Don Marcelo Jimenez Memorial Polytechnic Institute Module #5

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Second Midterm Handout

I. Short Story

Thank You, Ma'am (by Langston Hughes)

She was a large woman with a large purse that had everything in it but hammer and nails. It had a long strap,
and she carried it slung across her shoulder. It was about eleven o’clock at night, and she was walking alone,
when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The strap broke with the single tug the boy gave it
from behind. But the boy’s weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him to lose his balance so,
intsead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk, and his legs flew up.
the large woman simply turned around and kicked him right 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.
After that the woman said, “Pick up my pocketbook, boy, and give it here.” She still held him. But she bent
down enough to permit him to stoop and pick up her purse. Then she said, “Now ain’t you ashamed of
yourself?”
Firmly gripped by his shirt front, the boy said, “Yes’m.”
The woman said, “What did you want to do it for?”
The boy said, “I didn’t aim to.”
She said, “You a lie!”
By that time two or three people passed, stopped, turned to look, and some stood watching.
“If I turn you loose, will you run?” asked the woman.
“Yes’m,” said the boy.
“Then I won’t turn you loose,” said the woman. She did not release him.
“I’m very sorry, lady, I’m sorry,” whispered the boy.
“Um-hum! And your face is dirty. I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Ain’t you got nobody home
to tell you to wash your face?”
“No’m,” said the boy.
“Then it will get washed this evening,” said the large woman starting up the street, dragging the frightened
boy behind her.
He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.
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?”
“No’m,” said the being dragged boy. “I just want you to turn me loose.”
“Was I bothering you when I turned that corner?” asked the woman.
“No’m.”
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“But you put yourself in contact with me,” said the woman. “If you think that that contact is not going to last
awhile, you got another thought coming. When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember Mrs.
Luella Bates Washington Jones.”
Sweat popped out on the boy’s face and he began to struggle. Mrs. Jones stopped, jerked him around in front
of her, put a half-nelson about his neck, and continued to drag him up the street. When she got to her door, she
dragged the boy inside, down a hall, and into a large kitchenette furnished room at the rear of the house. She
switched on the light and left the door open. The boy could hear other roomers laughing and talking in the
large house. Some of their doors were open, too, so he knew he and the woman were not alone. The woman
still had him by the neck in the middle of her room.
She said, “What is your name?”
“Roger,” answered the boy.
“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.
Let the water run until it gets warm,” she said. “Here’s a clean towel.”
“You gonna take me to jail?” asked the boy, bending over the sink.
“Not with that face, I would not take you nowhere,” said the woman. “Here I am trying to get home to cook
me a bite to eat and you snatch my pocketbook! Maybe, you ain’t been to your supper either, late as it be. Have
you?”
“There’s nobody home at my house,” said the boy.
“Then we’ll eat,” said the woman, “I believe you’re hungry—or been hungry—to try to snatch my
pockekbook.”
“I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes,” said the boy.
“Well, you didn’t have to snatch my pocketbook to get some suede shoes,” said Mrs. Luella Bates Washington
Jones. “You could of asked me.”
“M’am?”
The water dripping from his face, the boy looked at her. There was a long pause. A very long pause. After he
had dried his face and not knowing what else to do dried it again, the boy turned around, wondering what next.
The door was open. He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run, run!
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.”
There was another long pause. The boy’s mouth opened. Then he frowned, but not knowing he frowned.
The woman said, “Um-hum! You thought I was going to say but, didn’t you? You thought I was going to say,
but I didn’t snatch people’s pocketbooks. Well, I wasn’t going to say that.” Pause. Silence. “I have done things,
too, which I would not tell you, son—neither tell God, if he didn’t already know. So you set down while I fix
us something to eat. You might run that comb through your hair so you will look presentable.”

