sympathy and trust were expressed throughout Hughes story in many ways, and I’m here to talk about them.

Langston Hughes was an African American writer back in the 1920s the story Why You Reckon is based on two men that always going place to place because they do not have a home to live in so they have this one idea that they wanted to held this one stranger for ransom but that did not end well. The stranger helped the two men by giving them food and they can stay in the basement during the night to feed the furnace with

In Langston Hughes's short story "Thank you, Ma'am," Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones shows the reader her many personality characteristics. First, she is strict. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones dragged Roger over to her home, and with a loud voice makes him wash his face. Next, she is incredibly bossy. When Roger tries to steal her pocket book she said very angrily to pick it up. Finally, she is a caring person. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones offered Roger dinner, and even though Roger did try to steal money for shoes she still gave him the money anyway. So at the end of it all Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones maybe bossy and strict, but there is a nice caring person inside of

Through “Thank You Ma'am” it shows it's hard to earn people's trust. Langston Hughes suggests that giving people a second chance is what allows them to do better. Giving someone a second chance can be considered hard for us today. Langston Hughes talks about how desperate times calls for desperate needs but, if you give someone a second chance that's what allows them to do better.

Langston Hughes was one of the first black men to express the spirit of blues and jazz

In our era today, as you proceed through life, there is discrimination against races. As much as we would like to witness things change for the better we won’t due to some people not taking the chance to rewire their hatred. But in the early 1900’s, some black middle-class families immigrated to Harlem, New York, which at the time was an upper-class white neighborhood. The White’s tried to kick the African Americans out, but ultimately failed. In 1910-1930 African Americans in Harlem have changed what the city was like back then, now it is known for its African American culture. They also created a period called the Harlem Renaissance that is considered a golden age in African American culture. This was a time when they had an artistic explosion,

     People always listen to music, watch movies or plays, and even read poetry without once even thinking what is could be that helps and artist eventually create a masterpiece. Often times, it is assumed that artists just have a “gift”, and people just do not consider the circumstances and situations that gradually mold a dormant idea into a polished reality. This seems to be the case with nearly every famous actor, writer, painter, or musician; including the ever-famous Langston Hughes.

Langston Hughes was born on February 2, 1902 in Joplin Missouri, and died on May 22, 1967 in New York, New York. Hughes' African American themes helped to contribute to the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, where he was a leader. He attended Columbia University and Lincoln University, published his first poem in 1921 and his first book in 1926. Hughes was a poet, playwright, novelist, and more.

“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.

Langston Hughes’ style of poetry renounced the classical style of poetry and sought out a more jazz and folk rhythm style. Most of Hughes’ poems were written during the Harlem Renaissance, named after the cultural activity African Americans participated in, such as: literature, music, art, theatre, and political thinking. William Blake, on the other hand, was a nonconformist who was associated with the leading radical thinkers of his day. Although, considered a lyric poet and a visionary, Blake’s poetry was not read by many, yet he still believed that his poetry could be understood by common people and was determined not to sacrifice his vision to become popular.

Langston Hughes inspired others to reach their true potential in their work by using their own life as a catalyst:

From a young age people are taught both trust and distrust. Children are instructed to respect authority figures. They are also warned to not get in a car with strangers, not take candy from strangers, and often to not even talk to strangers. While people are expected to be respectful, they are simultaneously trained to be suspicious and skeptical. This begs the question of when and where trust should be placed. In The Confidence Man, author Herman Melville uses the vehicle of a disorderly ship on which men are both distrusting and untrustworthy, to raise the question of whether or not people should trust one another. In Luck, Mark Twain addresses the same theme of trust through presenting the narrative of a naive man who has gained glory

In Langston Hughes’s short story entitled ”Salvation” he discusses about the first time he is going to be saved from sin. The story takes place on the night of the big revival, Langston, a young boy around the age of thirteen, was brought to his aunt Reed’s church to see Jesus and be saved from sin. Aunt Reed had told him that if he was saved he would see a light, meaning Jesus had come into his life. Langston believed her. Also, he had heard other adults mention the same light.

In Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem,” the Structural theory can be observed by looking at the text and comparing it to other works written during the same time. A structural way to look at the poem “Harlem” found on page 560, is to recognize that a majority of the writings (poems and other forms) were based on asking questions. This was written between the time of World War One and after World War Two. There was the idea that the first world war was to end all wars, but then there was a second one. Questions emerged as to what the point of life was, related to death, religion, government expectations and even personal goals and dreams. As questions arose in society, they also were brought up in writing and art, by looking at the questions posed

Many poets are well recognized for their poems and live that they lived but, one poet is not all that well known. This poet had a rough live living in persecution just because of his skin color. The famous but forgotten Langston Hughes had an exciting career and very intense writings during the severe segregation era which he had lived in