“Thank you Ma’am” Literary Analysis
Element
Setting: when/where the
story takes place
Characters: people who act
out the events in the story
Characters: people who act
out the events in the story
Details/Types
Historical Time
Geographical/Physical Place
Round: complicated character
Flat: stereotypical character
Static: does not change
Dynamic: undergoes change
Protagonist: central character
Antagonist: opposes central character
Direct Characterization: literal
Indirect Characterization: inferential
Round: complicated character
Static: does not change
Antagonist: opposes central character
Direct Characterization: literal
Indirect Characterization: inferential
Analysis of the Text
Time: 1950s - 1960s
Place: A big city (New York Somewhere?)
Physical Description: small, boy, dirty face, messy hair,
about 14-15, tattered clothes, willow-wild
Name analysis: kind of common, doesn’t seem to mean
anything very short and simple (doesn’t know very much
about himself or life) means “message received” (learned
the lesson) “Roger”
Attitude: is really meek and wants to melt into the
background, is polite, not very good at life in general,
submissive, not good at thievery, not good at words
Dialogue: is very polite.
Thoughts: he wants to get away from the lady, then wants
her to trust him
Reactions of Others: the lady doesn’t like him
pickpocketing her purse, and took him home and washed
him and gave him money and taught him not to steal, and
treats him with maternal kindness
Action or Incident: he wants to runaway if he did
something bad
Physical/Emotional Setting: he wants the woman to like
him in her house, but wants to run away outside
Physical Description: she’s big and strong and has a good
bit of money
Name analysis: really long (power, prestige) and very
sophisticated “Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones”
Luella (warrior)

Conflict: the central tension
that makes stories interesting
Plot: the organization of
events in the story
Style: how the author
chooses to tell the story
External: struggle between a character Man vs. Man: Mrs. Jones has a strong hold on Roger
and an outside force
Internal: struggle that takes place in a person?
character’s mind
Exposition: background info
Rising Action: plot moves toward the
climax
Climax: moment of highest emotional
intensity, often a turning point
Falling Action & Resolution: end of
the action, resolved successfully or not
Diction & Imagery: different types of
literary devices used to tell the story
Symbolism/Allusions: objects,
Attitude: headstrong, kind of sassy, a force to be reckoned
with, morally confident, kind of stubborn, will not shrink
from anything, perceptive
Dialogue: she talks rather urban she is authoritative and
commanding, conveys power and wisdom and minor
success in jobs, major success in life, maternal
Thoughts: none
Reactions of Others: the boy is very polite with her and
doesn’t disobey her
Action or Incident: she is assertive when dealing with the
pickpocket
Physical/Emotional Setting: she brought Roger to her
house and is kind of maternal and caretaking at her home
vs her on-the-lookout no-troublemaking when she is
outside
Man vs. Self: Should I run or stay and become a better
Exposition: he steals her purse
Rising Action: she grabs him and takes him to her house
Climax: when Roger decides not to run
Falling Action: Mrs. Jones teaches him about values
Resolution: the boy goes back to the streets, never to see
the woman again
Alliteration:
Flashback:
Foreshadowing:
Hyperbole:

Theme: big ideas or central
topics the author conveys;
message or moral of the story
Point of View: the “story-
teller’s” perspective
characteristics or situations used to Dramatic Irony:
represent a bigger, Situational Irony:
philosophical/spiritual/moral issue Verbal Irony:
Metaphor:
Tone: changing attitudes or feelings Onomatopoeia:
that the author presents about events in Parallelism:
the story (positive, negative or neutral) Personification:
Simile:
Mood: overall atmosphere or feeling
of the story created by the author’s Symbolism: him washing his face- washing his sins away,
words blue suede shoes - rebellion and influence and popularity
(unattainable things),
Allusion:
Tone: serious, and stern (tough love) suspension with like
an undercurrent of compassion and hopefulness
Mood:
Often there are multiple themes in a Theme(s): sin will hurt you in the end - life is
story. unpredictable never get anything dishonestly - only one
thing can turn your life around - earn everything you get
1st person: story told by the “I” Point of View: third person limited to Roger
character
3rd person: told by direct observer
Omniscient: story told by person who
knows everything and can reveal
character’s thoughts