1. As the text opens, a young woman is seen waiting at home
Indirect characterization shows her to be a patient, loving wife whose life revolves around her husband
“She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man, and to feel that warm male glow that came out of him to her”
As a person, she identifies herself only as a counterpoint to her husband
We learn that she is pregnant—a housewife
Her duty is to look after her husband
Her role is to care for the home and wait for her husband
As an individual, is it fair to Mary to treat her as a secondary character in life?
How can her character develop in life if she is pigeon-holed by her role as a housewife?
Lamb to the Slaughter
A short piece of modern suspense fiction, Lamb to the Slaughter explores the complexities of the human psyche when confronted with extreme duress.
Roald Dahl (author) provides readers with an insight into marriage in the mid 20th century as well as tackling social norms for characters as they relate to each other.

2. Lamb to the Slaughter—Conflict
“And as he spoke, he did an unusual thing.”
Dahl use precise diction to point out to the reader that the text is undergoing a shift in tone
Mary’s husband, Patrick, drains his glass and refuses every offer of help from her
As a character and husband, the reader must question his desire for emotional distance
What internal motivation could move a husband to be so cold to his pregnant wife?
“Listen I’ve got something to tell you.”
As readers, we have to conclude as to what has been said to Mary
Dahl is fantastic at creating suspense by not revealing the statement that Patrick tells Mary
What we know is that Patrick tells her something devastating very quickly
“And he told her.”
A simple statement with massive implications
Lamb to the Slaughter—Conflict
Although presented as meek and quiet, Mary Maloney is our protagonist—this is the story of her personal growth and change.
In the text, Mary is affronted with a life-changing event that shocks her initially. Her actions thereafter, while questionable, reveal the growth of her character and her will to care for herself and her unborn child.

3. Lamb to the Slaughter—Character
What news could be this devastating to Mary that, “her first instinct was to not believe any of it?”
Patrick’s actions are selfish
“There needn’t really be any fuss It wouldn’t be very good for my job.”
Given the weight of Patrick’s decision, Mary’s reaction is understandable
“She couldn’t feel anything at all”
The imagery in this section is quick and deliberate—her brain is moving fast and automatically to protect her
While Patrick’s news is shocking, it is his last remark that causes Mary to snap
“I’m going out.”
We can assume that if Mary allows him to leave, Patrick won’t return So she doesn’t
Lamb to the Slaughter—Character
While the knowledge of what Patrick tells Mary is never stated, it is clear that his intentions are to leave her with their child.
Notice how Mary reacts to this news.
While clearly in shock at the outset, this revelation causes her to take action in her life.
Where she was a passive figure before this conversation, Mary is now an active character in the events of her life.

4. Lamb to the Slaughter—Character
Feeling of two minds, Mary can at least think clearly now that the immediate conflict has been resolved
Her husband, Patrick, has been unfaithful—she eliminated him from her life
Accepting her fate, she reasons through what will happen to her
“She knew quite well what the penalty would be. That was fine.”
It’s only the thought of her child that motivates Mary to take action
“On the other hand, what about the child?”
As a mother, she will not let any harm come to her child
“She certainly wasn’t prepared to take a chance.”
Lamb to the Slaughter—Character
Mary comes to her senses while seeing the body of her dead husband on the floor.
She feels no remorse for what she has done—until she thinks about the consequences.
As an expectant mother, she is making decisions for her child, not for herself.
Even though she has just committed murder, she thinks clearly about what must happen next.

5. Lamb to the Slaughter—Plot
The action of the story seems out of place but is very methodical and for a purpose.
It seems like Mary is still in shock, running around aimlessly
“She carried the meat into the kitchen, placed it in a pan, turned the oven on high, and shoved it inside.”
While this sounds strange, her actions are deliberate—she can’t appear as though she just committed a crime
“She sat down before the mirror, tidied up her hair, touched up her lips and face.”
Mary cannot hide the fact that Patrick is dead—but she can disassociate herself from his murder
Lamb to the Slaughter—Plot
The action of the story rises until the point that Mary takes action and kills Patrick.
Coming down from that climax can be a challenge for a character—what can she do to protect herself and her child?
In an instant of clarity, Mary knows what must be done. Although her actions seem a bit eccentric, she is in total control of the story at this point And in control of her life.

6. Lamb to the Slaughter—Plot
Mary leaves her house for the grocery store
In a long conversation with her grocer, Mary does her best to still appear the perfect housewife
“Patrick’s decided he’s tired and doesn’t want to eat out tonight.”
Her outing also gives her the opportunity to claim she didn’t know about the murder
In her own mind, she now fully believes that she is still a perfect wife
“Mrs. Patrick Maloney was going home with the vegetables to cook supper for her husband”
She convinces herself that the shock she will feel will be real
Mary continues her ruse to act normal—she calls the grocer, runs out for some errands. She acts as though nothing has happened.
Leaving her home, Mary rehearses her voice and face.
All of this is to part of an elaborate alibi she is creating to show that she wasn’t home when Patrick was killed.
The burning question becomes—can she really get away with murder?

7. Despite her actions, Mary is the protagonist of the story
Murder is never a just act
In this tale, however, Mary had to protect herself if Patrick was leaving her
Women didn’t work in this time period
Women had little rights in a divorce
He said he would send money—could he lie?
“Do everything right and natural.”
As readers, we question her true emotions
This scene works to show that Mary was truly in love with a husband who didn’t care for her
“All the old love and longing for him welled up inside her”
Mary cries for Patrick because she loved him
“It was easy. No acting was necessary.”
Lamb to the Slaughter
In an ironic twist, Mary collapses in grief when she sees Patrick on the floor.
The pain she experiences is real—Dahl works in this tender moment to show that Mary was truly in love with her husband.
There is a delicate balance occurring here. Mary must protect herself if Patrick won’t.
Mary notifies the authorities. She has convinced herself that this is a terrible accident Can she convince the police?

8. Lamb to the Slaughter—Resolution
Mary is questioned by the police and does her best to remain calm
Whether she is aware or not, the police do suspect her initially
“he turned and whispered something to the other detective who immediately went outside into the street”
Her actions show her to be a concerned wife, a good person
After a while, she offers the men the dinner she had prepared
These are Patrick’s friends—she is being nice
“It’d be a favor to me if you’d eat it up”
What the men don’t know is that this is the object with which Mary killed Patrick
“And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle”
Lamb to the Slaughter—Resolution
When the police arrive Mary remains calm, knowing that her actions could hide or reveal her role in the crime.
Time passes, and when she is reminded that the oven is still running, she suggests that the police eat Patrick’s dinner—it’s all she can offer for all of their help.
Without knowing what has truly occurred, the police will enjoy a dinner of the only remaining evidence.