Retrace the course of action from the moment Mrs Jones caught the boy to the time they reached the middle of the room.

Roger, while trying to snatch the purse of Mrs Jones, got caught by her. She is a strong woman, picked up Roger and shook him until his teeth rattled. Firmly gripping Roger by his shirt front she rebuked him. Then she asked whether Roger would try to run away if she loosened him. On being answered in the positive, she made her grip firmer and changed the topic asking him if there was anyone in his family to take care of him. Then, she said that she wanted to teach him right from wrong. She would teach him in such a way that he would remember her throughout his life. Saying this she dragged him by the neck, resisting Roger in his attempts to set himself free. At last, she took him to her house, down a hall into a large kitchenette furnished room

Bring forward the discussion that Mrs Jones had with Roger in her house.

Taking Roger to her house, Mrs Jones asked him to wash his face and make himself look presentable. All the while she treated Roger kindly. Her generosity was revealed when she told him that in order to get a pair of suede shoes Roger only had to ask her for the money. As if in a dream she unveiled her childhood memories where she too wanted things that she could not get. She too had done things which she would not disclose to anybody, not even to God. Probably this was the reason for her understanding the situation of the boy and so, she tried to reform him instead of handing him over to the police. She made him eat a good meal and as they ate she did not embarrass Roger by asking him about his family. Rather she talked about her work in a hotel beauty-shop and how it was like. Finally handing him ten dollars, she gave very valuable advice to Roger. She told him that things which come by the devilish way never allow one to live in peace. This was her last attempt to bring a change in Roger.

Why did Roger try to snatch the purse of the lady?

Roger was a fourteen or fifteen year old boy who had no one at home to take care of. He also had his desires but being poor could not afford to fulfil them. His tennis shoes did not satisfy him and he yearned to get a pair of blue suede shoes. Since he had no money and had no idea regarding the right and wrong, he wanted to get the thing he had long wished for through the easiest way, instead of toiling hard to earn it. He saw the lady with a large purse walking home alone. The purse seemed quite heavy and Roger perhaps thought that there was enough money in it to buy him a pair of blue suede shoes. So he took the advantage of the loneliness that prevailed at around 11 p.m. and rushed to snatch Mrs Jones’ purse.