“Lamb to the Slaughter” Short story by Roald Dahl

Brief Summary doting housewife…husband announces he’s leaving her…she whacks him over head w/ frozen leg of lamb wife concocts plan cooks lamb…calls police…they can’t find weapon…wife invites them to eat lamb (weapon) she had cooking in oven!

Voice/Narration & POV 3rd person limited POV told via Mary orderly home…warm, inviting shattered by husband’s news calculating mind + transformation can be followed

Style Black Comedy def: use of grotesque, morbid, or absurdly dark for comic purposes unexpected that wife will smash spouse’s head w/ frozen leg of lamb Mary tells grocer “I’ve got meat”…big hunk on floor at home! Dessert?...husband has gotten his “just” desserts police/detectives devour murder weapon

Setting Domestic middle class identity of protagonist housewife, mother-to-be identity interrupted by husband’s betrayal by Mary taking husband’s life

Characters Mary Maloney protagonist identity doting, adoring housewife & expectant mother image of innocence transformed to loss of control when domestic life is shattered So, what theme can be deduced?

Characters Patrick Maloney husband policeman…not advancing in career leaving wife flat, static character purpose?

Issues/Topics & Themes Betrayal & Trust husband’s betrayal wife’s betrayal wife’s lies Theme from all this?

Trust is easily manipulated. When that which we desire is threatened, mankind will digress from the path of goodness. One small form of betrayal can lead to many others. Depend on yourself first and not give all you have to another b/c if you do, then you give that person the ability to hurt you.

Issues/Topics & Themes Identity Mary: ideal middle class housewife sudden transformation to murderess Theme from this?

Themes When you base your identity on someone or something else, you risk losing touch with reality. When you are betrayed by someone you trust, emotions can take over rational thoughts. The weak has more power than one may think. Something harmless can turn into something destructive.

Traumatizing events can lead a person to take drastic actions. The more strongly you hold on to something, the stronger you have to be to let it go. Rather than putting all your trust in one person, balance your life with many trustworthy people. Think before you act. People resort to any means to protect themselves.

Literary Techniques Irony (verbal, situational, dramatic) grocer asking about dessert husband has gotten his “just” dessert detectives eating weapon…”right under our very noses” lamb is instrument—not victim—of slaughter Mary’s closing giggle

Literary Techniques Connotations & Allusions Title: “Lamb to the Slaughter”—biblical allusion lamb: innocent, pure, naïve, follower slaughter: gruesome, violent to the: suggests someone innocent is led to some kind of “killing”—literally or figuratively lambs Mary rejected by husband husband fatally attacked investigators tricked into consuming weapon

Literary Techniques Symbolism setting domestic home = middle class happiness purpose: part of identity frozen leg of lamb = token of violence purpose: heightens black comedy