Question
“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 kitchenettefurnished 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
what can you infer about the boy?
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 kitchenettefurnished 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
what can you infer about the boy?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
From the passage, we can infer several things about the boy, Roger:
1. **Desperation and Poverty:** Roger's attempt to steal Mrs. Jones' pocketbook indicates that he is in a desperate situation, likely stemming from poverty. He expresses a desire for "a pair of blue suede shoes," which suggests that material possessions are significant to him, perhaps as a symbol of status or belonging.
2. **Youthful Innocence and Vulnerability:** The boy's confusion and hesitation when interacting with Mrs. Jones show his youthfulness and naivety. He seems torn between fear of consequences and a hunger for connection or understanding, indicating a vulnerability typically associated with adolescence.
3. **Lack of Guidance or Support:** Roger mentions that "there's nobody home at my house," which implies that he lacks stable home support or guidance. This absence may contribute to his choices and lead him to seek out items he desires through less honorable means.
4. **Awareness of Wrongdoing:** Although he attempted to steal, Roger is aware that what he did was wrong. His moment of pause after washing his face, along with his questioning if he would be taken to jail, reveals an understanding of the consequences of his actions.
5. **Desire for Understanding:** Roger's reaction to Mrs. Jones’ admission that she was once young and wanted things suggests he is seeking understanding and perhaps empathy. This indicates a longing for more than just material possessions—he might also be looking for connection, guidance, or forgiveness.
Overall, Roger is depicted as a complex character grappling with the challenges of his environment, the consequences of his actions, and his desire for something beyond his current circumstances.
1. **Desperation and Poverty:** Roger's attempt to steal Mrs. Jones' pocketbook indicates that he is in a desperate situation, likely stemming from poverty. He expresses a desire for "a pair of blue suede shoes," which suggests that material possessions are significant to him, perhaps as a symbol of status or belonging.
2. **Youthful Innocence and Vulnerability:** The boy's confusion and hesitation when interacting with Mrs. Jones show his youthfulness and naivety. He seems torn between fear of consequences and a hunger for connection or understanding, indicating a vulnerability typically associated with adolescence.
3. **Lack of Guidance or Support:** Roger mentions that "there's nobody home at my house," which implies that he lacks stable home support or guidance. This absence may contribute to his choices and lead him to seek out items he desires through less honorable means.
4. **Awareness of Wrongdoing:** Although he attempted to steal, Roger is aware that what he did was wrong. His moment of pause after washing his face, along with his questioning if he would be taken to jail, reveals an understanding of the consequences of his actions.
5. **Desire for Understanding:** Roger's reaction to Mrs. Jones’ admission that she was once young and wanted things suggests he is seeking understanding and perhaps empathy. This indicates a longing for more than just material possessions—he might also be looking for connection, guidance, or forgiveness.
Overall, Roger is depicted as a complex character grappling with the challenges of his environment, the consequences of his actions, and his desire for something beyond his current circumstances.