Discuss the presentation of gender and power explored in the short story, Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl.

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ENGLISH SHORT STORY ESSAY

‘LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER’

The question I have selected for my essay is number one and I

will be discussing the presentation of gender and power explored

in the short story, Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl.

Also in my essay I will be explaining the roles played by the two

main characters in the story Mary and Patrick Maloney.

Mary Maloney is the main character in the story Lamb to the

Slaughter. She is represented as a stereotypical housewife who

adores her husband, Patrick Maloney, and is willing to go to any

length to please him. At the start of the text Mary seems to be a

weak woman and the weaker person in her marriage. She lets

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her husband push her around and she doesn’t even realise he’s

doing it, because she only ever wants to make happy.

Patrick Maloney is the husband of Mary Maloney and the

dominant one in their relationship. In the text he is represented

as a stereotypical ungrateful, grumpy husband. Also in the text

the Maloney’s would be classified as an upper class family but

even though this is so, Patrick Maloney still works full time as a

Senior Policeman. Another thing we notice about Mr. Maloney is

the fact he seems quite bored of ...

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