"Lamb to the Slaughter" is a short story written by Roald Dahl. The story follows Mary Maloney, a devoted and pregnant housewife, who is married to a detective named Patrick Maloney.
One evening, Patrick returns home from work in a bad mood and announces to Mary that he is leaving her. He plans to run off with another woman and wants a divorce. Heartbroken and shocked, Mary tries to reason with Patrick, but he is stubborn and refuses to listen.
In a moment of desperation, Mary decides to kill Patrick. She goes to the kitchen and grabs a frozen leg of lamb from the freezer. She takes it back to the living room, where Patrick is sitting, and hits him over the head with it, killing him instantly.
Mary then goes about her usual routine, acting as if nothing has happened. She puts the leg of lamb in the oven to cook and invites a group of Patrick's colleagues over for dinner, including the chief inspector.
As they sit down to eat, the detectives notice that the leg of lamb looks a bit odd, but Mary explains that she had dropped it and had to fix it up a bit before cooking it. As they continue to eat, the detectives begin to feel ill and eventually realize that the leg of lamb is, in fact, the murder weapon.
Mary is arrested and taken away, still acting as if she is shocked by Patrick's death. In the end, it is revealed that Mary had planned the murder all along, using the shock of Patrick's announcement as an opportunity to kill him and get away with it.
Overall, "Lamb to the Slaughter" is a chilling tale of deception and murder, told from the perspective of a cunning and calculating protagonist. The twist at the end, where the reader learns that Mary had planned the murder all along, adds an extra layer of suspense and intrigue to the story.
Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl Plot Summary
As Noonan accommodates her request, she proposes that perhaps he and the few remaining investigators might also be restored by a small drink. These rapid, disturbing thoughts provide the motivation for Mary to spring into action, and to apply the hidden tenacity necessary to form and complete a plan to cover up her crime. It refers to someone who goes innocently and unconcernedly into a dangerous or life threatening situation. She also refers to her husband by name for the first time in the story. The policemen sympathize with Mary and attempt to comfort her. She returns his coat to the closet, pours his drink, then joins him in the living room. Whereas during her marriage, Mary had to fetch drinks for her husband, now the policemen fetch drinks for her.
Lamb to the Slaughter: Study Guide
The police search the house, but they find no clues. Noonan is kind and chivalrous to Mary, as are all the investigators who show up including a doctor, two detectives, a police photographer, a fingerprint expert, and a few others. That is Patrick Maloney. Who does the lamb refer to in Lamb to the Slaughter? Mary establishes her alibi by deceiving Sam, claiming that she is cooking dinner in order to maintain a façade of domestic happiness. However, as Mary attempts to care for her husband, Patrick brushes off her efforts, drinks more than usual, and declares that he has something to tell her. She has carefully prepared for his arrival; two glasses stand at the ready, and fresh ice cubes fill the ice bucket, as she eagerly anticipates the sounds that herald his return. Why did Dahl choose a lamb leg? What was Mary's motivation for killing her husband? At this point, he rudely orders her to sit down and then repeats the order in softened words.
Lamb to the Slaughter: Quotes that Drive the Plot
Rediscovering this grotesque scene sends Mary into convulsive sorrow, for after all, this was the man she once loved dearly. Eventually, Noonan suggests Mary find a place to stay and offers to let Mary stay in his own home with him and his wife. Mary repeatedly asks her husband if he would like something to eat, offering suggestions and insisting that he eat. Is Mary Maloney a good wife? As she sits in the living room, the officers search the house. She sees Patrick standing near the window with his back to her. For Mary, who is alone in the house during the day, this after-work ritual is one she looks forward to.
Lamb to the Slaughter
After nearly three hours of searching, the four remaining policemen have had no success finding the weapon. The second date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. She prepares a weak cocktail for herself and a stronger one for Patrick who, uncharacteristically, downs the drink quickly, then pours and consumes a more potent second drink. What did they do? His body undulates as if in slow motion, then drops dead to the floor, overturning a small table. Therefore, the reader knows for certain what motivates Mary; what motivates the other characters can only be guessed. She immediately focuses on the problem and devises a strategy. Latest answer posted October 21, 2007, 11:30 am UTC 2 educator answers Tear-stricken, she calls the police.
