Lamb to the Slaughter

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Today's goals

After today's lesson, you can

- You can analyze a short story.

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

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl

• British author (1916 - 1990)
• Wrote both children's and adult books and stories
• Children's often funny
• Adults' often bizar. 

Lamb to the slaughter

Waar zou de tekst over kunnen gaan?

What are your initial impressions of Mary Maloney as a character?

What do we learn about Mary Maloney in the second paragraph?

What do the first two paragraphs of the story suggest about Mary Maloney's relationship with her husband?

What atmosphere is created in the opening scene of the story?

Before the husband breaks the news, what three clues are there that this particular evening is going to be a break with routine?

How would you interpret Mary Maloney's behaviour in the text? What does this reveal about her character?

What tragic news does Patrick give Mary at the beginning of the book? How do you think this impacts her emotionally? How does she react?

What do you think Patrick Maloney tells 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.

Do you think the murder was "premeditated" or a "crime of passion"?

Lamb to the Slaughter:

What do you remember?

• In pairs
• No talking
• Take turns 
• One minute

Write down what you remember from the story

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?

Explain the title of the story "Lamb to the Slaughter."

Conflict: protagonist and antagonist

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

Situational Irony

Contrast between what you expect can/will happen and what actually happens.

What is an example of situational irony in 'Lamb to the slaughter'?

1. Mary 's personality
2. Patrick's personality
3. The police looking for the murder weapon
4. Mary going shopping for supper.

Dramatic Irony

When the reader knows things the characters do not.

Because of this the audience may foresee the outcome. 

Name three situations in the story that could be seen as dramatic irony.

Freytag's Pyramid

Exposition

> the start of the story

> the protagonist is introduced

> the (main/first) setting is described

> something happens

Rising Action

> events unfold

> things happen

> more problems

> more exciting

Climax

> most exciting

> problems at max

> can't stop reading/ playing/watching

Falling Action

> main problem is solved

> other (minor) problems are resolved

> questions are answered

Resolution

The they-lived-happily-

ever-after-stage

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 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 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.

What are some themes of Lamb to the Slaughter?

Watching

You have read the story, now watch the (rather old) version from the series "tales of the unexpected"