Compare and contrast “Lamb to the slaughter” by Roald Dahl with “Vendetta” by Guy De Maupassant.

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Compare and contrast “Lamb to the slaughter” by Roald Dahl with “Vendetta” by Guy De Maupassant.

        Roald Dahl wrote the story “Lamb to the slaughter,” in the middle of the 20th century. The story comes from his book “Tales from the unexpected,” which is a collection of short stories, all of which have a twist in the end of them. Roald Dahl is famous for writing children’s stories like “The B.F.G” (The Big Friendly Giant) and “Charlie and the chocolate factory.” Some of his stories are thought of being amongst the best literature in England.

        The title “Lamb to the slaughter” is symbolic to the actual story. It is ambiguous. Metaphorically, it can be compared with a lamb going into the slaughterhouse and not knowing what is ahead or what is going to happen. The title is relevant to the story, as Mary Malone literally kills her husband with a frozen leg of lamb.

“She swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air.”

        The blow from the frozen Lamb is fatal for Mary’s husband, Patrick Maloney. He too can be compared with a lamb going into the slaughterhouse.

        “Vendetta” was written in the middle of the 19th century, over a hundred years before “Lamb to the slaughter,” by a French writer called Guy De Maupassant. Maupassant who was famous for his pessimistic stories about peasant life and the fashionable life of Paris.

The title sets the scene for the whole story, which follows the theme of revenge. Revenge is a timeless thing, and it is a part of human nature and so many stories revolve around it. The title tells us this as a “Vendetta is derived from the Italian word for blood feud which can be counted as revenge.

“You shall be avenged.”

This shows the determination for Saverini, to get revenge on her son’s murderer. Over the years, forms of revenge may have changed, but they are still always there. In the 18th century, people may have gotten revenge by destroying other peoples crops, where as now, people would get revenge by breaking other peoples computers. In both stories, revenge is gained by murder, although, the murders only murder out of their own love for the person who has hurt them or is being hurt.

“She came out slowly, feeling cold and surprised.”

This shows just how shocked Mary Maloney was at what she had done. She had never meant to hurt her husband, but she was in shock and probably denial at what she had just witnessed. Although the murder in “Vendetta” was planned, Saverini probably felt the same way.

Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the slaughter,” opens with a descriptive paragraph of the room in which the murder takes place.

“The room was warm and clean.”

I think that this is an affective way to start the story as it sets the scene of a cosy, tidy house. There is one simple line, that I feel shows how much Mary loves her husband.

“Mary Maloney was waiting for her husband to come him from work.”

This shows the anticipation that Mary is feeling while she waits for her husbands to return home from work.

“Each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come.“

        I think that this builds up the emotions and also makes the reader slightly tense at what is about to happen. This makes it worse when Patrick Maloney breaks his new to Mary Maloney as the reader already suspects that something is going to happen but because of the amount love that Mary shows towards her husband, the reader does not suspect anything bad to happen.

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“And he told her. It didn’t take long.”

        We don’t actually find out what it is that Patrick tells his wife, but the way in which the story his written, you assume that he has had an affair.

“I hope you won’t blame me too much.”

        By not telling the reader what is happing, Roald Dahl makes the reader think and they then use their imagination. This is affective because it leaves the story open to many ideas and also keeps the reader interested in the progression of the story.

        After this, Mary is in a state of shock and ...

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