Genre
Realistic Fiction (specifically a Short Story / Crime Thriller). While the events are shocking, they take place in a believable world with human motivations. It also incorporates elements of Dark Humor and Satire.
Point of View
Third Person Limited Omniscient.
Why: The narrator uses "he" and "she" rather than "I."
How: The perspective is limited to Mary Maloney. The reader has access to her inner thoughts, schemes, and emotions, while the other characters (Patrick and the police) are seen only through their external actions and dialogue.
Setting
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Location: Primarily the Maloney household, specifically the living room and kitchen. A brief scene occurs at Sam’s Grocery Shop.
Time: A Thursday evening between 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM. The domestic, cozy setting of the beginning contrasts sharply with the macabre events that follow.
Tone and Mood
Tone: The author’s attitude is ironic and dark. Dahl presents the murder and the subsequent cover-up with a calm, almost clinical detachment that highlights the absurdity of the situation.
Mood: The mood shifts from peaceful and domestic to tense and shocking, finally ending on a note of darkly comedic irony.
Character and Characterization
Mary Maloney:
Type: Round and Dynamic.
Traits: Initially portrayed as a submissive, loving, and pregnant housewife. After the "crisis," she becomes a "scheming, deceiving, and cold-hearted" strategist.
Patrick Maloney:
Plot
Exposition
Mary Maloney is waiting at home for
her husband to return from work
Complicating
Incident: When Patrick arrives, he acts a bit strange, which
worries her a bit
Rising
Action
Patrick says that he is divorcing
Mary (Although this is not directly stated in the story, it is inferred from
the character's actions) and she is horrified and in disbelief.
Crisis
Mary walks into the basement to
retrieve what they will be eating for supper, which is a frozen lamb leg.
Patrick hears her walking back and rudely tells her he will be going out for
dinner by himself.
Climax
Out of shock, Mary suddenly swings
the lamb leg at Patrick and ends up killing him.
Falling
Action
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Mary
realizes she needs to act as if she is innocent; act naturally. She thinks
fast and goes out to the grocery store to buy potatoes so it will look like she is
just returning home to find her husband had been murdered and then places the
lamb and potatoes in the oven.
Mary calls the police who investigate
the scene as she acts heartbroken and shocked. Then, she convinces the police
to eat the lamb she had prepared for dinner, as it was late and she had too
much food, saying they were doing her favour by eating it.
Resolution
While eating the lamb, the police
officers talk amongst each other about the murder weapon and its possible
whereabouts, saying it was "probably right under our noses.” Mary
overhears and starts giggling.
Conflict
Internal Conflict (Man vs. Self): Mary struggles with the immediate realization of what she has done. She must choose between surrendering (and risking the life/future of her unborn child) or plotting a deception to save herself.
External Conflict (Man vs. Man):
The tension between Patrick and Mary leading up to his announcement.
The physical act of Mary killing Patrick with the leg of lamb.
The "battle of wits" between Mary and the investigating detectives.
Conflict Resolution
The conflict is resolved when the police officers consume the murder weapon (the cooked leg of lamb). By eating the evidence, they unknowingly destroy the only link between Mary and the crime, allowing her to escape legal consequences.
Literary
Devices
Foreshadowing:
"...he did an unusual thing. He lifted his glass and drained it on the
swallow although there was still half of it..."
Dramatic
Irony
We learn that Mary murdered her
husband, but the police do not; they are fooled by her act and innocent
appearance.
Situational
Irony
The police officers’ conversation: “The
evidence is probably right under our very noses.
Use
of Humour
What kind of humour is used in the
story?
Black humour is the use of dark ideas/events
for darkly comic purposes.
Examples:
- The image of the cheerful homemaker
suddenly smashing her husband’s skull with the frozen joint of meat intended
for his dinner
- There is a dark but funny double
meaning, too, when she says she has enough meat in her house. One is applied to
lamb she has taken from the freezer from her basement and the second is applied to
Patrick, who is dead and just meat now.
