Not surprisingly "Crime and Self-Punishment" is the "Crime and Punishment" episode of the "Saving Grace" series. Each episode of the show had a central theme, with 2-3 seemingly unrelated stores illustrating that central idea. At the end the narrator (a grown-up Hannah) would do a voice-over commentary tying the stories together under that episode's theme.
The theme for this episode is doing (and not doing) the right thing. Tattie can't help listening in on private phone conversations; Hanna gives into peer pressure and shoplifts a sweater; and Evie and David promote a black employee to foreman despite the anticipated racist reactions of many of their white employees (something that made them hesitate over making the deserved promotion-this is after all set in1965 North Carolina).
In the end, despite paying for the stolen sweater, Hannah donates it to the thrift store where it is displayed in the window as she starts her end of episode voice-over. "Everyday of our lives we have to make decisions about what's right and what's wrong. Sometimes because we're human we can't stop ourselves from doing the wrong thing (shot of Tattie trying to listen in on another phone conversation). Other times we can't stop ourselves from doing what is right (shot of black foreman helping white machine operator). And sometimes if we're lucky, even a wrong decision can lead to something good (shot of a poor girl leaving the thrift store proudly wearing Hannah's sweater)".
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
The theme for this episode is doing (and not doing) the right thing. Tattie can't help listening in on private phone conversations; Hanna gives into peer pressure and shoplifts a sweater; and Evie and David promote a black employee to foreman despite the anticipated racist reactions of many of their white employees (something that made them hesitate over making the deserved promotion-this is after all set in1965 North Carolina).
In the end, despite paying for the stolen sweater, Hannah donates it to the thrift store where it is displayed in the window as she starts her end of episode voice-over. "Everyday of our lives we have to make decisions about what's right and what's wrong. Sometimes because we're human we can't stop ourselves from doing the wrong thing (shot of Tattie trying to listen in on another phone conversation). Other times we can't stop ourselves from doing what is right (shot of black foreman helping white machine operator). And sometimes if we're lucky, even a wrong decision can lead to something good (shot of a poor girl leaving the thrift store proudly wearing Hannah's sweater)".
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.