Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl

Lamb to the Slaughter is a story about a young pregnant woman, Mary, who is married to a policeman, Patrick Maloney. One night, after her husband arrives from work, she gets to know that he is going to leave her. In a shock, and without analysing her actions, she hits him in the back of the head with a leg of lamb which she intended to cook for dinner, killing him. After that, Mary notices that she has to hide her crime, and prepares the lam leg to be cooked. Then, she decides what she is going to do in order not to be caught. She goes out to the grocery to buy some vegetables, and after that, she calls the police. When the police arrive, they question Mary and they all deduce that somebody had broken into the house while Mary was out, and killed Patrick with some object which was not around. While they are searching the house, they realize that the oven is still on. Mary offers them to eat the cooked leg, and they accept. While they are eating, they speak about the weapon without noticing that it is right under their noses.
This is a story that shows very clearly some features about human cruelty, perversity, and coldness when facing an extreme situation. Trough the description the author makes, it’s noticeable to see how this, loving, passionate, and kind wife becomes a calculating, cold-minded and violent person. Something that I consider attractive about the story is the way in which the author presents the characters. He describes the way this woman feels in such a vivid way that in many occasions he induces the reader to justify Mary’s actions.

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