- The ultimate humor is seen when police
officers and detectives sit around the Maloney kitchen table, speculating about
the murder weapon while they unwittingly devour it.
Symbolism
The greatest symbol is the lamb.
Lambs have been used for thousands
of years as a symbol of innocence, meekness, and purity. Even when Patrick
tells Mary that he is going to leave her she is still a kind, gentle, and
caring wife but then she slaughters her husband.
The lamb became the weapon instead
of being the dinner that Patrick was going to eat.
Theme
The story displays betrayal from
both Mary and Patrick. Patrick decides to leave Mary and Mary kills her husband
dear to her.
Justice
and Injustice
It is a controversial theme. The
story has a good plot that leaves the readers with confusion, regarding Mary’s decision
of justice when her husband plans to leave her. Some would argue and agree that
Mary was right and justice was served for her while some may not. The law does
not permit an individual to take the law in their hand.
It is clear that Patrick did not
get justice. His murderer was free. The justice and injustice theme solely
applies to Mary.
Identity
The story highlights a shift in the character's identities. Mary a caring housemaker, in the beginning, turns into a
cold-hearted murderer. However, the readers see Mary re-establishing her lost
identity.
Love
and Passion
Love and passion is a minor theme
in the story. The readers can see Mary’s love and passion for her husband. Patrick, does not love Mary, rather he is passionate about his work.
Summary
Mary Maloney, a devoted and pregnant housewife, waits for her husband Patrick to return from his job as a detective. Upon arrival, Patrick coldly informs her that he is leaving her. In a state of shock and mechanical reflex, Mary retrieves a frozen leg of lamb from the cellar and bludgeons him to death. She quickly devises an alibi by visiting a grocer and "discovering" the body upon her return. She calls the police—Patrick’s own colleagues—who investigate the scene. In a final stroke of brilliance, she convinces the hungry officers to eat the leg of lamb she has cooked, effectively making them consume the evidence of her crime.
Practice Question
i. Mary
was shocked when she returned from the store because
A.
Police were investigating
the murder case
B.
Patrick had prepared the
supper
C.
Patrick had left the house
D.
Patrick was dead
ii. “And in
the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle,” Why?
A.
She cunningly fooled the
detectives into eating the murder weapon which was right in front of them
B.
She was relieved as
detectives were helping her erase the murder weapon
C.
She overheard detectives
discussing the murder weapon
D.
She was losing her mind
because of her husband’s death
1. 'Mary Maloney appears to be a very faithful and affectionate wife in the story.' Discuss this statement with an appropriate supporting argument.
2. Mary Maloney began to giggle in the other room, why?
3. Discuss how the symbol of 'lamb' is ironically used in the story.
5. Why does Mary Maloney go to Sam's store to buy groceries?
6. What could be the possible reason for Patrick to leave his wife?
7. Do you think the murder was premeditated or accidental. Why?
8. Was Mary Maloney suspected of the murder? Why or why not?
9. How does Mary and Patrick's acquaintance with the detectives affect the course of the investigation?
10. Mary is cool and calculating when it comes to murder. Discuss.
11. What news does Patrick have for Mary and how does she react?
12. Discuss how Mary successfully manipulates or diverts the detectives.
13. What point of view the story is told and why is that important?
14. What influence does Mary's pregnancy have on the story?
15. How does Mary Maloney create the alibi?
16. How does the author use foreshadowing and irony in the story?
18. Why do you think she asked Sam if it's alright to cook the lamb frozen?
19. What is Mary Maloney's state of mind before and after the murder?
20. Should Mary be punished for the crime she committed. Why or why not?
21.“For her, this was always a blissful time of day. She knew he didn’t
want to speak much until the first drink was finished, and she, on her side,
was content to sit quietly, enjoying his company after the long hours alone in
the house…”
Discuss the character traits of the two
characters based on the above excerpt. 22. If you were Patrick
Maloney, how would you have approached Mary about your separation without being
killed?
