Thank You, Ma Am, By Langston Hughes

In the short story, “Thank You, Ma’am by Langston Hughes,” Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones is a large, but very nice old woman. In the story, Roger, a little young fourteen year old boy, tries to take Mrs. Jones purse. After snatching her purse, he falls to the ground where she picks him up and asks him why he is so dirty. After making him pick up her pocket book, she takes him to her home. There, she makes him wash his face and eat a good meal. While making his meal, she asks Roger why he tried to steal her pocket book. He answers her by saying, “I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes ( Hughes 2).” After eating, she sends him on his way, but before Roger leaves, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones gives the young boy ten dollars to buy a pair
Luella Bates Washington Jones is a very trusting woman. In the story, after she took Roger into her home, the story tells us, “The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse which she left behind on her daybed ( Hughes 3).” This shows that she does not hold grudges against anyone, and is able to trust. Even Though he just tries to steal her pocketbook, she leaves him in the room by himself with her purse, and does not hesitate to leave. Not knowing if he is going to bolt out of the door, nor does she know if he is going to try to steal her pocketbook again, but she trustes him and leaves him sitting there ( Hughes 3). Secondly, another example of Mrs. Jones trustworthiness is when Roger asked Mrs. Jones if she needed him to go to the store for her to get something she had forgotten at the store (Hughes 3). After, the text states that she said, “Don't believe I do, unless you want some sweet milk yourself. I was going to make cocoa out of this canned milk I got here (Hughes 3).” This is an example of how she is trustworthy because she was going to trust him to go to the store for her, and give him the money to go get what she needed. Not knowing if he was going to come back or not, she was going to trust him with her money anyways. Even though he has already tried stealing from her, she offered to let him go to the store for her. Thirdly, another example of Mrs. Jones being a trustworthy person,
Luella Bates Washington Jones has a very motherly nature about her. Like a mother, she wants to provide a nutritious meal. The story states, “She heated some lima beans and ham she had in the icebox, made the cocoa, and set the table ( Hughes 3).” She feels that Roger is hungry and so she meets the need of feeding him. Secondly, she takes into account his feelings. The story states, “The woman did not ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would embarrass him ( Hughes 3).” Mrs. Jones cares about how he feels, and does not want him to feel uncomfortable. Even Though she is not his biological mother, it is clear that she cares about him. She wants what is best for Roger, and wants to help him. Any reader can infer that she is a very loving and nurturing woman. The ultimate example of her motherly attitude is when Mrs Jones says to the boy, “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-because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet ( Hughes 3).” We readers can tell that even though he puts her through so much trouble, she wants Roger to get what he wants, so she gives him the ten dollars. In giving him the money, she wants to teach him a lesson. She wants him to understand that he should have integrity. She reminds him that some shoes are devilish, she is telling Roger that not everyone will