rssenglishworld, The English Literature and Grammar Digest

Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston Hughes Summary of the Story The story revolves around a teenage boy, Roger, who tries to snatch the purse of a large, strong woman named Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. However, Roger fails because he is weak and loses his balance. Instead of letting him run away, the woman catches him firmly. Rather than taking him to the police, she drags him to her house. Roger is frightened and expects punishment. But to his surprise, Mrs. Jones treats him kindly. She asks him to wash his face and prepares food for him. Roger confesses that he wanted the money to buy a pair of blue suede shoes. Mrs. Jones does not scold him harshly. Instead, she understands his situation and tells him that she too has done wrong things in her life. After feeding him, she gives him ten dollars to buy the shoes—but advises him to behave properly in the future. Roger is deeply moved by her kindness. When he leaves, he wants to say more than just “Thank you, Ma’am,” but he cannot find ...

The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu Summary – The Paper Menagerie The story is narrated by Jack, a Chinese-American boy who grows up in Connecticut. His mother is a Chinese immigrant who barely speaks English, while his father is American. Jack’s earliest memory is of crying uncontrollably as a baby. His mother distracts him by making paper animals—a tiger, goat, shark, and other creatures—using colorful wrapping paper saved from Christmas gifts. She breathes life into them, and magically, they begin to move and behave like real animals. This becomes Jack’s first experience of wonder and love. Jack grows very attached to these paper animals, especially the paper tiger named Laohu, who becomes his closest companion. His mother tells him stories in Chinese, teaching him about her village in China, her childhood, and her family. Through these stories, Jack unknowingly connects to his mother’s culture and past. As Jack grows older and starts school, he becomes aware that his mother is different...

Advice to Youth  by Mark Twain  The following is a lecture Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) delivered to a group of young people, though the original location, date & occasion for the lecture is now unknown.  Being told I would be expected to talk here, I inquired what sort of talk I ought to make. They said it should be something suitable to youth-something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice. Very well. I have a few things in my mind which I have often longed to say for the instruction of the young; for it is in one’s tender early years that such things will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable. First, then. I will say to you my young friends -- and I say it beseechingly, urgently –  Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run, because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superst...