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In another corner of the room behind a screen was a gas plate and an icebox. Mrs. Jones got up and went
behind the screen. The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did she watch her
purse which she left behind her on the day-bed. But the boy took care to sit on the far side of the room where
he thought she could easily see him out of the corner of her eye, if she wanted to. He did not trust the woman
not to trust him. And he did not want to be mistrusted now.
“Do you need somebody to go to the store,” asked the boy, “maybe to get some milk or something?”
“Don’t believe I do,” said the woman, “unless you just want sweet milk yourself. I was going to make cocoa
out of this canned milk I got here.”
“That will be fine,” said the boy.
She heated some lima beans and ham she had in the icebox, made the cocoa, and set the table. The woman
did not ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would embarrass him.
Instead, as they ate, she told him about her job in a hotel beauty-shop that stayed open late, what the work was
like, and how all kinds of women came in and out, blondes, red-heads, and Spanish. Then she cut him a half
of her ten-cent cake.
“Eat some more, son,” she said.
When they were finished eating she got up and said, “Now, here, take this ten dollars and buy yourself some
blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching onto my pocketbook nor nobody else’s—
because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet. I got to get my rest now. But I wish you would
behave yourself, son, from here on in.”
She led him down the hall to the front door and opened it. “Good-night! Behave yourself, boy!” she said,
looking out into the street.
The boy wanted to say something else other than “Thank you, m’am” to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones,
but he couldn’t do so as he turned at the barren stoop and looked back at the large woman in the door. He
barely managed to say “Thank you” before she shut the door. And he never saw her again.

II. Thank You Ma’am | Summary and Analysis

Summary of Thank You, Ma'am by Langston Hughes

Thank You, Ma’am, by Langston Hughes, is a short story that deals with the themes of shame, trust, dignity,
and second chances. The story revolves around an incident wherein a teenager named Roger attempts to steal
a woman’s purse. In what follows, the manner in which the woman, a certain Mrs. Luella Jones, deals with the
situation causes a shift in Roger’s perspective in this beautiful story that highlights the power of choice whilst
engaging with emotions of empathy, guilt, fear, and kindness.

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Thank You, Ma’am | Summary

Thank You, Ma’am is written in the third person, with an unnamed narrator. It focuses on two characters- a
straightforward and compassionate woman named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, and a fifteen-year-old
boy named Roger who learns a lesson after attempting to steal her purse. The story begins with a description
of a woman, whom we later come to know is Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. She has a huge bag strapped
around her shoulders, and it contains almost everything she needs. She is walking down the street alone at
eleven o’clock in the night when she feels someone tug the strap- but alas, the bag is too heavy for the boy
who tried to snatch it. Instead of pulling it and running away, he falls to the floor from its weight, and Mrs.
Jones gives him a kick and demands that he pick up her pocketbook. After he does so, she asks him whether
he was ashamed of himself for his actions. The boy says yes, and pretends he didn’t mean to aim for the bag,
though Mrs. Jones believes none of it.
The boy says if he is let go, he will leave immediately, so Mrs. Jones doesn’t let him go. He seems to be about
fifteen years old, gaunt and frail and with an unkempt appearance, and she drags him down the corner to her
house so that he can wash his face. He is not enthusiastic, but Mrs. Jones reminds him that he is the one who
initiated contact by bumping into her, so he really doesn’t have an option. She learns, as she says she will not
be taking him to hail, that his name is Roger and that there is nobody at his house and he doesn’t have a meal
to eat.
Mrs. Jones decides to give him food, assuming that is the reason he tried to snatch pocketbook. But Roger adds
that he wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes, and Mrs. Jones says he could have just asked. There is a pause
after Roger dries his face where considers making a dash to the door and running away, but Mrs. Jones sits
down and begins speaking. She tells him about how she, too, used to want things she couldn’t get, and she did
things that she is not willing to tell him about- nor tell God about, less he already knows. With that confession,
she fixes Roger a meal to eat.
She then gets up and moves behind the screen, leaving her purse on the table with Roger and not giving a
glance back to check. He could take it and run, but at that moment, he feels the importance of trust. He does
not want to be mistreated or distrusted by Mrs. Jones, and with that newfound sense of dignity, asks her whether
she needs someone to buy her milk or run her errands, to which she says not unless he wants sweetened milk.
They eat together, and Mrs. Jones tells him about her job and life. She does not ask him about his own, or
anything else that may make him feel embarrassed. As she cuts him a piece of cake, she tells him to “Eat more,
son.”
Finally, as they finish the meal and there is no more reason for Roger to stay, Mrs. Jones gives him ten dollars
to buy the new pair of suede blue shoes he wanted. She makes him promise not to try and steal hers or anyone
else’s pocketbooks now that he has the money, and tells him to behave himself as she opens the front door for
him to leave. Roger wants to say “Thank you, Ma’am.” but he is hardly able to get the words out before she
closes the door, and the two of them never meet again.
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- Thank You, Ma’am | Analysis

