Get Questions with answers from “Thank You Ma’am”. Thank You Ma’am – Important Notes. Very Important for HS Exam. Must Prepare.
1. Question : Sketch (অঙ্কন করো) the character (চরিত্র) of Mrs Jones (মিসেস জোনসের) in the story “Thank You Ma’am” (“থ্যাঙ্ক ইউ ম্যাম” গল্পে).
Ans. In the superb (চমৎকার) short (ছোট) story (গল্প) “Thank You Ma’am”, Mrs Luella Bates Washington Jones is (হয়) the main (প্রধান) character (চরিত্র). She (সে) is (হয়) an (একজন) empathetic (সাহসী বা জেদি), generous (উদার) and perceptive (দূরদর্শী) lady (মহিলা). At the outset (শুরুতে) of the short story (ছোট গল্পটির), Mrs Bates appears (আবির্ভূত হন) to be a (একজন) stern (কঠোর), rigid (অনমনীয়) and able-bodied (শক্তিশালী) and large (বিশাল আকারের) woman (মহিলা). She (তিনি) quickly (দ্রুত) reacts (প্রতিক্রিয়া করেন) to the boy’s action (ছেলেটির কাজে) and (এবং) takes (নিয়ে যান) herself (নিজেই) the boy (ছেলেটিকে) to her home (তার বাড়িতে).
She (তিনি) understands (বুঝতে পারেন) what (যা বা যেটা) the boy needs (ছেলেটার দরকার) is (হয়) motherly (মাতৃসুলভ) affection (স্নেহ) to put him (তাকে আনতে) on the right track (সঠিক পথে). Jones (জোনস্) wants (চায়) to bring (আনতে) Roger (রোজারকে) to the main (প্রধান) stream (স্রোতে) of society (সমাজের). So (তাই) she (তিনি) gives (দিয়েছেন) him (তাকে অর্থাৎ রোজারকে) food (খাবার) and (এবং) money (টাকা) to buy (কিনতে) his (তার) coveted (অনেক দিনের আশা করা) blue (নীল রঙের) suede (নরম চামড়ার) shoes (জুতো). She (তিনি) is (হন) very (খুব) frank (খোলামেলা) and (এবং) confesses (স্বীকার করেন) about (সম্পর্কে) her past mistakes (তার অতীতের ভুলগুলো). But (কিন্তু) she (তিনি) learnt (শিক্ষা পেয়েছিলেন) from (থেকে) her (তার) mistakes (ভুলগুলো) and (এবং) asks (বলেন) Roger (রোজারকে) to do the same (একই কাজ করতে অর্থাৎ ভুলগুলো থেকে শিক্ষা নিতে). She (তিনি) knows (জানেন) that (যে) people (জনগণ বা মানুষ) are (হয়) more (আরও) sinned against (পাপের বিরোধী) than (চেয়ে) sinning (পাপ করার). That is why (সেই কারণে) she (তিনি) forgives (ক্ষমা করে দেন) Roger (রোজারকে) easily (সহজেই).
2. Question : Attempt a character-sketch of Roger.
In the short story, Roger is presented as a flop thief. He tried to snatch away the purse of Mrs. Jones. He wanted to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. But he failed in his mission. He was caught red-handed. Then Roger felt ashamed of his attempt and sorry for his act. He requested Mrs. Jones to make him free. He was very much afraid of police and jail. All this showed that he was not a professional thief. Again, he himself was very untidy. His face was dirty.
He had none to look after. Mrs. Jones enforced him to come to her house. He washed his face. They had food. Thus her motherly loving affection won the heart Roger. He was moved. All this showed that he was not a criminal. So, during his departure, he wanted to say more than “Thank you, Ma’am” to his Mrs. Jones. He was grateful to her. This showed that all was not lost. Thus he got changed with the motherly feelings of Mrs. Jones.
3. Question : How did Mrs. Jones try to change Roger for better?
Ans : In the short story “Thank You Ma’am”, Roger was a thief. But he was at a beginner’s level. His had a dirty face. Roger was very weak, feeble and frail. He had none to took care of him. He was only unwanted. The boy had neither home nor loving hand of mother for him. He was left free to starve. He was free to go astray. Roger had none to correct his faults.
Mrs. Jones realized this. So she took him to her own house. She told him to clean his face. She cooked food for him. Mrs. Jones gave him the money to buy shoes for which he tried to snatch her purse. She advised him to live an honest life. She made the poor boy feel that he was not unwanted. Somebody was there for him. Thus, she tried to change his perception and tried to make him a good man.
4. Question : Reproduce the conversation in your own words about Roger and Mrs. Jones before the former was taken to her house.
Ans: In Langston Hughes’ famous short story, the boy Roger tried to snatch the purse of Mrs. Jones. But she caught him as he fell down losing his balance. Then she ordered him to pick up her purse. She asked if he was ashamed of himself. She wanted to know what was the purpose of his snatching her purse. The boy said that he had no aim behind his stealing.
