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GRADE 9: Literature, Short Story Worksheet

LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER by ROALD DAHL

Study these notes in conjunction with a thorough reading of the prescribed text. Answer ALL

of the following questions in your workbook. Do your best and pay special attention to mark

allocation as you will be tested on this work.

. . .

SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The phrase 'like a lamb

to the slaughter' actually

has a long and

distinguished history in

biblical and English

literature, and you

might've even read it

yourself somewhere. If

so, you recognized that

it's generally used to

describe a situation into

which a person blindly

enters without any

knowledge of the

inherent danger. The same could be said for certain folks in Roald Dahl's short story 'Lamb

to the Slaughter.' The story's title also works as a dark double entendre, a word or phrase

used in a way that conveys two meanings, of its eventual outcome.

MARY MALONEY: is the model 1950s

housewife. Dutiful even to a fault, she

takes pleasure in providing her husband

with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere to

come home to. She loves Patrick and his

company and wants nothing more than to

share a happy life together with him.

However, when her unwavering and

devoted service is thrown away for no

apparent reason, something breaks in her

brain.

PATRICK MALONEY: isn't alive for

most of the story, so we don't learn too

much about him personally. However, we

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can gather enough on his character by his sudden and unwarranted decision to leave his wife

and unborn child. He appears to struggle with the choice and even seems too ashamed to look

her directly in the eye when he tells her. He also attempts to smooth the situation over by

assuring Mary that he'll send her money and see that she's taken care of. Ultimately, though,

Patrick is simply a selfish man worried only about his reputation on the force and is in no

way concerned with Mary's emotional needs or unwavering faithfulness.

JACK NOONAN: and the

other police investigators are

colleagues of Patrick's and

friends of the family, which

severely impairs their

judgment during the

investtigation. Given their

fondness for Mary, they

overlook several important

issues, such as there being

no sign of forced entry or the

fact that she continues to

cook supper immediately

after her husband's death.

THE FACTS:

The story opens on Mary Maloney, who's waiting patiently but eagerly for her husband, a

police officer, to get home from work. When he finally does arrive, Patrick Maloney silently

takes the drink his wife has prepared for him, and even makes his own stronger second one.

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It's Thursday, and the couple usually dines

out on those evenings, but Mary recognizes

Patrick may be too tired, so she offers to

prepare dinner, despite her advanced

pregnancy. Patrick seems agitated by his

wife's insistence on being useful and asks

her instead to listen to what he has to say.

He proceeds to tell her, though he never

states it explicitly, that he's planning on

leaving her.

In a total state of shock, Mary continues to

go about making dinner, heedless to Patrick

saying that he's going out. Coming to the

first piece of meat in the basement freezer, a

leg of lamb, she takes it upstairs for dinner.

She finds Patrick facing away from her in

the den, and without a single thought, clubs

him in the back of the head with the leg of

lamb, killing him instantly.

Suddenly realizing the severity of her crime, Mary quickly goes about covering it up. She

puts the lamb in the oven and goes to the local grocer to buy vegetables to complete the

dinner. After returning home and 'finding' her husband dead, she calls the police, who are

also friends of the family. They arrive promptly and investigate.

Tired and confused from their investigation, Mary pleads tearfully with the detectives to

let her finish the dinner she was preparing. Out of pity for the new widow, they concede.

While enjoying the lamb, the men discuss the case, each of them convinced that the murder

weapon, which has yet to be found, is 'probably right under (their) noses.'

THEY SAID:

Look up the following words from the story and copy the definitions in your workbook.

Tranquil Translucent Placid Punctually Gravel Content

Amber Bewildered Dazed Occurred Cellar Penalty

Peculiar Frantic Grief Doubled up Welled Precinct

Grocer Briefly Congealed Muttering Corpse Slopped

Departed Chink Blunt Premises Luxuriate Administered

Trifle Exasperated Nip Consoling Hospitality Mantle

Find SYNONYMS for the following: tranquil, peculiar, briefly, weary, departed, supper,

discovered, dead, glanced, rehearsed, ridiculous, gently, frightened, motionless, weary.

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Short questions:

1. From what narrative point of view is “Lamb to the Slaughter” told? (1)

2. From what narrative tense is “Lamb to the Slaughter” told? (1)

3. How is the room that Mary waits in described in the opening of the story? (2)

4. How are the curtains arranged? (1)

5. How many table lamps are described in the room? (1)

6. What beverage is sitting out as Mary waits for her husband? (2)

7. What about Mary’s husband’s behaviour is out of the ordinary? (2)

Long questions:

1. 1. Read the opening paragraphs. What are your first impressions of the main

character, Mary Maloney? Think about the room she is in and its atmosphere, her

mood, and her attitude towards her husband. (3)

2. What is the first sign of conflict between Mary Maloney and her husband? How does

Mary respond? Quote from the text. (3)

3. Can you guess what Mr Maloney says to Mary? Does it matter, why or why not? (3)

4. At the climax of the story, Mary kills her husband with a most surprising murder

weapon. What is it? (1)

5. Why are we so surprised and shocked when Mary kills her husband? Did you suspect

what would happen? Why or why not? (3)

6. In most murder mysteries, the murders are carefully planned beforehand. Here, all the

planning happens afterwards. Why does Mary go shopping after killing Patrick? (2)

7. What kind of murder weapon do the police look for? (1)

8. What makes this the perfect murder? (3)

9. Do you think the title of the story works well? (Think about its different possible

meanings.) (2)