Thank You, Ma’am is a short story by Langston Hughes, an American author. It is written in the third person,
with an unnamed narrator. It focuses on two characters- a straightforward and compassionate woman named
Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones, and a fifteen-year-old boy named Roger who learns a lesson after
attempting to steal her purse. This story was published in 1958 and hence could reflect the socio-economic
situation of America at the time. Hughes uses dialogue and situations to portray the key elements and emotional
shifts of the story, and it is interaction with Mrs. Jones that causes Roger’s shift in perspective. The narration
is kept overall neutral, shifting once in a while between Mrs. Jones and Roger once in a while to provide greater
insight. This is done very briefly and evenly to maintain the balance. Hughes also employs slang, dialect and
colloquialism to realistically depict the setting of the story, and to help readers better connect to the social
context of the characters. This sense of community and home situation is subtly reiterated at various intervals.
We see an overall lesson on the power of choice, and the consequences that come with it- whether it be good
or bad. The main themes of this story are shame, trust, dignity and second chances. We also see the underlying
theme of emotions, such as empathy, kindness, guilt, and fear.
The story begins by establishing Mrs. Jones’s character. Contrary to the worry one may have about a woman
walking alone late at night, she asserts herself as a strong and capable person. We can also see that the boy is
not only physically fragile, but also immediately terrified. Hence, the readers get a clear idea about the
contrasting dynamic between them. This dynamic may be different from the readers’ natural expectations, and
it is important to note that this is another overarching theme of this story- expectations and how they are formed
and broken. Not just the expectations of the readers, but the expectations Mrs. Jones and Roger may have of
each other at first sight. We will see more of this theme later in the analysis.
When Mrs. Jones begins dragging Roger to her house, he is visibly terrified. The theme of fear makes itself
clear, as Roger has no idea what will happen to him. Hughes’s physical description of him, however- young,
frail, with battered shoes, gives readers the impression that he is not well-off. Because of this, the initial
hostility one may have felt towards him because of his attempted thievery dwindles into sympathy or curiosity.
We can assume here that Roger’s act of stealing stemmed from his need for money. Of course, this does not
fix the action- thievery is morally wrong- but readers understand that the intention was not out of malice but
rather out of desire or desperation. Mrs. Jones probably notices the same thing on looking at him, which is why
she decides to take him to her house to wash up instead of turning him in to the police. At the same time, she
did “kick him in the seat of his jeans” and “hold him up by the collar” when he first tried to take her purse. She
did this out of instinctive self-defense first and foremost, and also to assert the fact that she could not be easily
duped, nor was it right to steal anyone’s items. This is what instilled the fear in Roger, which remained palpable
through a greater part of the story.

