Answer the following questions for “Thank you, Ma’am,” “Salvation,” and “Mother to

Son.”

1. Discuss the protagonist in each of the Hughes texts. What do you notice about each of
them?
I noticed that the protagonist in each text was an African American male that
struggled with one aspect of life or was given advice by a motherly figure.
2. Describe the matriarch in each of the texts. What kind of woman is she? How does
Hughes characterize them?
The matriarch in “Thank You, Ma’am” is Luella Bates Washington, who helps
young Roger by taking him inside of her home for him to wash his face off and tell
him a story about her life where she committed acts of sin just as he did.

The matriarch in “Salvation” was Langton’s aunt. They did not have an actual
conversation, but Hughes characterized her as one of the people that were urging
him to see Jesus and that if he saw him, Jesus would come into his life and many
great things would happen.

The matriarch in “Mother to Son” is the boy’s own mother. She tells him that life is
not an easy feat, and that there are various struggles and obstacles along the way
that could hurt him. But she tells him that he has to keep climbing the stairs
because sitting down on them will only hurt him more and get him nowhere.

3. Consider the conversations (verbal and nonverbal) between the young men and the
matriarchs in each of the texts. How does Hughes have them to interact with each
other?
Hughes has the young men and their matriarchs interact with each other in the
sense that they were the boys’ very own mother, with the exception of “Mother to
Son”. Although at the same time, these women are portrayed almost as sense of
therapy or a stepping stone for the young men as all of them are struggling with
one thing or another. With the motherly figures in their life, they are able to seek
good advice or motivation from them that strengthens them later on when they
are grown.