Makes Predictions/Inferences/Draws Conclusions: RL.01.RS.09.01 “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes

1.  What does the woman do to the boy after he tries to steal her purse? The woman turned around and kicked him square in his blue-jeaned sitter. Then she reached down, picked the boy up by his shirt front, and shook him until his teeth rattled.  Why does she do this? She did this because the boy tried to steal her purse. Why doesn’t she turn him over to the police? She doesn't doesn't turn him to the police because she said that she wouldn't take Roger nowhere with his dirty face.

2.  What did you think Mrs. Jones was going to do to the boy originally?  I thought that she was going to sen him to the police. What makes you think that?  I thought that because if you steal someone's belongings they want you not to just get away with it.

3.  How would you have reacted in Mrs. Jones place, if you were Roger? Why? I would be begging her for forgiveness because I would want to get in trouble.

4.  Make inferences (draw conclusions) about Roger’s home life?  I think Rodger is probably poor because he didn't have enough money to buy the blue suede shoes that he wanted because he tied to steal money from the woman.

5.  What might be some other reasons why Roger tries to steal? What in the story makes you think that? Roger might have tried to steal because he could of been in a gang and if he didn't steal the gang members would do something bad to Roger.

6.  The last paragraph begins with “The boy wanted to say something else but couldn’t do it.”  What else do you think he would have like to be able to say to her besides “Thank you”? Why? I think he would of been like, "I will never do this again" and "I'm sorry" because he is really happy that the women gave him money instead of sending him to the police.

7.  Do you think at the beginning if Roger had been successful in stealing the purse, would he have bought shoes with the money?  Why or why not?  I think that Roger might not of bought the blue suede shoes because he just wanted to sound cool. He didn't want to sound like he was poor. 8. At the end, now that he has been given $10, will he use it to buy shoes? Why/Why not?  I think he will use the money to buy blue suede shoes because the woman gave him something to eat so he's not hungry anymore.