Lamb to the slaughter

Roald Dahl a British Novelist and short-story writer has been one of the world's best -selling authors that appealed both the kids as well as the adults alike. 'Lamb to the slaughter' a detective story is on similar patterns. Strange yet funny towards the end!

'Lamb' is a symbolic word wittily used by the writer. The very word 'lam' creates an image in our mind of a poor, helpless, lame creature, or character. Patrick, Marry, Sam, Jack Noonan and the other detectives have been at a time or the other personified as lambs.

At the beginning of the story we find out that Mary is a very loving wife. She had even mastered the art of rejoicing in silence and lauding the company of her beloved! So sublime was her love for Patrick!

"She loved to luxuriate in the presence of this man, and to feel - almost as a sunbather feels the sun - that male glow that came out of him to her when they were alone tougher."

She was a peace loving and cool-headed lady. She cared for Patrick but was also cautious enough not to dominate him. And love flowers only in the soil of freedom, watered by trust and illuminated with the torch of understanding.

"But darling, you must eat! I'll fix it anyway, and then you can have it or not, as you like!"

There are a lot many adjective and description that makes us visualize the array of scenes progressing. This particularly hooks the readers. Patrick upon returning from his office seems to be troubled by some unknown reason. There was an air of defiance around him, and drank more and stronger than usual. Patrick was obviously kind, loving and caring but remained entangled in the maze of 'external influences'. He was not a man who was exclusively submissive to his sentiments.

"This is going to be a shock to you, I'm afraid, he said. But I've thought about it a good deal and I've decided the only thing to do is to tell you right away."

"Of course I'll give you money and see you're looked after. But there needn't really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. it wouldn't be very good for my job."

These sequence of sentences - and at a time when a lady is pregnant - suggests that the husband wanted divorce. We also see that Patrick is 'self-centered' person, as he thinks of his reputation and job before considering the plight of the poor lady. Although he could have been barbarous and charged her wife to wade her way through the vast world he didn't - instead he was considerate and made the requisite arrangements for her.

Nonetheless this came up as a shock to Mary and for a moment she was no more in control of herself - some unconscious force seemed to have pervaded every single pore of hers! And how could she have kept cool and especially as she was in her sixth month of pregnancy. In this trauma she rode on a rampage of bitter feelings which she somehow wanted to get rid of. She was just about to cook the foot of a lamb which she used to hit Patrick. A loving wife such as her couldn't kill her husband but the spontaneous influx of emotions which is utterly natural caused her to behave in the way she did.

As she comes back to her sense she is reminded of her child.

"It made no difference to her. In fact, it would be a relief. On the other hand, what about the child?"

This quote portrays the selfless love a mother. Though there was no motive to left to strive for in her life she instantaneously - just in order to save her child - takes the form a lioness leaving behind the coat of the lamb!

The great challenge was to save her child, and she succeeds in preparing a treacherous trap for the detectives and the policeman. She acts as if she were innocent and benign, arranges for a witness - the vegetable vendor (Sam) and bewilders all the cops. It was deduced that Patrick died due to a blow received at the back of the head. O that they had known that the elf that played the mischief - the Grecian club - was the one they gobbled down their tummies!

The end was particularly the most interesting part where one could not help laughing out loud! Thus we see that in course of time all the major characters assumed the role of a lamb. The prime aspect of the story revolved around betrayal. "As one sows so one reaps." Patrick paid heavily for his deeds. All the actions have equal and opposite reaction said Newton, and what is more a, spontaneous one! In the last word the story reflects emotions, and turmoil (the internal conflict) at its pinnacle and charms the readers kindling in them a sense of sympathy.