"Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes Essay Example

While some may believe that Luella’s choice to bring Roger into her home after he tried to rob her will cause Roger to end up stealing something. It is more likely the case that Roger will not do so as a result of Luella’s response to him.

The first reason why Roger will not try to rob anyone else is that when he was in Luella's home he had the opportunity to escape and even take the purse he attempted to rob but he does not for the reason that Luella's actions made an impact on Roger and helped him change.  Luella’s response to Roger’s behavior showed Roger that there have been others in his situation, but they don't necessarily steal, which might teach him that he should not steal to get what he wants.

While some may believe that boys like Roger are naive and impulsive, the way he behaves in Luella’s home shows that he just needed kindness and respect. For example, Luella trusted him not to run off or attempt to steal her purse again once they entered her home.

Langston Hughes’s “Thank You, M’am” captures an act of kindness that wasn’t necessarily simple. Luella’s choices were risky but kind. While readers can’t be sure of Luella’s impact on Roger, it seems realistic to expect that he learned his lesson and will not steal again.