Short Story Thank You, M Am By Langston Hughes

Martin Luther King Jr once encouraged, “ We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” This proves that we must expand and preserve the amount of forgiveness in our hearts to help others. In the short story, “Thank You, M’am” by Langston Hughes, One night, Rodger, a homeless fourteen year old boy, seized a large woman’s pocketbook, but before he could escape with the handbag, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones captured Roger and dragged him to her household. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones a compassionate antagonist of the short story,
Without a doubt Roger is still a young boy that can make a difference in the world if he changes his perspective and takes responsibility for his actions. The author wrote, “He did not trust the woman not to trust him. And he did not want to be mistrusted now” (79). This scene particularly shows Roger learning that Mrs. Jones trusts Roger and shows him that she has done terrible things in her life too but she learned and he did too. Mrs. Jones did not watch Roger to see if he would try stealing her pocketbook in her own home because she showed him she trusted and forgive him for his cruel actions. An example is, “Well, you didn't have to snatch my pocket book to get some suede shoes” (79). Once again the author is demonstrating the right versus wrong, and teaching the readers to acknowledge the wrong doings. Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones advises and explains to Roger to request something not take something without endorsement. Roger’s characteristic has developed confidently throughout the story understanding more from others who acknowledge trust and