Thank You Ma'am: LAQ for 2025(HS)

 Q.1: "Eat Some more, son" --

(a) Who says this to whom? 

(b) What is offered by the speaker to the listener? 

(c) What feature of the speaker's character is revealed in this line?

(Or)  How did Mrs Jones behave with Roger?

(Or) Discuss Mrs Jones mother-like treatment towards Roger?

(Or) How did Mrs Jones transform Roger into a good person? 

Ans.(a) Mrs.Luella Bates Washington Jones says this to Roger.

(b) She offers Roger, the young boy, a half of her ten cent cake.

(c) Mrs.Jones understood that the boy was hungry. So, she decided to give her some food. She heated some Lima beans and ham. She prepared some cocoa out of canned milk. When Roger had consumed these, Mrs.Jones offered him a half of her ten cent cake and told him the quoted sentence.The motherly feelings of Mrs.Jones is revealed in this line. She played the role of a perfect host and treats Roger with affection and hospitality.

(Q:2)"And he did not want to be mistrusted now "- (a) Who is 'he' referred to? (b) To whom didn't 'he' want to be mistrusted? (c) Why did he not want to be mistrusted? *******

Or, Why did the boy in"Thank You Ma'am" did not run away though he found the door open?

Ans.(a) Here 'he' is referred to a little boy, Roger in the short story," Thank You Ma'am ".

(b) Roger didn't want to be mistrusted to the lady named Mrs.Luella Bates Washington Jones.

(c) The boy, Roger while trying to snatch a purse from Mrs.Jones was caught and taken to her home. The boy thought he would be taken to police station but the lady took him at her home and treated very genially. The boy understood that the lady has placed an absolute faith on him by leaving him alone in the room. The boy could easily escaped from the room but he didn't want to be mistrusted now.

Q.3. " I'm sorry lady, I'm sorry"_

(a) Who said this to whom?

(b) Was the speaker really sorry?

(c) Why did he apologize?

Ans. (a) In Langston Hughes' short story, "Thank You Ma'am" Roger a fourteen or fifteen years old boy said this to Mrs. Jones

(b) The boy tried to snatch Mrs Jones purse. She firmly gripped him. The boy was afraid that she might take him to jail. So, out of fear he said that he was sorry.

(c) Roger apologises because Mrs Jones catches him trying to snatch her purse. His apology comes from a place of genuine remorse and a realization of the seriousness of his action.

Q.4."You gonna take me to jail?"

(a) who said this to whom?

(b) When did the Speaker ask this question?

 (c) What reply did speaker get?

Ans (a) In the short story," Thank you Ma'am" a  boy named Roger said/asked this to Mrs. Jones.

(b) The speaker, Roger asked this question When Mrs. Luella took him to her house and said to wash his face instead of taking him to jail for trying to Snatch her purse.

(c) The Speaker, Roger got negative reply. Mrs. Jones replied that she would take him nowhere with such an untidy face. She also mentioned to him the time when he attempted to Snatch her purse.

Q.5. "I would teach you right from wrong"_ 

(Or) "You ought to be my son, I would teach you right from wrong".

(a) Who said this to whom and when?

(b) How did the speaker transform the Person Spoken to here? (or) Did the Speaker manage to teach what he/she claimed to teach?

Ans (a) In the short story, "Thank You Ma'am", Mrs. Jones said this to Roger when she came to know that he had no one to look after him at hom.

(b) Mrs. Jones, hearing the purpose of Snatching the purse said affectionately, "you could have asked me". This unexpected generosity moved / touched Roger deeply. The trust bestowed upon him lighted up his soul and urged him to prove his trustworthiness. Mrs. Jones cooked for him and they had Supper together. while having supper she spoke to him about her workplace. This made him feel at home. Moreover, she gave him ten dollars to buy shoes and advised not to steal. This motherly-like behaviour made quite an impact in bringing about a complete transformation in Roger.

Q.6. "I were Young once and I wanted things and could not get" 

(a) Who said this to whom and when? 

(b) What did the Speaker say about her past life?

Ans. (a) In the short story, "Thank you Ma'am", Mrs. Jones Said this to a boy of fourteen or fifteen years old named Roger when she took the boy home she asked some questions  about his parentage. When Roger finished answering, Mrs Jones began to say the quoted line.

(6) Mrs. Jones said, when she was young she had desired to get many things but her desires remained unfulfilled. Even to Satisfy her desires, she involved herself in So many criminal activities that now she could not reveal them to anyone even to god as she felt ashamed of herself. So, Mrs. Luella Bater was once in the Same situation like Roger.

Q.7. "Do you need some body to go to the store" (a) Who is the speaker? To whom did the Speaker Say this?

(b)  Why did the Speaker want to go to the Store?

(c) What did they have as supper?*******

Ans.(a) In the short story, "Thank you Ma'am", Roger is the speaker.

The Speaker (Roger) said this to Mrs. Jones who wanted to teach him right from wrong.

(b) Roger understood that Mrs. Jones was a Kind Woman. He was So touched by her motherly affection that he wished to earn a place in her heart by helping. So, Roger/ he wanted to go to the store.

(c) Mrs. Jones heated some lima beans and ham she had in the icebox, made cocoa out of Canned milk and ten-cent Cake. Both, Mrs. Jones and Roger had these all in supper.