- Mary Maloney is the wife of Patrick Maloney. She seemed mentally stable and happy in the start, but she hovered over Patrick a lot. As soon as she accepted that Patrick left her, she snapped and showed that she had some sort of psychological problem by killing him. In the end, she turned into a crazy lady.
- "That's the way, she told herself. Do everything right and natural." (pg. 4)
- Patrick is a detective. When he was introduced into the story, he acted very tired and serious from the amount of alcohol he drank and the way he spoke to Mary. He looked out the window a lot and talked to Mary with a blunt, irritated tone. Nothing really changed about him, except for the fact that he died.
- Sam is the grocery shop cashier. He was very kind and acted fond towards Mary. He didn't suspect a thing, and even told the police Mary couldn't have been involved with Patrick's murder.
- Jack Noonan is a police officer who knew Patrick and Mary personally, because he worked with Patrick. He is very comforting towards Mary and doesn't suspect her at all. He cares about the case and Mary, because he does Mary a favor by eating the leg of lamb but still contemplates about where the murder weapon is.
Presentation by Sabrina, Anne, Hannah, Ian, Landon, Y'vonne
Protagonist and Antagonist
- "All right, she told herself. So I've killed him." (pg.3)
- "And in the other room Mary Maloney began to giggle." (pg.7)
- Patrick is the antagonist.
Point of View
- This story was written in 3rd person
limited point of view.
- "Mary Maloney didn't know. And she certainly wasn't prepared to take a chance." (pg. 2)
Theme
- People may do irrational things in the heat of the moment.
- "At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head." (pg. 3)
- The male stereotype of women can work to people's advantages.
- "... acted normal... very cheerful... wanted to give him a good supper... peas... cheesecake... impossible that she..." (pg. 5)
Foreshadowing
- Patrick was going to tell Mary bad news "She noticed there was a little muscle moving near the corner of his left eye."(Pg.2)
- Patrick was going to divorce Mary "I'll give you money and see you're looked after."(Pg.3)
- Mary was thinking ahead for the baby's sake "On the other hand, what about the child? What were the laws about murderers with an unborn children? Did they kill them both- both mother and child?"(Pg.3)
- The police suspects the weapon was in the house "Personally, I think it's right here in the premises. Probably under our very noses."(Pg.7)
- The police ate the weapon "That's why it ought to be easy to find. Whoever done it, they're not going to be carrying a thing like that around with them longer than they need."(Pg.7)
Irony
Rising Action
- Patrick is acting strange when he returns from work; he is having more drinks than usual and refusing dinner.
- Mary tries to pamper Patrick, but Patrick gets mad.
- Patrick tells Mary bad news.
- Mary tries to ignore what Patrick tells her, and goes downstairs in the cellar to fetch a leg of lamb.
- Mary goes back upstairs and Patrick gets mad that she wants to make dinner.
Quotes
- "Her first instinct was to not believe any of it, to reject it all." (pg. 3)
- "But, darling, you must eat! I'll fix it anyway, and then you can have it or not, as you like." (pg. 3)
Resolution
- The leg of lamb that Mary killed Patrick with finishes cooking and Mary offers it to the police officers. They eat the lamb and also have some whiskey with it.
- The police just ate the murder weapon that was used to kill Patrick Maloney.
Quotes
- "Personally, I think it's right here on the premises ." "Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?" and in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle." (pg. 7)
Plot
Exposition
- Mary waits for Patrick to come home.
Falling action
- Mary goes to the grocery store
- Mary goes home and pretends to find Patrick dead
- Mary calls the police
- The police begin an investigation
- The police come, and questions Mary and Sam
- The police come to the conclusion that mary is not guilty
- The police drink alcohol.
Resolution
- Mary tells the police to eat the leg of lamb, the police eat the leg of lamb
- Rising Action
- Patrick comes home
- Patrick drinks whiskey
- Patrick told Mary bad news
- Mary gets a leg of lamb from the cellar
- Climax
- Mary kills Patrick with the leg of lamb.
Exposition
- May Maloney waits for Patrick Maloney, her husband, to come home on Thursday evening around 5 o'clock
- Patrick comes home
Quotes
- " When the clock said ten minutes to five, she began to listen," (pg. 1)
- "I haven't made any supper because it's Thursday." (pg. 2)
Setting
Climax
- Without thinking, Mary swings the frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brings it down on Patricks head, knocking him to the ground dead.
Quote
- "At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head." (pg. 3)
- Mary and Patrick Maloney's house
- "Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come home from work."(pg.1)
- Grocery shop
- "It wasn't six o'clock yet and the lights were still on in the grocery shop."(pg.4)
- Thursday evening
- "I haven't made any supper because it's Thursday."(pg. 2)
Falling Action
- Mary decides to try to cover up the murder for her baby's sake.
- Mary goes to the grocery store to get the rest of the food for dinner.
- When she returns home she pretends as if she has no idea what happened to Patrick.
- Mary calls the police, and they rush over to her house. They are in shock and have no leads about what happened to their colleague.
- The cops question Mary and decide she had nothing to do with the crime.
Quotes
- "What were the laws about murderers with unborn children? Mary Maloney didn't know. And she certainly wasn't prepared to take a chance." (pg. 3)
Lamb to the Slaughter
by Roald Dahl
Summary
Mary Maloney happily greets her husband when he returns from work. When he comes home, she notices he's acting sort of strange. After he finished more drinks than usual, he refuses dinner even though Mary insists that she can prepare him something. He tells her to sit down, and gives her news that "is going to be a bit of a shock to you."(pg.2) After he finishes, Mary is indenial and proceeds to go down to the cellar to get a leg of lamb for supper. When she returns upstairs with it, Patrick is standing by the window and bluntly snaps a remark at her. Without even thinking, Mary swings the frozen leg of lamb and brings it down on Patrick's head, knocking him to the ground. When she realizes he is dead she plans to act normal and gets groceries. When she comes back home from the store, she pretends to find Patrick dead for the first time. She calls the police and they come quickly. When they arrive, they ask her questions and try to figure out what happened. The police get nowhere with the investigation. Mary offers them the leg of lamb she was cooking because she has nobody else to have it besides her now. While the police are in the kitchen talking and enjoying the lamb Mary is in the other room giggling because the police just ate the murder weapon.