Review of Thank You Ma’am

    The story Thank You M’am, written by Langston Hughes, tells the story between Jones and Roger. Roger attempted to rob Jones' wallet. When Jones found out, instead of punishing him, she dragged him home, washed his face for him, gave him something to eat, and shared her own wisdom from her past struggles. Although she didn't trust him at first, she gradually showed kindness, such as putting her wallet aside to test his honesty. Roger was moved by her compassion and did not choose to run away. Mrs. Jones gave him money to buy shoes and persuaded him to follow the rules. Roger was moved by her. Although he couldn't express his gratitude in the end, Jones' kindness would always influence him. 

    Kindness and compassion influence one’s decision, since they are the essence of human nature. Human beings always connect others with oneself as we are social attribute animals, thus compassion will arise when others suffer. In the story, Jones didn't take Roger to the police considering that Roger is a child. Jones also has developed compassion on knowing Roger hasn’t got his family even though Roger tried to rob her purse. As a result, she not only forgave him, but even educated him to give him a chance to reform himself and change for the better. Without kindness and compassion, something as beautiful as a fairy tale like this is impossible to happen while with the glorious essence of human nature, such acts of repaying evil with good are always being repeated. Kindness and compassion plays an important role in our decision towards others with a promise of a positive influence on society.

    Forgiveness and a second chance promise nothing but opportunities to witness a person's growth and self-improvement. We are all born into this world for the first time and are accompanied by mistakes throughout our lives. If there is forgiveness and a second chance, there will be a chance to resolve the mistake of the first time. In the story, it was Roger’s first time to get through a hard time without parents around him, though that’s not the reason that he could rob others’ money, but the cause of his mistake. As a proper need, a second chance seemed to be especially necessary to him, and it gave him a chance to change for the better. Without the second chance, to him, it only brought him disaster, either going to the police or receiving endless forgiveness from others. Chances can be an excuse for degeneration, chances can be the stage where hope rises.

    Through the journey of life, responsibility is something that remains in our soul. It is the factor that makes us trustworthy to others and gives us the belief that we can trust others. Nobody is born without his own responsibility as his mission during the whole lifetime. Jones recognized her responsibility as educating Roger the values as a person with the belief that Roger would surely change for the better, and that was the reason that Jones trusted Roger, while Roger also developed a sense of responsibility for himself. With Jones and Roger both developed, an excellent education which especially for the purpose of letting Roger understand the responsibility of being a person has taken place. Responsibility and trust are in a two-way relationship with each other and play a rather important role throughout one's life.

    Through this rather complex situation in the story, a friendly theme is conveyed. The story starts with a theft, however, ends with a heartwarming ending, with Roger and readers curing at the same time. Jones’s kindness and compassion influenced her decision so that she would forgive and decide to give Roger, the unlucky boy who wasn't with his parents, a second chance to learn about responsibility with the belief Roger was worth trusting. The result that Roger truly learnt from her education proved her right and the warmth that existed on the Earth.