Summary Of Lamb To The Slaughter

In the story “Lamb to the slaughter by Roald Dahl Mary Maloney is a housewife devoted to taking care of home for her husband, and pregnant with her first child,waiting for her husband Patrick return home from his job as a local police detective. Mary is very happy in her marriage, and believes her husband is as well.

When he returns, Mary notices that he is acting strange and assumes that he is tired from work. After having more drinks than usual, Patrick tells Mary what is making him act strange. Although it is not said one can guess that Patrick asked for a divorce as he states "of course i'll give you money and make sure you're taken care of "(Dahl pg. 2). Seemingly in shock, Mary gets a large lamb leg from the freezer in the garage to cook for their dinner. Patrick angrily tells her not to make him any dinner because he is leaving. While he is looking out the window as if without thinking, Mary hits Patrick in the back of the head with

Considering Mary above suspicion, the police conclude that Patrick was killed by an intruder with a large object, made of metal. After they made an empty search around the house and area around it, Mary “remembers” that the leg is just almost done, and offers it to the police, pointing out that they have already been working past their dinner time and that the meat will go to waste if they don't eat it so, they hesitate in the begining but end up eating it. During the meal, as Mary sits nearby but does not eat with them because she's in “shock”, the policemen discuss where the murder weapon might be. One officer with his mouth full of meat, says it is "probably right under our very noses". Mary Hears this and began to laugh. At this point I can clearly tell that Mary is losing the little bit of regretthat she had of killing Patrick because it becomes amusing to her that the police are eating the only evidence against