Read the Excerpt from Thank You Ma'am

Why does Roger attempt to steal from Mrs. Jones?

• He needed money to feed his family

• He was seeking revenge

• He wanted blue suede shoes

• He wanted a thrill

How does Mrs. Jones react to Roger's attempted theft?

• She was scared for her life

• She was angry, and then curious, about Roger's motives behind the theft

• She got the police involved

Consider the quote below:

The woman said, “You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now is to wash your face. Are you hungry?”

Judging from this quote, what can you infer about Mrs. Jones?

• She cares more about helping Roger than punishing him.

• She feels burdened with the responsibility of helping Roger.

• She just wants Roger to leave.

• She looks down on Roger for being poor.

“Then, Roger, you go to that sink and wash your face,” said the woman, whereupon she turned him loose—at last. Roger looked at the door—looked at the woman—looked at the door—and went to the sink.

Mrs. Jones finally turned Roger loose. What does this say about her?

• That she has a bad memory.

• That she is a fool.

• That she has control issues.

• That she trusts him.

The woman was sitting on the day-bed. After a while she said, “I were young once and I wanted things I could not get.”

Judging from this quote, what can we infer about Mrs. Jones?

• That she was lazy as a kid and never tried to earn anything

• That she identifies with Roger's pain and understands him.

• That her parents were too greedy to spoil her.

• That she's a know-it-all.

Over the course of the text, Mrs. Jones talks a lot about Roger's physical appearance and how he needs to clean himself up. Why?

• Because she's a snob: she stereotypes people based on how they look.

• To protect her reputation: she would feel embarrassed to be seen with someone so dirty.

• It's her way of looking out for him: she knows people won't take a young black boy seriously if he looks dirty.

• She doesn't want him to track mud into her house.

What do the blue suede shoes symbolize?

• The luxuries and opportunities in life that poor people can't afford.

• The pressure to fit into a predominantly white, rich society.

• Mrs. Jones' generosity and compassion after handing Roger the money.

• All of the above.

Ultimately, what is Roger thanking Mrs. Jones for at the end of the story?

• For giving him $10

• For teaching him life lessons about forgiveness, compassion, and trust

• For cooking him supper

• For cleaning his face