Wednesday, March 11, 2015

What are quotes that relate to the theme of sacrifice in "Thank you M'am" by Langston Hughes?

In sacrificing some of her time, food, and money, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones teaches Roger about sacrificing his own selfish desires for moral and social values.


After Mrs. Jones wrestles her purse back from Roger and scolds him for lying about his reason for his attempted theft, she forgoes her scolding and remarks that Roger's face is dirty. "Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?” she asks him. When Roger...

In sacrificing some of her time, food, and money, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones teaches Roger about sacrificing his own selfish desires for moral and social values.


After Mrs. Jones wrestles her purse back from Roger and scolds him for lying about his reason for his attempted theft, she forgoes her scolding and remarks that Roger's face is dirty. "Ain’t you got nobody home to tell you to wash your face?” she asks him. When Roger responds in the negative, Mrs. Jones declares, “Then it will get washed this evening,” and she drags him home with her, sacrificing her free time to give some care to the boy.


Once they are in the rented room of Mrs. Jones, she prepares a little meal for them and shares what she has with Roger. She also sacrifices her natural curiosity about the boy for his comfort:



The woman did not ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would embarrass him.



Finally, when their meal is finished, Mrs. Jones sacrifices some of her hard-earned money as she gives Roger ten dollars (a generous gift in the 1950s):



“Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some blue suede shoes."



With this gesture Mrs. Jones not only demonstrates her generosity, but she demonstrates her love for her brethren as she makes a personal sacrifice of her meager earnings so that Roger can be happy and know that someone cares.

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