On hearing this, Mrs. Jones angrily told him that he was telling lie. She asked him if he would run away if she turned him loose. The boy replied that he would do it immediately if she turned him loose. So, the woman did not free him. The boy felt sorry. Mrs. Jones noticed his dirty face. She asked if he had anyone at home to tell him to wash his face. The boy replied that there was none. The woman felt for him. She took the boy home. On the way she told him that he would have to remember her for ever.
5. What picture of society do you get in “Thank You Ma’am?”
The saying “there is darkness under the lamp” is very fitting for the story. The story clearly shows that behind the
dazzling of American society there there is also a dark world of poverty, misery and crime. Tne boy Roger is a denizen (পদচিহ্ন) of the dark world of America. Boy like Roger does not have anyone to look after him, nor to cook a meal for him. Naturally he gets into criminal offence and activities. As not professional boys like him often get caught and get into jail.
The lady also has a past which she does not like disclose. In spite of such previous life, the milk of human kindness has not totaly dried up in the mind of Mrs. Jones. She wants to help another victim of social descrimination (অবক্ষয়). That is why she changes Roger into a good man with her motherly affection and love.
1+1+4
Ans. Roger (রোজার) said (বলেছিল) this (এটা) in reply (উত্তরে) to the query (প্রশ্নের) made by Mrs.Luella Bates Washington Jones (মিসেস লুয়েলা বেটস্ ওয়াশিংটন জোনস্ – এর করা).
Mrs. (মিসেস) Jones (জোনস্) said (বলেছিল) that (যে) Roger did not have any need (রোজারের কোনো দরকার ছিল না) to try (চেষ্টা করার) to snatch (ছিনিয়ে নিতে) someone’s (কারও) pocketbook (টাকার ব্যাগ) to buy (কিনতে) the shoes (জুতো). He (সে) might ask (জিজ্ঞাসা করতে পারত) her (তাকে) the money (টাকা) to give (দেওয়ার জন্য). Roger (রোজার) did not expect (আশা করেনি) such (এইরকম) answer (উত্তর) from Mrs. Jones (মিসেস জোনসের কাছ থেকে). He had never thought (সে কখনও ভাবে নি) that (যে) the world (পৃথিবী) was (ছিল) so (এত) good (ভালো) that (যে) someone (কেউ) would come forward (আগিয়ে আসতে পারে) to fulfill (পূরণ করতে) his (তার) dream (স্বপ্ন). He (সে) was (ছিল) devoid (বঞ্চিত) of any kind (যে কোনো ধরনের) of love (ভালবাসা) or (অথবা) care (যত্ন) since (থেকে) his (তার) birth (জন্ম). Probably (সম্ভবতঃ) he (সে) received nothing (কিছুই পায়নি) but (ছাড়া) ill-treatment (দুর্ব্যবহার) from many (অনেকের কাছ থেকে). So (তাই) he (সে) lost (হারিয়েছিল) all (সব) the positive (সদর্থক) sides (দিক) of life (জীবনের). He (সে) was (ছিল) spellbound (মন্ত্রমুগ্ধ) by (দ্বারা) Mrs. Bates’ answer (মিসেস জোনসের উত্তরের) as (যেহেতু) it (এটা) was (ছিল) unbelievable (অবিশ্বাস্য) to him (তার কাছে). He (সে) could only (কেবলমাত্র) utter (উচ্চারণ করতে পেরেছিল) “Maam ? (ম্যাম), expressing (প্রকাশ করে) his (তার) wonder (বিস্ময়).
7. “Do you need somebody to go to the store,” asked the boy, may be to get some milk or something?” – What is the woman give to the boy to eat? What did she say during their eating?
Ans: The woman made cocoa drink out of the canned milk and offered it to the boy. See also heated some lima beans and ham she had in the ice box.
During their supper Mrs Jones did not ask the boy anything about his drilling place and the folks at home. She told him about her job in a hotel beauty shop that stayed open late. She told him how she had to interact with a number of other women, blondies and Spanish people too. Then she cut him a half of a 10 cent cake and addressed him as her son. See also asked him to eat some more.
8. “You gonna take me to jail?” – Who asked this question and to whom? When did the speaker ask this question? What reply did the speaker get? (2+3+1) (HS Exam 2019)
Ans: Roger, the young boy in the short story “Thank You Ma’am” by Langston Hughes, told this to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones.
When Mrs Jones caught Roger red handed for snatching her purse, she took him to home instead of calling the police. She asked him to wash his face. Such behaviour from Mrs. Jones was unexpected to Roger. He could not imagine what was going to happen next. At that very moment, Roger asked this question.
In reply to the question, Mrs. Jones told him that she would take him nowhere with that dirty face. She also informed him that dinner was being ready.
Thank You Ma’am by Langston Hughes.
মাধ্যমিক ও উচ্চ মাধ্যমিক পরীক্ষার জন্য অত্যন্ত গুরুত্বপূর্ণ আপডেট পেতে আমাদের এই ওয়েবসাইট টি নিয়মিত ভিজিট করুন।
আমাদের এই ওয়েবসাইট টি সাবস্ক্রাইব করুন এবং সবার সঙ্গে শেয়ার করুন। আপনার মতামত লিখে জানান নীচের কমেন্ট বক্সে।
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