"Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones's Character Analysis

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"Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones's Character Analysis  essay
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“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right path, the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.” You do not have to steal to get everything you ever wanted. This is shown in the story Thank you, ma’am, by Langston Hughes. A young boy named Roger tries to steal the pocketbook of a woman named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones on the street in a big city. Instead of taking him to jail, she drags him to her home, has him clean up, fixes him dinner, shows him trust, and teaches him a life lesson. Through Mrs.Jones' teachings, we can tell that she is generous, motherly, and forgiving.

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Mrs.Jones comes off as forgiving. She seems to see her interaction with roger as an opportunity to teach him rather than punish him she could take him to the police but she chooses not to, instead she takes him home with her and gives him something to eat. She says to him “you out to be my son”. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. “Are you hungry”. This is forgiving because he just tried to rob her and now she is asking him is he hungry. She is nice to him because she realizes that he is just a sad boy with nobody to look after him and nowhere to go, and she has been where he’s been.

Even though at the beginning of the story Mrs. Jones was very determined, the other side of her is generous. When Roger and Mrs. Jones arrived at her house, Mrs. Jones makes Roger wash his face and brush his hair so it’ll look presentable. She also gave Roger dinner. The last reason Mrs. Jones is generous is because she gave Roger ten dollars so he could buy blue suede shoes. She told him, “Here, you can have the money boy.” That was very generous of Mrs. Jones because Roger tried to steal her pocketbook to buy the shoes.

Mrs. Jones shows us that she is very brave. She's as tough as nails. Most women, after an attempted mugging, would scream or run away. Mrs. Jones, on the other hand, successfully fights back and inflicts pain on Roger, her attacker. Roger expected a helpless woman. We can infer that Roger, while executing his plan, expected a large woman like Mrs. Jones to be no great sprinter, therefore unable to run after him once he had her purse in his hand. She kicks him in the seat of his pants. Then she shakes him until his teeth rattle. Finally, she physically drags him back to her own home.

This is a story that tells us that everyone makes mistakes. Mrs. Jones was the person that told Roger that made a mistake because Roger didn’t know that what he did was wrong. Mrs. Jones is a character who is forgiving, generous, and brave. I think that kind of characteristic helped Roger learn a lesson from her because when Roger was leaving Mrs. Jones's house, he finally said “Thank you, Ma’am.”

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The essay analyzes Langston Hughes' short story "Thank You, Ma'am," exploring its themes of forgiveness, generosity, and bravery. The essay offers a basic understanding of the story's content and key elements, highlighting Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones' actions and character traits. The essay outlines how Mrs. Jones forgives Roger's attempted theft, demonstrates generosity by providing him with care, dinner, and money, and shows bravery by confronting him physically. While the essay identifies these traits, it lacks depth in its analysis, providing mostly surface-level explanations. Further exploration of the story's symbolism, themes, and character motivations would enrich the analysis. Additionally, connections to the broader context and literary techniques could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the story's significance.
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In-depth Analysis: Go beyond summarizing events and explore the underlying symbolism, themes, and character motivations in the story to offer a deeper understanding. Literary Techniques: Discuss Hughes' use of literary techniques such as symbolism, dialogue, and imagery to convey the themes and character traits. Contextual Consideration: Explore the broader societal and historical context in which the story is set and how it reflects the author's intentions or the time it was written. Character Complexity: Delve into the complexity of characters like Mrs. Jones and Roger, considering their backgrounds, motivations, and how they evolve throughout the story. Language and Style: Enhance your analysis by discussing the author's writing style, tone, and the impact they have on conveying the story's message.
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“Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones’s Character Analysis. (2020, December 24). WritingBros. Retrieved March 29, 2024, from https://writingbros.com/essay-examples/ms-jones-character-analysis-from-thank-you-maam-by-langston-hughes/
““Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones’s Character Analysis.” WritingBros, 24 Dec. 2020, writingbros.com/essay-examples/ms-jones-character-analysis-from-thank-you-maam-by-langston-hughes/
“Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones’s Character Analysis. [online]. Available at: <https://writingbros.com/essay-examples/ms-jones-character-analysis-from-thank-you-maam-by-langston-hughes/> [Accessed 29 Mar. 2024].
“Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones’s Character Analysis [Internet]. WritingBros. 2020 Dec 24 [cited 2024 Mar 29]. Available from: https://writingbros.com/essay-examples/ms-jones-character-analysis-from-thank-you-maam-by-langston-hughes/
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"Thank You Ma'am" by Langston Hughes: Ms.Jones's Character Analysis  essay

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