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The next important point to note is that Roger says he “does not have anyone at home”. From this, it can be
assumed that he either lives alone, does not have parents who look after him or does not even have a stable
shelter. In any case, he has probably never been scolded for something like not washing his face, or been
reprimanded for the moral wrongness of thievery. Mrs. Jones’s tone, though stern, is also empathetic which
creates an almost maternal effect. This is something Roger seems to lack in his life, which is one of the reasons
it has a profound impact on him. He even asks whether she needs someone to run errands for her, showing his
guilt at having tried to rob her and his wish to do something in return. The very reason he does not run away
even when he has the chance and considers it is because of this.
Roger then says he did not want the money to buy food, but to buy a new pair of higher-priced shoes. This may
come as a surprise to some readers- why would he spend the money on a want instead of a need? All this time,
it may have been assumed that his attempt at thievery was due to his lack of food and shelter, but now we see
that it was to buy fancy shoes. While shoes themselves are important, why do they need to be blue suede ones
specifically? But Mrs. Jones immediately understands and empathizes, for she has been in a similar position
when she was younger. These blue suede shoes are something that seem almost unattainable to Roger, unlike
food which he may manage to find some of as the days go by. The idea of possessing such an item will elevate
the feeling of belonging within Roger- it will make him feel like he is more than his homelessness or his
supposedly inferior social status. These shoes symbolize luxury and a step forward in life. Though readers
might argue that it is unnecessary, such purchases of indulgence are what seem to increase Roger’s sense of
self-worth, and emotional satisfaction is of huge importance especially for a boy of that age. The only issue is
that he resorted to stealing, which is quickly rectified by Mrs. Jones.
Further, we notice that his mention of not having anyone at home, his appearance, and his want of the
pocketbook alludes to his poverty. His interactions suggest that he is ashamed of it- this is picked up by Mrs.
Jones as well. When they are eating together, she talks about her own job and home but does not ask Roger
about his. She does so because she does not want him to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed by speaking about
it. Here, we see the theme of shame. It is also here that Roger’s mindset starts changing and he understands
what he did was wrong. It is unlikely that anybody has had such a natural and light-hearted conversation while
eating with him before, and this would have had an impact on his worldview in general- a reminder that
kindness and compassion do exist in the least expected places.
When Mrs. Jones talks about her own past experiences, Roger waits for her to add that despite everything, she
never went around stealing. To his surprise, there is no such dialogue- instead, she hints that she may have
done the same as Roger in the past, if not worse, and has learnt from the situation. This is a twist for Roger,
and a clear instance where Mrs. Jones has undermined his expectation of what he thought she would say. This
establishes a closer connection between them. This is why, when Mrs. Jones leaves Roger with the wallet,
Roger does not want to break her trust, and therefore does not steal the wallet. Further, it is not mentioned

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whether Mrs. Jones thinks he will take it or not, but we may assume she trusts him by the fact that she left him
alone. This is yet another example of expectations- the expectation she has on his dignity, of which he feels
the weight and chooses not to break.
Here, we see the themes of trust, dignity and second chances. Mrs. Jones gives Roger a second chance by
leaving him with her pocketbook. This time, he makes the right decision, thereby redeeming himself. This
choice was made by him because he did not want her to not trust him anymore. This meant he felt the weight
of her trust and understood how important it is not to break such a fragile thing. It may have been the first time
in his life someone has treated him so kindly, tried to help him understand right from wrong, and even offer
him a chance to right his mistakes, and Roger does not want to undermine that level of goodness. He finally
finds his sense of dignity. After spending so long stealing people’s money to buy things, he makes the morally
right decision at a crucial time and this also teaches him a lesson. In the end, Mrs. Jones gives him a ten-dollar
note- this can almost be seen as an unexpected reward: had he tried to run away with the pocketbook when it
was left on the table, she might’ve caught him again. Then, the trust would be broken and he would be sent
away in disgrace without food or money. Now, he has had a pleasant evening, eaten some food, and even
received ten dollars to buy his shoes. The effect of upholding trust, making the right decision, and showing
dignity are immediately showcased.
Mrs. Jones shows Roger out just as quickly and abruptly as she brought him in. He wants to thank her- and it
is likely the first time he is genuinely grateful to someone, for not many people may have acted so kindly
towards him before. He wants to say “Thank you, Ma’am”, but she closes the door before he can finish. This
is in line with the title of the story, which encapsulates the feeling in Roger’s heart and the words he wanted to
say. He and Mrs. Jones never met again, but it is safe to assume that their interaction impacted Roger heavily
and remained in his mind for a long time. This represents how small acts of kindness can go a long way, and
even if they never meet again, one empathetic interaction between two strangers can be life-changing and can
give someone some much-needed hope.

