Thank You M'Am

by Langston Hughes, Allen Hughes

Do your students enjoy a good laugh? Do they like to be scared? Or do they just like a book with a happy ending? No matter what their taste, our Creative Short Stories series has the answer.We've taken some of the world's best stories from dark, musty anthologies and brought them into the light, giving them the individual attention they deserve. Each book in the series has been designed with today's young reader in mind. As the words come to life, students will develop a lasting appreciation for great literature.

The humor of Mark Twain...the suspense of Edgar Allan Poe...the danger of Jack London...the sensitivity of Katherine Mansfield. Creative Short Stories has it all and will prove to be a welcome addition to any library.

Genres: Short Stories, Classics, School, Fiction, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Read For School

30 pages, Library Binding

First published December 1, 1991

About the author

Through poetry, prose, and drama, American writer James Langston Hughes made important contributions to the Harlem renaissance; his best-known works include Weary Blues (1926) and The Ways of White Folks (1934).

People best know this social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist James Mercer Langston Hughes, one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry, for his famous written work about the period, when "Harlem was in vogue."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langsto...

Reviews

[Saranya [mostly ia] · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is barely a few pages long, but wow!!! It packs a punch. It starts with a boy named Roger trying to snatch a woman’s purse. Not exactly a meet-cute. But instead of calling the cops or yelling at him, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones (yes, her name is as big as her personality... Maybe she got married many a times) drags him home, feeds him dinner and gives him money for the Blue Suede shoes he wanted. (LMAO, I just remembered Elvis Presley lol)

Wait—what?

Yeah. She doesn’t scold him. She doesn’t shame him. She teaches him something way more powerful: kindness, trust and dignity. And she does it all with a no-nonsense attitude and a heart that’s clearly been through some stuff.

Roger’s stunned. You can feel him slowly realizing that someone actually sees him—not just as a thief, but as a kid who’s struggling. And that moment when he wants to say "thank you” but can’t quite get the words out? That hits hard.

[Praveen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a matter of fact, I am outside at someone’s place today. Here while on my breakfast table, I read the translation of this story in a local newspaper. When I read it with the author’s name Hughes on the left corner of the paper with his smiling young picture, it brought a smile to my face because I was reading his poems two days back at my place.

My breakfast is being prepared inside by my host and I have no idea what will be served. Though I am hungry and I am in utter haste to have my breakfast in front of my searching eyes, I am pretending like a courtly and decorous guest with my legs crossed one over the other on the chair. so that If my host glances at me furtively from the kitchen, she must think as if I am reading a highly noteworthy piece of literature with utmost focus.

There are two ripe bananas, crouched down one behind the other on the platter on the table. I won’t eat them empty stomach. After breakfast, I may reconsider my thought of devouring them though. Meanwhile, I have finished this story and I am telling you I went bananas. This is a cute story. The first paragraph is exactly this…

She was a large woman with a large purse that had everything in it but hammer and nails. It had a long strap and she carried it slung across her shoulder it was about 11 o'clock at night dark and she was walking alone when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The strap broke with the sudden single tug the boy gave it from behind. But the boy’s weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him to lose his balance. Instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk and his legs flew up. The large woman simply turned around and kicked him write square in his blue Jeaned sitter. Then she reached down with the boy up by his side front and took him until his teeth rattled.

This is a story of a young boy who is out in the dark mugging old ladies. But he got in the wrong hands this time. This lady catches him from his collar and drags him to her house before sending him to jail. There they try to breakfast together. There is a message in the story and though the message is universal, still it has been served in a very alluring manner. It’s out of the ordinary. It immediately caught my attention.

I know some of the themes of L. Hughes's poetry; I guess this story can be inspired by some of his experiences in America. Here some behavioral psychology dynamics involved in their conversations. What happens between the lady and the boy that at the end of the story so he had to say to her, THANK YOU, MAM?

You can certainly read it while on your breakfast table; it’s short and simple with a homespun philosophy involved!

[Layla · Rating 3 out of 5]

~ 3 stars ~

It was good I suppose. I liked the message that it was trying to get across. I am noticing though, as I am reading a few short stories, that I am not a fan of that format. I just require more content to be swayed either way. I'm pretty indifferent about this story because of that.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a fine story, nothing groundbreaking, but fine. Kids should read it.

[Franky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think my biggest takeaway from this story is that this is a story about redeeming oneself and getting a second chance in life when you make a mistake or are on the wrong road or simply heading down the wrong path. When the young man (Roger) attempts to steal Mrs. Jones' purse, he is then confronted with the reality of the situation when Mrs. Jones fights back, chastises him, and then eventually teaches him through her own story and thoughts. I like how Langston Hughes does not "tell all" but allows us to think about the many implications through the experience. In this story, Mrs. Jones is very representative of a parental figure looking after a child and guiding them into the right direction. I thought this was a very deep story with a strong moral attached. Definitely recommended and I can see why this story frequents many a high school literature curriculum.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Honestly, I have to admit that I did not know LH wrote anything besides poetry. And this very short story is as concise and provocative as a poem. What a surprising 'twist' ... but is it really a surprise, or does the careful reader see it coming? And what happens next?

