Lamb to the Slaughter H3

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Learning goals:

- You can analyze a short story.

- You understand and know how to use the correct terminology for the analysis. 

At the end of the lesson I can:

- Evaluate and analyze a fictional character that I have read about in a short story. 

- Select evidence from the text to support my evaluation. 

Lesson plan: 

First, watch the video, then answer the questions in the slide. 

What are some themes of Lamb to the Slaughter?

What does the leg of lamb symbolize in the "Lamb to the Slaughter?"

Who is the protagonist (main character) in "The Lamb to the Slaughter?"

1. Jack Noonan, the detective
2. Mary Maloney
3. Patrick Maloney
4. Sam, the greengrocer

Who is the antagonist in the story?

1. Mary Maloney
2. Patrick Maloney
3. Jack Noonan
4. the detectives

What does Patrick Maloney tell Mary before she kills him?

1. He does not like her cooking.
2. That he is not happy with his job.
3. That he is having an affair.
4. That he wasn't hungry.

What happens to the murder weapon?

1. Mary threw it away.
2. Mary puts it back into the freezer.
3. Jack Noonan found it under the sofa.
4. The detectives ate it.

What is the main climax of the story?

1. Patrick coming home to work.
2. The police giving their estimation about the murder weapon and that it is still in the house.
3. The detectives eating the murder weapon.
4. Mary calling the police to report her husband's murder.

What is the rising action in the story?

1. When Patrick delivers to Mary the bad news.
2. When the policemen arrived.
3. When Mary gets the leg of lamb from the freezer after being in shock.
4. When Mary called the police.

What is the falling action in the story?

1. Mary crying to the police.
2. Mary giggling.
3. The policemen eating the evidence.
4. When Mary cooks the lamb, goes to the store to buy vegetables and rehearses.

Write your impression of Mary Maloney as a wife. Multiple answers are possible.

What is the significance of Patrick's profession and Mary's interaction with the police?

What may be a reason why Patrick wants to leave Mary?

Describe the first dynamic character moment in the short story.

Character analysis: Write down the evidence from the text about Mary's loyalty to her husband.

Open question: Do you think Mary Maloney is "a good wife" to Patrick? Explain your answer in at least ten words.