III. FICTION
Classification
1. Flash Fiction- 100-1000 words
2. Short Story- 1,000-10,000 words
3. Novelette- 10,000-20,000 words
4. Novella- 20,000-30,000 words
5. Novel- 30,000 words beyond.

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IV. CHARACTERIZING CHARACTERS

 Fictional characters are often made up of three parts
1. Appearance- describing the physical characteristics of character. Imagery must be used including
internal emotions.
2. Attributes- personality and preferences of the character.
3. Aspirations- What do they want? It is the internal motivation of the character.

7 Character Roles in Stories

If we categorize character types by the role they play in a narrative, we can hone in on seven distinct varieties:
the protagonist, the antagonist, the love interest, the confidant, deuteragonists, tertiary characters, and the
foil.

1. 1. Protagonist: The main character of the story is the protagonist. They should be carefully crafted
with a logical backstory, personal motivation, and a character arc over the course of the story. Often
the story will be told from their point of view. From a heroine like Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger
Games to a miserable wretch like Doestoevsky’s Underground Man, the protagonist is the character
the audience is most invested in.
2. 2. Antagonist: The villain of the story is the antagonist. Think Lex Luthor, Lord Voldemort, or Dr.
Charles Nichols in The Fugitive. Note that an antagonist is not the same as an anti-hero like the Joker
or Walter White. Anti-heroes are villainous people who function in a protagonist’s role.
3. 3. Love interest: The love interest is the protagonist’s object of desire. A good love interest will be
compelling and three-dimensional, like Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby or Rhett Butler in Gone
With the Wind.
4. 4. Confidant: This type of character is the best friend or sidekick of the protagonist, the Sancho
Panza to their Don Quixote. Often the protagonist's goal flows through the confidant—although not
every story needs one. A particularly famous confidant is Horatio in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, as is
Hermione in Harry Potter.
5. 5. Deuteragonists: These characters often overlap with confidants. A deuteragonist is close to the
main character, but the story’s main plot does not directly correspond with their own character arc.
Horatio doubles as a deuteragonist. In Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Samwise Gamgee is a
deuteragonist. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Benvolio is a deuteragonist who doubles as a
confidant, while Mercutio is a deuteragonist but not a confidant.
6. 6. Tertiary characters: Tertiary characters populate the world of the story but do not necessarily
link to the main storyline. These minor characters serve any number of functions and may have
varying degrees of personal dynamism. Think of Padma and Parvati Patil in the Harry Potter series
or Father Zosima in The Brothers Karamazov. In Spider-Man, various tertiary characters help fill out
the world of Peter Parker’s New York.
7. 7. Foil: A foil character primarily exists to bring the protagonist’s qualities into sharper relief. Thi s
is because the foil is effectively the opposite of the protagonist. In the Star Trek series, Captain Kirk
and Mr. Spock serve as each other’s foils since their personalities are so notably different. Draco
Malfoy is a foil to Harry Potter.

5 Character Types That Appear in Fiction

One way to classify characters is by examining how they change (or don’t change) over the course of a story.
Grouped in this way by character development, character types include the dynamic character, the round
character, the static character, the stock character, and the symbolic character.