Even if you can't get this slim hardcover with the wonderful illustrations by Molinari, find the story somewhere. Read it in five minutes and think about it for a long time afterwards....

[J9 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story by Langston Hughes that has a young boy trying to steal a woman's purse. His plan backfires and the woman becomes an integral part of him learning a life lesson and changing his ways. In Langston Hughes fashion we have well developed characters in few words with much to teach us. A great story for any age, and a story well written for any person.

[Christy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for Langston Hughes’ poetry but this short story is also a favorite. “Thank You M’am” is about a young man who has the audacity to attempt to steal a purse from a woman. She won’t put up with that and proceeds to show him just how wrong he was. The best part is that she teaches him so many other things than just not to steal. That’s the beauty of this story.

[Ahmed Ejaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story!

[Secret Jyot · Rating 5 out of 5]

school read

[Abbie O'Hara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read for middle schoolers

[Soroosh Akef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love works wonders. No I'm not talking about love as in Cindrella. Love which distinguishes us as humans; love whose absence is perhaps the most fundamental reason for all human miseries.

In the story "Thank You M'am," we read about an outcast African-American teenager whose course of life changes when he attempts to steal the purse of a black lady.

[Angel Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it, I really did.
The writing is honest and you can feel the soul of the story while you read it.

This is a gorgeous story of hope, kindness, honesty, bravery and what it means to try and be good.

I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to become a writer.

[Melina Vazquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really didn't like it but i also kind of liked it, it was a boring some of the time,but funny some of the time too. I liked it because it teaches you lessons.

[Ebookwormy1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Langston Hughes was recognized as an everyman of the black American experience from the Haarlem Renaissance until his death in 1967. A simple, brief biography of Hughes referenced that he was born in Missouri but lived in 12 different cities throughout his youth. In his adulthood, he resided in Washington DC, roamed through Africa and Europe, and finally settled in New York. He also traveled in Russia, the Caribbean and several Asian cities. He wrote for the Chicago Defender newspaper, published a novel about an African American family living in Kansas and set much of his work in New York City. Maybe all that bouncing around contributed to giving his writing a broad, relatable, appeal. Best known for his poetry (which is not my preferred genre), he also wrote novels, plays, non-fiction about the African American experience, stories for children, and short stories. I’ve been especially intrigued by his short stories.

Required reading for 8th grade literature brought this short story to our home. I’m a bit confused as Amazon states the book is 24 pages long and Goodreads 30 pages. But the version we read was only 8 printed 8.5x11 pages. I’m wondering if the students were provided an edited version. I think both versions would fit into the short story form, though I suppose a 30 page book could make a claim at the short side of novella designation.

Nonetheless, even in 8 short pages, Hughes capably takes us right into the characters of Mrs. Luella and Roger, the conflict between them and Roger’s conflict within himself. He uses dialogue and the shift of locations to build tension. The resolution is simple and satisfying, even as it challenges us to be a little more like the good Ms. Luella.

Wanting to have a copy of this story, and more of Hughes in this form, I searched online to see if this story is included in a collection. I could not find this story listed in Hughes Bibliographies, leading me to believe it probably IS part of a short story collection. I could not find confirmation of where it appeared outside of the stand alone book. So, I took a guess and moved the following title up on my to-read, hoping for more of Langston Hughes’ short story perspective on the world.

The Short Story Collection, Langston Hughes, 1996
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[bcvs02 · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute

[Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

had to read for school. good ig…

[❀ Arsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

kindness 🥹🥹

[Kriss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story about kindness, trust and change.
This story shows how small acts of kindness can change a person's behaviour.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet short story. I wouldn’t say it’s anything amazing, but still a nice read.

[LivLovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a story that conflicts confused you? Well I have. And that’s how I felt about the short story Thank You M’am by Langston Hughes. In this story there are two characters Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. Roger is a 14 or 15-year-old African-American boy with a dirty face and very frail. Roger wants a pair of blue suede shoes that he can’t afford and that’s how he ran into Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones is a large southern woman and very independent. She teaches Roger that he doesn’t always have to steal to get what he wants. But the three main conflicts that confused me are Man vs. Society, Man vs. Self, and Man vs. Fate.

Man vs. Society is shown because there was no one at Roger’s house for him to talk to. In this situation Roger represents man and the people in his house represent society. Roger has no one to turn to in his time of need. He has no one to turn to when ever he needs help or advice. He is all alone at home and on the streets. In another situation Roger represents man again and who ever is selling the blue suede shoes represents society. Roger is against those people because he doesn’t have the money to pay for the shoes. In both of those situations Roger is against the world and the world is against him.

