grade 9: literature, short story worksheet lamb to the slaughter by roald dahl › gallery ›...
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GRADE 9: Literature, Short Story Worksheet
LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER by ROALD DAHL
Study these notes in conjunction with a thorough reading of the prescribed text. Answer ALL
of the following questions in your workbook. Do your best and pay special attention to mark
allocation as you will be tested on this work.
. . .
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The phrase 'like a lamb
to the slaughter' actually
has a long and
distinguished history in
biblical and English
literature, and you
might've even read it
yourself somewhere. If
so, you recognized that
it's generally used to
describe a situation into
which a person blindly
enters without any
knowledge of the
inherent danger. The same could be said for certain folks in Roald Dahl's short story 'Lamb
to the Slaughter.' The story's title also works as a dark double entendre, a word or phrase
used in a way that conveys two meanings, of its eventual outcome.
MARY MALONEY: is the model 1950s
housewife. Dutiful even to a fault, she
takes pleasure in providing her husband
with a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere to
come home to. She loves Patrick and his
company and wants nothing more than to
share a happy life together with him.
However, when her unwavering and
devoted service is thrown away for no
apparent reason, something breaks in her
brain.
PATRICK MALONEY: isn't alive for
most of the story, so we don't learn too
much about him personally. However, we
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can gather enough on his character by his sudden and unwarranted decision to leave his wife
and unborn child. He appears to struggle with the choice and even seems too ashamed to look
her directly in the eye when he tells her. He also attempts to smooth the situation over by
assuring Mary that he'll send her money and see that she's taken care of. Ultimately, though,
Patrick is simply a selfish man worried only about his reputation on the force and is in no
way concerned with Mary's emotional needs or unwavering faithfulness.
JACK NOONAN: and the
other police investigators are
colleagues of Patrick's and
friends of the family, which
severely impairs their
judgment during the
investtigation. Given their
fondness for Mary, they
overlook several important
issues, such as there being
no sign of forced entry or the
fact that she continues to
cook supper immediately
after her husband's death.
THE FACTS:
The story opens on Mary Maloney, who's waiting patiently but eagerly for her husband, a
police officer, to get home from work. When he finally does arrive, Patrick Maloney silently
takes the drink his wife has prepared for him, and even makes his own stronger second one.
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It's Thursday, and the couple usually dines
out on those evenings, but Mary recognizes
Patrick may be too tired, so she offers to
prepare dinner, despite her advanced
pregnancy. Patrick seems agitated by his
wife's insistence on being useful and asks
her instead to listen to what he has to say.
He proceeds to tell her, though he never
states it explicitly, that he's planning on
leaving her.
In a total state of shock, Mary continues to
go about making dinner, heedless to Patrick
saying that he's going out. Coming to the
first piece of meat in the basement freezer, a
leg of lamb, she takes it upstairs for dinner.
She finds Patrick facing away from her in
the den, and without a single thought, clubs
him in the back of the head with the leg of
lamb, killing him instantly.
Suddenly realizing the severity of her crime, Mary quickly goes about covering it up. She
puts the lamb in the oven and goes to the local grocer to buy vegetables to complete the
dinner. After returning home and 'finding' her husband dead, she calls the police, who are
also friends of the family. They arrive promptly and investigate.
Tired and confused from their investigation, Mary pleads tearfully with the detectives to
let her finish the dinner she was preparing. Out of pity for the new widow, they concede.
While enjoying the lamb, the men discuss the case, each of them convinced that the murder
weapon, which has yet to be found, is 'probably right under (their) noses.'
THEY SAID:
Look up the following words from the story and copy the definitions in your workbook.
Tranquil Translucent Placid Punctually Gravel Content
Amber Bewildered Dazed Occurred Cellar Penalty
Peculiar Frantic Grief Doubled up Welled Precinct
Grocer Briefly Congealed Muttering Corpse Slopped
Departed Chink Blunt Premises Luxuriate Administered
Trifle Exasperated Nip Consoling Hospitality Mantle
Find SYNONYMS for the following: tranquil, peculiar, briefly, weary, departed, supper,
discovered, dead, glanced, rehearsed, ridiculous, gently, frightened, motionless, weary.
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Short questions:
1. From what narrative point of view is “Lamb to the Slaughter” told? (1)
2. From what narrative tense is “Lamb to the Slaughter” told? (1)
3. How is the room that Mary waits in described in the opening of the story? (2)
4. How are the curtains arranged? (1)
5. How many table lamps are described in the room? (1)
6. What beverage is sitting out as Mary waits for her husband? (2)
7. What about Mary’s husband’s behaviour is out of the ordinary? (2)
Long questions:
1. 1. Read the opening paragraphs. What are your first impressions of the main
character, Mary Maloney? Think about the room she is in and its atmosphere, her
mood, and her attitude towards her husband. (3)
2. What is the first sign of conflict between Mary Maloney and her husband? How does
Mary respond? Quote from the text. (3)
3. Can you guess what Mr Maloney says to Mary? Does it matter, why or why not? (3)
4. At the climax of the story, Mary kills her husband with a most surprising murder
weapon. What is it? (1)
5. Why are we so surprised and shocked when Mary kills her husband? Did you suspect
what would happen? Why or why not? (3)
6. In most murder mysteries, the murders are carefully planned beforehand. Here, all the
planning happens afterwards. Why does Mary go shopping after killing Patrick? (2)
7. What kind of murder weapon do the police look for? (1)
8. What makes this the perfect murder? (3)
9. Do you think the title of the story works well? (Think about its different possible
meanings.) (2)