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1. 1. Dynamic character: A dynamic character is one who changes over the course of the story. As
such, a dynamic character makes the best protagonist. In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn, both Huck and Jim are dynamic characters. Similarly, each character in the love
triangle of William Styron’s Sophie’s Choice—Stingo, Sophie, and Nathan—is a dynamic character.
2. 2. Round character: Closely related to a dynamic character, a round character is a major character
who shows fluidity and the capacity for change from the moment we meet them. By contrast, some
dynamic protagonists do not change until actions in the story force that change. Round characters can
be noble, like Konstantin Levin in Anna Karenina, or morally dubious, like Humbert Humbert
in Lolita.
3. 3. Static character: A static character does not noticeably change over the course of a story.
Sometimes known as a flat character, these characters often play tertiary roles in a narrative (think
of various parental figures in Roald Dahl’s children's books). Many villains are also static: They were
evil yesterday, they’ll be evil today, and they’ll be evil tomorrow.
4. 4. Stock character: A stock character is an archetypal character with a fixed set of personality traits.
Shakespeare’s various fools are stock characters, as are some of his comic creations like Sir Andrew
and Sir Toby in Twelfth Night.
5. 5. Symbolic character: A symbolic character represents a concept or theme larger than themselves.
They may have dynamic qualities, but they also exist to subtly steer an audience’s mind toward
broader concepts. Most are supporting characters, but some stories have symbolic protagonists, such
as Dostoevsky’s The Idiot. When it comes to symbolic supporting characters, Boo Radley in To Kill
A Mockingbird is an example, representing a much larger legion of outcasts.

Characterization- creating characters

1. Direct characterization- directly describing the characters.

2. Indirect characterization- writers slowly recognize who the characters are and what kind of person
they are.
3. Comparative Characterization- comparing the characters’ flaws and strengths to another character.
4. Active characterization- This is when the author s the characters’ actions, movements, or physicality
to show what kind of person they are.

1. Establish the character’s story goals and motivations

Your character’s current goal is why the story exists — and why it’s worth telling. It’s what your character
wants from the book’s plot, and what will propel their inner journey. Without it, the overall narrative
arc would fall totally flat.

Let’s look at a few character goal examples:

 Harry Potter’s goal is to defeat Lord Voldemort

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 Bilbo’s goal is to help the dwarves reclaim the kingdom of Erebor

 Hamlet’s goal is to avenge his murdered father

Develop characters by establishing goals and motivations. Ask yourself:

 What is their goal?

 What are their specific motivations?
 What are they willing to risk to achieve their goal?
 What would happen if they simply can’t achieve their goal?

2. Give the character an external and internal conflict

Your character only becomes interesting when you put a few obstacles between them and their goal. If Frodo
walked on up to Mount Doom, dropped the ring in the lava, and made it back in time for second breakfast, it
wouldn’t make for a very compelling story or a very memorable protagonist. It’s the obstacles — the army of
orcs commanded by Sauron and the power the ring has over Frodo, to name a couple — that create conflict
and tension in the story. And that’s what makes it worth reading.

3. Make sure the character has strengths and flaws

All the intrigue in your story will flow from how your character responds to their external and internal
conflicts. In facing these challenges, your character will need both strengths to draw upon and flaws that
threaten to drag them down.

The iconic characters we know and love tend to have a nuanced mix of positive and negative traits. Harry
Potter, for instance, is brave and loyal. But he’s also stubborn and reckless, flaws that have put himself —
and his friends — in danger. Frodo, meanwhile, is selfless enough to take on a thankless and dangerous
mission. But he’s also highly dependent on the protection of his allies, and very vulnerable to the ring’s
seductive pull.

To give your adoring fans something to root for, your character should be plausibly able to overcome the
challenges the plot throws at them, destroying the ring or saving the wizarding world. At the same time, you
need to keep your readers on the edge of their seats. That’s why there should be a real risk that your character

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will fail — fall prey to the ring’s power at the very edge of Mt. Doom, or die in a burst of green light from
the Dark Lord’s wand.

Writing a character with both strengths and flaws will help you maintain the tension in your plotting, but
that’s not all it does— it’s also crucial to making your readers feel for the people at the heart of your story.

Your character’s strengths — whether that’s their sparkling wit, their skill at wind magic, or their
unwavering moral center — will get readers to root for them, admire them, maybe even swoon over them.
But don’t forget your character’s flaws: say, their recklessness, their greedy streak, the insecurity that makes
them lash out at their more accomplished sibling. These very human weaknesses will make them relatable.