Man vs. Self is made known because Roger wasn’t just running to grab Mrs. Jones’ pocketbook but he was running away from his problems and himself. After Mrs. Jones showed him love and affection he stopped running. In the story it says, “ He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run.” Now what does that say to you? I know to me that says that he came to a conclusion that he doesn’t have to run anymore. After seeing a side of a person that can love and care for him he realized that running wasn’t helping him or anyone else. He knows that there is no reason to run anymore not from himself or from other people or his problems.

Man vs. Fate revealed when Mrs. Jones told Roger to wash his face and when they ate together and them meeting. When she told him to wash his face it was like she was baptizing him. Also they ate together and broke bread together like they were taking communion. The way that they met it was like fate. It was like fate because Roger could have tried to grab someone else’s bag and they could have called the police on him or worse. But by fate he ran into Mrs. Jones. If it wasn’t for fate Roger could have been in jail or even worse.

The conflicts that confused me are Man vs. Society, Man vs. Self, and Man vs. Fate. Now you see how confusing those conflicts are why don’t you go and read it.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great short story.

[Nelly Cameron · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had a great message in it I believe. The two main characters met in a rough way, and if one thing had been different in how either of them reacted then they wouldn't have ended as friends. It seems to me that the woman understands the boy's position;almost as though she had been in the same spot as he at one time in her life.

[Danielle Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

i thought this was funny to because this boy tryed to steal this woman's purse because he wanted to buy him some blue suede shoes but she took the boy back to her place and told him to wash his face gave him something to eat and gave him some hot chocolate and then she sent the boy on his way with twenty dollars to buy him some blue suede shoes

[Precious]

I think that the generosity of the old lady in this story makes it more interesting and her showing that she really cares about this young man . she took him in feed him and gave him money something that many people cant or will not do. And the way these two characters meet and the way it ends just wraps this story up perfectly.

[Hope Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a great short story. Very appropriate for middle schoolers and even late elementary students.

[Marzieh Torabi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm wondering if the use of "blue suede shoes" in the story is metaphoric and has something to do with the famous rock n' roll hit. Don't know yet!

[Eric Stenske]

My opinion on “Thank you Ma'am” is that the story is very inspiring and that you can learn a lot from just one story I really like this story because you learn to not steal from people and that you should learn from your mistakes.
There was a kid named Roger and he tried to steal a old lady’s purse and she makes his go to her house and she talked to him about stealing and asked him about his parents, she tells him that he shouldn't have done it because she should’ve asked she the pair of shoes instead of trying to steal.
Roger changes through the story because he ends up trying to steal someone's purse for some shoes but the lady changes the kid's life because she washed him up and when she left the room she left her purse in there on purpose to see if he would try to take it but she trusted him and he didn’t take it. She told him that if he asked for the money then he would've gotten the shoes but she ends up giving the money to him for the shoes. The character develops the theme because the boy learned at the end that he shouldn’t steal and he really did learn from his mistakes because he didn’t steal from the lady when she left him alone with the purse and at the end of it all he gets what he wants because he wasn’t rude but he was kind after the lady took him in and washed him up.
Roger changes through the story because he learns from his mistakes and he was trust to be alone with the lady’s purse and he doesn’t steal from anyone after the lady talked to him about what he did.

[Maricarla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maricarla Amores

1) I agree that the ending is deeply ironic. Everyone, including the doctors, says Mrs. Mallard died of joy when her husband walked in alive, but the truth is the opposite—she died because her moment of freedom disappeared instantly. This is situational irony because the outcome is completely different from what people around her believe. The story builds this irony carefully, and it makes the reader reflect on how society misinterprets women’s true desires.


2) I disagree with the opinion that nature is just background decoration in the story. The imagery of the blue sky, the rain, and the sparrows singing reflects Mrs. Mallard’s inner emotions. These details symbolize renewal and hope, exactly when she starts feeling free after her husband’s death. The natural setting mirrors her transformation, showing that nature in the story works as a symbol of her personal liberation, not just as a description.


3) I agree that freedom is represented almost like a living presence in Mrs. Mallard’s life. The text says it was “approaching to possess her,” which is personification, making freedom feel like a powerful character that takes over her entire body and soul. This device makes her desire for independence more intense and relatable, because it is described as something that physically enters her life. It shows how important freedom was for her, even more than love itself.

[Shekinah Mbwambo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the short story very much, because it teaches a valuable lesson in life, and the way the author writes the story makes it easier to understand.
Roger was driven to steal a purse from an old woman because he wanted shoes, Mrs. Jones caught Roger and took him to her house. Roger was cleaned and received good service by Mrs. Jones which changed his behavior
At the beginning of the story, Roger is motivated to steal a purse from an old woman because he wanted shoes. He was very disrespectful to steal the woman's purse and he lacked empathy, he is motivated to do something bad because of his material needs. After he has received good care by Mrs. Jones, the purse is left in the living room with Roger as a test. Instead of stealing it, he stays there and waits for Mrs. Jones. After being treated well, Roger changes his behavior from disrespectful and lacked empathy to honest and trustworthy.
The author shows well how the character develops and the story is easy to understand.The story has a good moral teaching to anyone who reads it, I would personally recommend this short story.