Lamb To The Slaughter Essay

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Senjuti Gupta

Lamb to the Slaughter

‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ is about a wife, Mary Maloney, who loves her husband very dearly, at first, then ultimately kills him, due to him leaving her for an unknown reasons.

The title “Lamb to the Slaughter” is effective as it is a familiar saying.  The literal meaning is to kill the innocent; or that the victim is led to death.  The figurative meaning is that someone may be killed; or someone is going to kill another. This creates tension, as the reader prepares for something awful to happen, and also later in the story, we find out that the ‘leg of lamb’ is the murder weapon used to kill, and that the writer is referring one of the characters as an innocent ‘lamb’.

In the beginning part of the story, the writer mostly concentrates on the wife, Mary Maloney.  “Two table lamps alight – hers and the one by the empty chair opposite.  Behind her, two tall glasses, soda water, whisky.  Fresh ice cubes in the thermos bucket.  Mary was waiting for her husband.”  The first impression we get of Mary is that she loves her husband dearly, as the house is clean and neat, and that she has made the extra effort to make him feel comfortable when he gets home, by getting everything prepared therefore he can relax.

The writer has written the setting like a pleasant, warm house, for us to get the impression that Mary is a loving wife, and also, the writer has done this to make the readers be biased to like her, therefore part with her when the husband leaves.

In the next paragraph, the writer continues the wife’s devotion for her husband - “She would glance up at the clock, but without anxiety, merely to please herself with the thought that each minute gone by made it nearer the time when he would come.”  This conveys that the wife loves her husband greatly, and is excited when he comes home.

The writer now concentrates on Mary’s appearance.  “Her skin – for this was her sixth month with child – had acquired a wonderful translucent quality, and the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger, darker than before”.  This reveals that Mary is pregnant, conveying that the wife and husband must love each other very much and also establishes that she is faithful to him.  By describing Mary’s face, my impressions are that she is a loving wife and by mentioning the eyes, it links to an innocent lamb, as her eyes are big and tranquil.

In the next paragraph, “When the clock said ten minutes to five, she began to listen, punctually as always, she heard the tyres on the gravel outside, the footsteps passing the window, the key turning in the lock.”  This conveys that the wife’s devotion is out of proportion as she comes close to obsession.  It possibly conveys that she longs to see her husband.  It seems that her senses are geared whenever the husband comes home.

It is important to convince us that Mary Maloney is devoted and unsuspecting at first, as this will make it easier to sympathise and side with her rather than the husband; as the husband decides to leave her.

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The story now continues with speech between Mary and her husband.  “‘Hullo darling’ she said.  ‘Hullo,’ he answered.”  This conveys that the wife is being affectionate towards her husband as she uses the word ‘darling’.  However, the husband doesn’t return the affection back, as there is no endearment from him.

The first impression of Mr. Maloney is that he is a hard, serious man, with no affection towards his wife.  This conveys that there is a contrast between Mr and Mrs Maloney.  Mrs Maloney is openhearted, loving and conversational, whereas Mr Maloney is held-back and uneasy.

The writer emphasises Mary’s ...

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