Reading Questions

“Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl Reading Questions
Directions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. Restate the question in your
answer.
Reading Comprehension Questions
1. At the beginning of the text, how does Dahl describe Mary’s characteristics? What
textual evidence does the author use to describe Mary and her house in order to achieve
this effect?
Mary is first described as a gentle angel of the house, with outward characteristics such as
her physical appearance, activities, and temperament described. She looks "curiously
calm" as she knelt over her sewing machine, a domestic activity. She's six months
pregnant, and her cool eyes have become wider and deeper than they have in the past.
Her whole being has a gentle, Madonna-like quality to it. We also see how Mary
welcomes her husband home by hanging his coat and making him a beer. The narrator of
Dahl's story often enters Mary's mind to record some of her feelings. She, for example, is
looking forward to her husband's return from work. We discover that when he comes
home, the time of day is "wonderful" for her.
2. Although the reader is not told specifically, what news do you think Patrick has for
Mary? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.
________________________________________________________________________
Although the narrator does not specifically mention that Patrick has told Mary, his
pregnant wife, that he is leaving her, the words "of course, I'll give you money and see
that you're taken care of" indicate that this is his goal. He says that if he abandons her, it
would cause him problems in his work as a cop. He admits that "it's a tough time to be
telling her this," but does not mention her pregnancy. Mary's first reaction was denial; the
narrator says, "her first response was not to believe any of it." It's the epitome of a
defensive response. She then tries to pretend as though she hasn't noticed him in order to
reassure herself that "it was all in her head." As if it were any other time, she goes
straight to the kitchen.
3.
4. How does Mary’s behavior at the grocery shop contradict what has happened earlier in
the story? Why is her visit to the grocery shop an important piece of the story?
Everything was well-planned by Mary. Mary had to maintain a cool demeanor and
behave as though nothing was wrong in order for them not to doubt her. Her trip to the
grocery store is significant because, if police officers inquire about her whereabouts at the
time of the murder, she may justify herself by claiming that she was at the grocery store
buying a cheesecake for her lovely husband.
4. The police officers do not suspect Mary for the murder. How does her behavior play a
role in assuring this didn’t happen? Cite textual evidence to support your answer.
The police officers have no suspicions about Mary because they believe the murderer is a
man who was murdered with a metal object. Furthermore, Mary meticulously arranged it
and behaves as if she is really depressed because of her deceased husband, leading others
to feel sorry for her. Quotes: ‘...acted very natural... quite cheerful...wanted to give him a
nice supper... peas... cheesecake...impossible that she...' “...a heavy blunt instrument,
almost definitely a large piece of metal, was used on the back of the head.”
5. What is ironic about the end of the story? Cite the evidence from the story that
foreshadows this event.
The ending of the story is ironic because the police officers ate the murder weapon. “She
lugged the meat into the kitchen, tossed it in a pan, cranked up the oven, and shoved it in”
That is the evidence I discovered in the tale that foreshadows the murder weapon being
consumed
Literary Analysis Questions
1. What is the narrative point of view of the story?
The narrative point of view of the story is third person because in the story we can see the
pronouns he, she and they.
2. Describe the main conflict in the story. What type of conflict is this?
The story's main conflict occurs when Mary hits her husband with a frozen leg of lamb,
and she still does not want the police to suspect her. External conflict is the form of
conflict.
3. What is the theme of “Lamb to the Slaughter”?
Betrayal is the central theme of "Lamb to the Slaughter." It is betrayal because Mary loved her
husband and the baby she carried in her womb was a result of that love; but, after six months, her
husband wanted to abandon her.

Reading Questions

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Reading Questions

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“Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl Reading Questions

Reading Comprehension Questions

Literary Analysis Questions

1. What is the narrative point of view of the story?

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