4. Decide whether the character is static or dynamic

There's a myth that characters have to fundamentally change over the course of a story — in other words, be
dynamic — in order to be considered well-written. But the truth is, there are a host of great characters who
emerge from a long internal journey without changing very much at all. These are static characters, and
they're an absolutely valid part of your character development repertoire.

Let's dig a little deeper into the idea of static characters versus dynamic characters.

Characters who don’t change because that’s just who they are
Captain America, Captain Nemo, and Sherlock Holmes are a few examples of characters who do not
significantly alter over the course of the novel. In the case of Sherlock, it is his unchanging nature that makes
him a compelling character. Unlike many of us, he does not feel the need to adapt to his surroundings. For
Sherlock, that's both a strength and a flaw: he is always true to himself, but he often fails to learn from his
experiences. This is a “traditional” static character.

Characters who undergo substantial change

A dynamic character is altered by the conflict(s) that they face. This might be a subconscious change, such as
Jack adapting to the island in Lord of the Flies by becoming as wild, unconstrained, and “savage” as the
nature around him. Or the change might be more of a conscious decision, such as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr.
Darcy overcoming their obstinate pride and prejudice for the sake of love. This is a "traditional" dynamic
character.

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Creative Writing Date:

Name:_____________________________________________ Section:

Name: Grade & Section:

I. Crossword Puzzle se the clues to fill in the words above. 1

Words can go across or down.
Letters are shared when the words intersect

2 3

6
5
7

8 9 10

11

12
3
13

14
3
17 18
16 17
3 19 3 20

21
22
23
24

25 26
27

28

ACROSS DOWN
2. Shame, doubt, fear, poverty 1. Straightforward yet compassionate large woman
4. A boy named Roger tries to snatch the bag 3. Alone, empathetic, compassionate
5. “other roomers laughing and talking in the large house” 6. Different emotions, personalities; one character
10. Author, Thank You Ma’am 7. Imperfect flawed
11. "Roger is a frail, malnourished, unkempt looked-child"; 8. comparison; character to another character
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Creative Writing Date:

Name:_____________________________________________ Section:

Description 9. Slang, informal words

12. Main character 11. villain
13. Unnoticeably changing 14. Motherly acts of love
17. The motive to buy luxurious object 15. Literary Technique; "Sweat popped out on the boy’s face"'
22. 10,000-20,000 words 16. Sidekick
24. Extra 18. Point of view, Thank you Ma’am
25. Representation; character type 19. Street, furnished room
26. Main character’s opposite 20. Yin/yang
27. Sense of belongingness, satisfaction 21. "The woman took the snatcher boy home instead to jail"
28. characters’ actions, movements 23. Changing characters
27. Never changing

II. Short Paragraph Essay. 10 points

What have I realized upon reading the story entitled “Thank You Ma’am”?

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Creative Writing Date:

Name:_____________________________________________ Section:

III. Short Story Summary. Map the plot of the short story entitled “Thank You Ma’am”. 10 pts. You may use the
back sheet of this paper.

Exposition:

Opening Incident:

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

General Instruction: From the pool of words, identify what is being asked or stated by writing the correct words
before the number.
For numbers 1-6, refer to the choices below.
Character Theme Second Person Conflict Mrs. Della
Setting Third Person Plot Mrs. Jones Mrs. Sofronie
+
1. The short story emphasized shame, doubt, fear, poverty and compassion all throughout the story.
2. Roger is a fifteen-year-old fragile boy who lives alone.

3. The story is narrated on what Point of View?

4. A boy tries snatch a purse.

5. The story begins with a description of a woman, who has a huge bag strapped around her shoulders, and it
contains almost everything she needs.
6. She is a straightforward and compassionate woman whom can relate with.

For numbers 7-13, refer to the choices below.

