“Lamb to the Slaughter”

by Roald Dahl

Origin of the title

Excerpt from a 1950s Home Economics Textbook

Compiled by Ms. Leslie BlankshipColumbus, 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.

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 joyful and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift.

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.

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.

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

Source: http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/TEXTBOOK.HTM

Dark HumorDark HumorDark humor is the use of the grotesque, Dark humor is the use of the grotesque,

morbid for darkly comic purposes. morbid for darkly comic purposes.

Dark HumorDark HumorDark humor became widespread in Dark humor became widespread in

popular culture, beginning in the 1950spopular culture, beginning in the 1950s

Dark HumorDark HumorThe image of the cheerful housewife The image of the cheerful housewife

suddenly smashing her husband’s skull suddenly smashing her husband’s skull with the frozen joint of meat intended for with the frozen joint of meat intended for

his dinner is darkly humorous for its his dinner is darkly humorous for its unexpectedness and the grotesque nature unexpectedness and the grotesque nature

of the murder weapon. of the murder weapon.

Dark HumorDark HumorThere is a morbid but funny double There is a morbid but funny double

meaning, too, in Mary’s response to her meaning, too, in Mary’s response to her grocer’s question about meat: “I’ve got grocer’s question about meat: “I’ve got

meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb from meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb from the freezer.”the freezer.”

Dark HumorDark HumorShe did indeed get a leg of lamb from the She did indeed get a leg of lamb from the freezer, and after she used it as a club, freezer, and after she used it as a club,

she found herself with a rather large she found herself with a rather large portion of dead meat on her living-room portion of dead meat on her living-room

floor. floor.

Dark HumorDark HumorAlso darkly funny is the grocer’s question Also darkly funny is the grocer’s question about what she plans to give her husband about what she plans to give her husband

“afterwards,” that is, for dessert. From “afterwards,” that is, for dessert. From Mary’s point of view, Patrick has already Mary’s point of view, Patrick has already

gotten his “just desserts,” and there will be gotten his “just desserts,” and there will be no more “afterwards” for him! no more “afterwards” for him!

Dark HumorDark HumorThe ultimate example of dark humor in The ultimate example of dark humor in

“Lamb to the Slaughter” is, the spectacle “Lamb to the Slaughter” is, the spectacle of the policemen and detectives sitting of the policemen and detectives sitting

around the Maloney kitchen table, around the Maloney kitchen table, speculating about the murder weapon speculating about the murder weapon

while they unwittingly devour it.while they unwittingly devour it.

SymbolsSymbolsThe frozen leg of lamb is symbolic. The The frozen leg of lamb is symbolic. The

piece of meat is already a token of piece of meat is already a token of violence: an animal traditionally viewed as violence: an animal traditionally viewed as

meek and gentle slaughtered for meek and gentle slaughtered for carnivorous consumption. carnivorous consumption.

ThemesThemesBETRAYALBETRAYALPatrick Maloney’s unexplained decision to Patrick Maloney’s unexplained decision to leave his pregnant wife. This violation of leave his pregnant wife. This violation of the marriage-vow is obviously not the only the marriage-vow is obviously not the only betrayal in the story, however. betrayal in the story, however. Mary’s killing of her husband is perhaps Mary’s killing of her husband is perhaps the ultimate betrayal. the ultimate betrayal. Her elaborately planned alibi and Her elaborately planned alibi and convincing lies to the detectives also convincing lies to the detectives also constitute betrayal.constitute betrayal.

ThemesThemesPASSIVITYPASSIVITYThe first pages of the story portray Mary’s The first pages of the story portray Mary’s existence as almost mindlessly passive: she existence as almost mindlessly passive: she sits and watches the clock, thinking that each sits and watches the clock, thinking that each minute brings her husband closer to her. minute brings her husband closer to her.

ThemesThemesJUSTICE AND INJUSTICEJUSTICE AND INJUSTICEThe question of justice and injustice is The question of justice and injustice is directly related to the question of revenge. directly related to the question of revenge. “Lamb to the Slaughter” narrates a train of “Lamb to the Slaughter” narrates a train of injustices, beginning with Patrick’s betrayal of injustices, beginning with Patrick’s betrayal of Mary and their marriage, peaking with Mary’s Mary and their marriage, peaking with Mary’s killing of Patrick, and finding its denouement killing of Patrick, and finding its denouement in Mary’s deception of the investigating in Mary’s deception of the investigating officers. officers.