Lamb To The Slaughter Betrayal

Many people will experience betrayal in their lifetime. Whether a child is betrayed when a trusted parent abuses them or an adult is cheated on by their spouse - betrayal is abhorrent and unpredictable. The main character, Mary Maloney, in “Lamb to the slaughter” sat eagerly waiting for her husband to arrive from a long day’s shift at the police department. However, passionate, pregnant, and peaceful Mrs. Maloney is greeted home with an “I’m leaving you” speech from her husband. In “Lamb to the Slaughter”, Roald Dahl enforces the meaningful message - betrayal is unacceptable. “He, who had done more than any human being to draw her out of the caves of her secret, folded life, now threw her down into deeper recesses of fear and doubt. The fall was greater than she had ever known, because

she had ventured so far into emotion and had abandoned herself to it.” ― Anaïs Nin. In other words, he who had made her so happy - caused her even more pain by leaving her. Dahl teaches the theme of betrayal in his short story, “Lamb to the Slaughter”. In the story, readers realize that betrayal can result in distress, lead to confusion, and cause distaste.
Roald Dahl expresses in “Lamb to the Slaughter” that betrayal causes much agony.

When Patrick Maloney broke the news to his wife, Mary Maloney, that he was planning to leave her, “Her first instinct was not to believe any of it, to reject it all. It occurred to her that perhaps he hadn't even spoken, that she herself had imagined the whole thing. Maybe, if she went about her business and acted as though she hadn't been listening, then later, when she sort of woke up again, she might find none of it had ever happened.”(Dahl 2). Patrick Maloney’s news of deception is the first betrayal in Dahl’s quick read. Mary Maloney experienced shock when she heard what her husband was telling her. This deceitful news causes Mary so much pain that “Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head.”(2). The grief she experiences provokes her into murdering her husband, the second betrayal in the story. Patrick caused Mary Maloney, who had been so in love with her husband when he walked through the door, ended up murdering her husband - leaving her values behind

her.
Not only does betrayal cause pain, but it also leads to confusion.
“And now, she told herself as she hurried back, all she was doing now, she was returning home to her husband and he was waiting for his supper; and she must cook it good, and make it as tasty as possible because the poor man was tired; and if, when she entered the house, she happened to find anything unusual, or tragic, or terrible, then naturally it would be a shock and she'd become frantic with grief and horror”(Dahl 3). Some might argue that this evidence supports the claim in which Mary Maloney had already been planning to murder her husband. Yet, “Reassurance is a form of comfort that is used when you’re confused or upset. . . . Confusion and frustration can lead to anger and sometimes fear.” (Demarko 2015). It also seems that they did not remember in which how content Mary was to with her husband when he first arrived home, “For her, this was always a wonderful time of day. She knew he didn't want to speak much until the first drink was finished, and she was satisfied to sit quietly, enjoying his company after the long hours alone in the house. She loved the warmth that came out of him when they were alone together. She loved the shape of his mouth, and she especially liked the way he didn't complain about being tired.”(1). Certainly it could be said that Mary Maloney was planning to murder her husband, and responded to his betrayal by murdering him. However, this evidence provides that she did love her husband before he deceived her, and she reacted to her husband's betrayal out of the confusion of the moment. When Mary Maloney murdered her husband she had to reassure herself. However, once she saw her husband lying dead on the floor she “began to cry her heart out”(4). Mrs. Maloney, thinking that she was over her husband, was overwhelmed with emotion which made her further confused with the situation, and herself. The betrayal not only causes Mrs. Maloney much uncertainty, but also it causes the professionals bewilderment.
“ "That's the hell of a big club the guy must've used to hit poor Patrick, “
"Have some more, Charlie."
"No, we'd better not finish it."
"She wants us to finish it. She said we ought to eat it up."
"That's a big bar the murderer must have used to hit poor Patrick. The doctor says the back of his head was broken to pieces.”
"That's why the weapon should be easy to find."
"Exactly what I say."
"Whoever did it, he can't carry a weapon that big around with him."
"Personally, I think the weapon is somewhere near the house."
"It's probably right under our noses. What do you think, Jack?"”(Dahl 5).
This was the conversation between the men: policemen, detectives, and reporters, while they ate lamb leg Mrs. Maloney prepared for them. However, that particular lamb leg was the murder weapon.
In Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter” he enforces the message of that double-crossing someone is objectionable. This short story teaches readers that betrayal is not okay. “As the wife of a detective, she knew quite well what the penalty would be. That was fine. It made no difference to her. In fact, it would be a relief. On the other hand, what about the child?”(Dahl 3). According to Crime Museum.org, if the victim murdered was a law enforcement officer - the punishment is the life sentence. “On the other hand, what about the child?”(3). Mary Maloney realizes that:
She had murdered her husband.
The penalty was the death sentence.
Now her child is at risk.
Mrs. Maloney was so conceited that when she killed her husband, she didn’t even think of her husband. Betrayal causes a change of moral values, demonstrating the idea that, betrayal is horrible.
It is easy to be vulnerable to betrayal. It is inevitable that one will not be double-crossed during life, so one needs to learn how to deal with betrayal. When betrayal causes someone to alter their moral values, they need to focus on changing themselves instead. The way one views being betrayed factors how one will overcome it. When one takes the high road, they prove how strong they are. One doesn’t prove how strong they are with a leg of lamb.