Try It
Practice #1
See if you understood "Thank You Ma'am."
1) What are some characteristics of a strong-willed person?
Answer: You migh say a strong-willed person is determined, aggressive, and believes himself/herself to be in the right.
2) What are some characteristics of a person with a low self-esteem?
Answer: You might say a person with low self-esteem is sad, self-counscious, and shy.
3) What are some ways an impoverished life or a life alone can make a person react?
Answer: You might think that this person may be angry, think he deserves better, or become bitter.
4) Why is Mrs. Jones out late at night?
Answer: She is shopping.
5) What are some clues that Roger is unsupervised?
Answer:He is young and out late. He is also hungry.
6) What are some clues that Roger has a good hear?
Answer: He is kind to Mrs. Jones and regrets his decision earlier to steal.
7) How does Mrs. Jones' influence change Roger?
Answer: He believes he can do better; she helps Roger build his self-esteem.
8) Why did Roger want to steal Mrs. Jones' purse?
Answer: He wants to buy some blue suede shoes.
9) What are some words used in the story that date it to the 1950s? In other words, what are some words we no longer use?
Answer: Some words might include:
- Pocketbook
- Didn't aim to
- Yes'm
- Ten-cent cake
- $10 for a fancy pair of shoes
Practice #2
See if you can answer these questions about "Thank You Ma'am."
1) Why is Mrs. Jones the protagonist?
Answer: She becomes the main character and influences Roger, the antagonist.
2) What is Mrs. Jones' strongest trait?
Answer: She is strong-willed.
3) A person who is disillusioned with life would have a _______ self esteem. Why does Roger qualify?
Answer: Low/Roger is poor, young, and fends for himself. He wants a fancy pair of shoes and knows no other way than to steal to get money for them.
4) Why does Roger take the purse?
Answer: He wants instant money to buy the fancy shoes.
5) How could a song influence a poet such as Langston Hughes?
Answer: Perhaps, he longed for a pair of blue-suede shoes or knew someone from his past who fit the character of Roger. Perhaps, he could relate to the message in Elvis Presley's song.
6) Why did Roger choose Mr.s Jones to rob?
Answer: He viewed her as a easy target: she was old and, probably, had money in her purse since she was returning from shopping.