Plot & Theme of "Thank You Ma'am"

Label the parts of the diagram where text can be entered.

a

b

c

d

e

f

initiating event

resolution

rising action

climax

falling action

exposition

What is the exposition in "Thank You Ma'am"?

• Mrs. Jones is walking alone in the city at night.

• Mrs. Jones and Roger are walking together on the street at night.

• Mrs. Jones takes Roger to her house.

• Roger says "Thank You" as he leaves Mrs. Jones' house.

What is the initiating event in the story?

• Mrs. Jones kicks Roger and shakes him until his teeth rattle.

• Mrs. Jones and Roger go to her house.

• Roger tries to steal Mrs. Jones's purse.

• Mrs. Jones tells Roger to wash his face.

Which three events are part of the rising action in "Thank You Ma'am"?

• Mrs. Jones drags Roger to her house.

• Roger and Mrs. Jones sit down to eat dinner together.

• Roger asks Mrs. Jones to let him loose.

• Mrs. Jones tells him to wash his face.

• Mrs. Jones tells Roger she is going to call the police.

What is the climax of the story?

• Roger leaves and says "thank you" before she shuts the door.

• Mrs. Jones drags Roger to her house.

• Mrs. Jones asks him if he has anybody at home.

• Roger is confused by Mrs. Jones and is deciding whether to run away.

What TWO events are part of the falling action of "Thank You Ma'am"?

• Mrs. Jones eats dinner with Roger.

• Roger steals $10 for blue suede shoes while Mrs. Jones isn't looking.

• Mrs. Jones gives Roger money to buy shoes.

• Roger apologizes to Mrs. Jones

• Roger asks if he can stay at Mrs. Jones's house.

What is the resolution of "Thank You Ma'am"?

• Mrs. Jones teaches Roger a lesson at dinner.

• Roger steals from Mrs. Jones again and she calls the police.

• Roger is confused by how Mrs. Jones is acting.

• Mrs. Jones tells Roger to behave himself and Roger leaves after saying "thank you".

What does Mrs. Jones do and/or say that causes Roger to trust her? Choose THREE correct answers.

• "Not with that face, I would not take you nowhere."

• “I were young once and I wanted things I could not get.”

• When she got to her door, she dragged the boy inside.

• "So you set down while I fix us something to eat."

• The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her purse.

What evidence leads the reader to believe that Roger has started to change? Choose TWO answers.

• He eats all of his dinner.

• He offers to go to the store for Mrs. Jones.

• He sits where she can watch him while she cooks.

• Roger washes and dries his face.