Thank You Ma'am: Analysis ||

Thank You, Ma'am (by Langston Hughes)

    Thank You Ma'am is a great short story, from the very beginning one can  see the amount of culture it has bestowed upon itself. The writer makes sure to engrave his Afro-American roots on paper as if it were stone. If you have read the story there is not much I can say that you do not already know. So let us continue either way.

    Setting: 11 o'clock urban neighborhood, Luella's Apartment.
    Characters: Roger a 14-ish year old, skinny and frail boy. And Luella Bates Washington Jones a big woman, with a big handbag.

 

 

     At the beginning of the story, Mr. Hughes introduces the story's characters, a boy named Roger who is thin and dirty, around fourteen years old, and a woman named Luella Bates Washington Jones. The second being the perfect stereotype of African-American woman at around the 1920s. She was "big" and as soon as confronted with Roger she shows the behavior characteristic to African-American at that time, her language use and involvement in the boy’s life. It is not in the American--the continent not country--culture to take in a young boy whom has tried to steal from you into your home and feed him. However, as one was growing up one could see this behavior from African American quite often. It reflects onto their well nature--now tainted by the current youth--they were happy people that worked hard, honest, that cared for each other.

    When asked, “If I turn you loose, will you run?” the boy answered "yes'm” He could have lied, he could have said "no", but he did not. It is innocence or honesty? Well, it might have been because he lied before to Mrs. Bates and she knew he lied. Whichever the case may be the truth is that Roger was good of nature. Mrs. Bates takes Roger into a large house. Here we have another rich example of African American culture from the time; the house had various residents, all of which lived together in that large space. When ones reads it is absolutely necessary that one feels the house, the open doors letting out different conversations, laughter, joy. The concern for each other, "Hey! Luella, you're back, how was your day?". And one must not forget Jazz, Hughes loved Jazz and had many contributions to it, Jazz must be playing at 11 o'clock and people must be gathered to listen to it, who wouldn't?

     The boy is taken into Bates' room, asked to clean his face, and later fed. The thing is that while in the room Roger made a big decision, he chose to stay. He made sure Mrs. Bates had a clear view of him at all times so she would not think he was taking anything, he made sure to leave her bag alone even though his initial goal was to steal it, and he made sure that even if the door was opened he was to sit down. After being fed and lectured a little Mrs. Bates takes 10 dollar and gives it to the boy for the "shoes" that he wanted, he was taken out of her room and before he even got a chance to say anything other than "thank you" the door was shut.

   Now, on my personal opinion, Roger had no family, however my teacher thinks otherwise, who knows what the case may be. However, let's think for a second, a kid alone on the streets at eleven o'clock at night, is that normal? Ok, ok, it could be normal; he just was out without his parents permission, parents that are not at home at eleven o'clock at night, both of them. They could be working right? Well that would explain why he was "thin and fragile"? And dirty, let’s not forget dirty. So things are adding up. However, the author Mr. Hughes was left to live with his grandmother until the age of fourteen. That could relate to the story; Roger might live with his grandmother. There is just one think that doesn't sound right if that were the case, grandmothers love feeding their grandchildren. I guess I could be wrong, but given the context of the story and the word choice of the author I think that he was an orphan, he did not want a pair of "blue shoes" he wanted food, water, and even a blanket.

 

So, let me ask you what you think.

What is the climax of the story according to you? Why? 

Why is Roger frail?

What do you think Roger wanted to say other than "Thank you"?

Anything you like to add?