September 23rd, 2010
Theme Notebook #2
Second Chances Allow People for Improved Behavior
Second chances allow for improved behavior is a main theme in the story, "Thank You Ma'am". In this story, "Thank You Ma'am," by Langston Hughes, the protagonist, Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones was about to be robbed by a boy, Roger. However, this large woman simply turned around and kicked him, picked the boy up by his front of the shirt and shook him until his teeth rattled. Normally, a person who had been robbed should take the robber to the jail but she rushed with him to her house and taught some lessons. She was being empathetic and even offered him some food and drink. Then, she 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 nobodyelse's-because shoes come by devilish like that will burn your feet." Through this quotations, we say that it is the moment when Mrs. Luella gave second chance to Roger. If the woman did not lead him to reflect on his wrong behavior and just put him into the jail as every reader expected, Roger would not be able to be a better person. It could also have led him to vengeance. At the end of the story, "Roger wanted to say something else other than Thank you, ma'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 larger woman in the door. He barely managed to say "Thank you" before she shut the door". Roger was really regretting his wrong choice and truly thankful to Mrs. Luella. This shows that Roger's behavior has improved through his thankful feeling towards the woman. Second opportunity that Mrs. Luella offered, helped Roger to improve his own behavior.
There is another example that also shows the theme "Second chances allow for improved behavior." The article, called "Young Offenders Should Meet Victims of Their Crime," is about a boy who had committed crime to bully and punch a boy, Adam Murray. Adam Murray was too shocked of getting punched at that moment. The attacker was convicted of assault but Adam met up with him afterwards for a 'restorative meeting.' The first time that they met, Adam Murray explained "I got the impression that he was not really engaging in the process, that he was doing it as a means of not having to go to court." From this quotation, it shows the attacker was not sincere and did not even regret his wrong choice. Even though Adam gave him first chance, he did not show his improved behavior. In spite of the attacker's bad behavior, Adam Murray gave one more chance to the attacker. At the second meeting, Adam admitted "when I met him the second time his attitude has changed as well. He did make eye contact, he was more confident and his apology was sincere. You could tell that he was actually a really good guy." As we can see from this quotation, the attacker became a better person. We can see obviously that he regrets his behavior and feels sorry to him. If Adam Murray got angry by his bad attitude and just put him into the jail, he would neither regret his mistake nor show his improved behavior. Before the second meeting, he did not listen to Adam Murray and did not even make eye contact with him. However, after the second chance, he finally learned something valuable and wanted to be forgiven.
Second chances should be given to everyone if someone makes wrong decisions. Second chances should be valued by everyone. They help people for improved behavior and better relationship between people. In the story, 'Thank You Ma'am', Luella gave second chance to Roger rather than put him into the jail. In the article, Adam gave the attacker second chance even though he was trying to harm Adam without any reason. As a consequence, both Roger and the attacker reflected on their bad behavior and regretted. Second chance is a small favor, but it leads people for improved behavior.
August 16th, 2010
Theme Notebook #1
Betrayal Can Lead to Vengeance
"Betrayal can lead to vengeance" is an obvious central theme of the story, 'Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl. In the first section of this story, the protagonist, Mary Maloney was too perfect. She was always naive and faithful to her husband. Whenever he came back from work, she offered everything for him and tried to make him happy. Furthermore, she always kept her house clean and was a wife whom everyone would like. However, this poor lady was totally betrayed by her husband telling her that he was leaving. At that moment, she was too shocked and also depressed so "she simply walked up behind him and without any pause, she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head". Eventually, he died. Mary's reaction to betrayal exemplified that she perfectly took revenge to her husband by killing him. Even though she was not willing or planning to kill his husband, betrayal suddenly revealed the inherent identity of Mary Maloney so she just hit him on the back of his head automatically. Once this action took place, she felt satisfied to kill her husband and cover up the crimes that she had done. In spite of her benevolent and wonderful character, betrayal led her to vengeance in the end.
Betrayal can lead one's life in a wrong way. Depending on reactions to betrayal, it can ruin one's life. In the case of Mary Maloney, her happy and cheerful life had been taken away by losing her husband, Patrick Maloney. In the case of Somalian, their good relationship with Uganda had been ruined because of the greed of Ugandans'. Betrayal can lead someone to death even though it is very trivial things.
