Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes    

Kristyn Pender,808

In the short story Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes, it shows that sometimes after you do something horrible it is what you do after that counts and makes a difference. Throughout this story a woman was accounted by a boy tried to snatch her purse. From beginning to end the author portrays many events when the characters act out in such a way that is very surprising. Both the woman and the boy act in very surprising ways that makes the reader think and learn different lesson from the story. One being, that sometimes action and change can make up for something you did wrong. Overall, the author illustrates many contradictions between characters that help readers learn new lessons.

In the beginning of the story the boy was an irresponsible and immature who did a very unique and unlike action. In the short story the author says, “ When a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse.” This quote shows a very unlike action for a boy to do. This connects to the point that the author portrays many contradictions because it is unreasonable and unlike a boy to do this to someone. This connects to the point that change is what can make us a better person because the boy felt guilty and sorry for what he did because he knew it was a mistake and he looked up to how the women dealt with him. He felt that he should be better person to people around him. Change is what can make us a better person. The old woman in the short story shows this after a boy attempted to steal her purse, “I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t nobody home to tell you to wash your face...then it will get washed this evening.” The women takes a stranger into her house to help him after what a horrible thing he did to her. This quote shows that the women didn’t overreact instead she was trying to show that you can do horrible things but it’s the event and actions you do after to prove you are better than how you acted. She is trying to show the boy that we all make mistakes. This actions is portrayed by the author and is very contradictory because it shows how different you thought this woman was going to act in this situation, but how she handled it can be inspiring to many people because how much she is a role model in society.

Overall, the author is trying to show how actions are unpredictable but, it is what events happen next to try and change what you did. For example in the story the women said she made mistakes in her life and she is trying to change by helping a boy who did something horrible to her, and make him a better person. This lesson is useful in our daily lives because it shows that change is a valuable part in our lives and we need to make an effort to move forward and be better people.