Aspiration Appearance Indirect Active Kinesthetic
Attributes Direct Comparative Action Characterization
7. It is a type of characterization that explicitly describes the character’s physicality and attributes.
8. A character can be creatively described by emphasizing personality and preferences of the character
9. It is a type of characterization that makes the reader realize at the end of the story the real description of
character.
10. This is when the author s the characters’ actions, movements, or physicality to show what kind of
person they are.
11. It is a type of characterization that maintains balance and harmony between characters by comparing its
similarities and differences.
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Creative Writing Date:

Name:_____________________________________________ Section:

12. A character is made up by describing the physical characteristics of character

13. For him to purchase something he cannot afford, Roger’s motive is to snatch a bag instead.

For numbers 14-20, Identify what literary technique is used from the following scenes. Refer to the choices
below
Visual Irony Kinesthetic Colloquialism Archetype
Auditory Imagery Organic Symbolism Alliteration

14. The large woman dragged the snatcher boy towards her home, instead of bringing him to jail or child custody,
what literary technique is implied on this part of the story.
15. Black suede shoes may represent luxury and a step forward in life, but for some like Roger it can be a
representation of sense of worth and emotional satisfaction. What literary technique is applied?
16. The author utilizes slang or informal words in order to make the reader connect with the literature. What
literary technique is employed?
17. “The door is open, the boy can run, run, run away.”
18. She dragged the boy into her house, in her large kitchenette furnished room at the rear of the house.
19. The boy could hear other roomers laughing and talking in the large house.

20. Instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the sidewalk, and his legs
flew up.

For 21-28, refer to the choices below.

Flash Fiction Short Story Novel Drama

Novella Novelette Poetry Fiction
21. It is a type of fiction that has 100-1000-word count.
22. It focuses on dialogue and stage projection.
23. It is a type of fiction that contains 1,000-10,000 words
24. What type of fiction that has 30,000 words and beyond?
25. This type of literature has a great dependence on rhythm, lines and meter.
26. What type of fiction contains 10,000-20,000 words?
27. What type of fiction contains 20,000-30,000 words?
28. It is a type of literature created out of imagination.
29-35. Identify what stage of plot is narrated in the following scenarios from “Thank You Ma’am”.
Exposition I Resolution II Opening Incident Falling Action
Rising Action Exposition II Resolution I Climax

29. The story begins with a description of a woman, whom we later come to know is Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones. She has a huge bag strapped around her shoulders, and it contains almost everything she
needs.
30. They eat together, and Mrs. Jones tells him about her job and life. She does not ask him about his own, or
anything else that may make him feel embarrassed. As she cuts him a piece of cake, she tells him to “Eat more,
son.”
31. She is walking down the street alone at eleven o’clock in the night when she feels someone tug the strap- but
alas, the bag is too heavy for the boy who tried to snatch it. Instead of pulling it and running away, he falls to
the floor from its weight, and Mrs. Jones gives him a kick and demands that he picks up her pocketbook. After

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Don Marcelo Jimenez Memorial Polytechnic Institute Module #5

Creative Writing Date:

Name:_____________________________________________ Section:

he does so, she asks him whether he was ashamed of himself for his actions. The boy says yes, and pretends he
didn’t mean to aim for the bag, though Mrs. Jones believes none of it.
32. Roger wants to say “Thank you, Ma’am.” but he is hardly able to get the words out before she closes the door,
and the two of them never meet again.
33. The boy says if he is to let go, he will leave immediately, so Mrs. Jones doesn’t let him go. He seems to be
about fifteen years old, gaunt and frail and with an unkempt appearance, and she drags him down the corner to
her house so that he can wash his face.
34. She tells him about how she, too, used to want things she couldn’t get, and she did things that she is not willing
to tell him about- nor tell God about, less he already knows. With that confession, she fixes Roger a meal to
eat.
35. They finish the meal and there is no more reason for Roger to stay, Mrs. Jones gives him ten dollars to buy the new
pair of suede blue shoes he wanted. She makes him promise not to try and steal hers or anyone else’s pocketbooks
now that he has the money, and tells him to behave himself as she opens the front door for him to leave.

Performance Task I:

Create your own short story by mapping your own plot.

Exposition:

Opening Incident:

Rising Action:

Climax:

Falling Action:

Resolution:

Performance Task II: After you plot your own map, draft it into a short story at least 1000-7000 words.

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