The Street

The boy attempts to steal Mrs. Jones's purse as she is walking down the street one evening. Although the story is not set in a particular place, the setting is most likely a city based on the close proximity to Mrs. Jones's house as well as the other people around on the street. Langston Hughes is also a notable writer of the Harlem Renaissance, and many of his poems and stories take place in New York City. One can assume that "Thank You, M'am" is no different, but the lack of a specific setting suggests that the themes of the story are universal, specifically the story's engagement with race in a pre-Civil Rights Era America.

Mrs. Jones's Home

Mrs. Jones brings the boy to her home after he attempts to steal her purse on the street. There, she allows him to wash his face, comb his hair...