1. By the time the bell rings…
Take out your journals and a pen
Take out Lamb to the Slaughter.

2. Clarifying Questions
In your journals, write down any clarifying questions you have regarding the story, A Lamb to the Slaughter.
Clarifying questions are generally plot related to help you understand what happened in the story. We will save our deeper questions for Thursday.

3. Lamb to the Slaughter Warm-up
Locate and label the moments of Irony within Lamb to the Slaughter. Be sure to specify which type of Irony is being used. Turn to your neighbor and share each moment of irony that you were able to find. There are several times that irony occurs. Make sure to consider both situational and dramatic irony.

4. Origin of the title In your journals, respond to the following prompt:
Based on the story, what do you think the saying “Lamb to the Slaughter” means? Why do you think this?
Adding on to your journal entry, respond to the following prompts:
a) Knowing the true meaning of the saying, do you think this is an appropriate title for the story? Why or why not?
b) Who is intended to represent the “Lamb” in this story? Why do you think this?

5. Let’s look at the setting:
When does this story take place?
How do you know?

6. How Characterization Reveals Setting
Excerpt from a 1950s Home Economics Textbook
Compiled by Ms. Leslie Blankship
Columbus, Ohio
Have dinner ready: Plan ahead even the night before to have a delicious meal on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospects of a good meal are part of the warm welcome needed.

7. Prepare yourself: Take 15 minutes to rest so you will be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-wary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

8. Clear away the clutter: Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives, gathering up school books, toys, paper, etc. Then run a dust cloth over the tables. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift, too.

9. Prepare the children: Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.

10. Minimize all noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quite. Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and be glad to see him.
Some don'ts: Don't greet him with problems or complaints. Don't complain if he's late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day.

11. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soft soothing and pleasant voice. Allow him to relax-unwind.

12. Listen to him: You may have a dozen things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first.
Make the evening his: Never complain if he does not take you out to dinner or to other places of entertainment. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure, his need to be home and relax.

13. The goal: Try to make your home a place of peace and order where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.
Source:

14. Characterization
Based on what you know of a 1950’s housewife, underline and describe all of the ways that Dahl demonstrates the time period through the characterization of Mrs. and Mr. Maloney and even the Detectives.
Now, locate all of the places in which these characters do not fit into the mold of the perfect 1950’s stereotype.

15. Homework: Due Thursday to Turnitin.com
Questions: Where in the story have you seen the following theme exemplified?
Don’t overlook the true nature of a person or situation by allowing preconceived notions to cloud your judgment.
Write your answer in paragraph form. Use the following tools to help you craft a well structured paragraph:
Topic Sentence
Context Clues (include title, author, and character names)
Evidence (quotes from the story)
An explanation of how the evidence proves your answer to the question
A concluding sentence wrapping up all your ideas.
Do NOT write in first person! (you cannot use the words “I” or “We”