LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER BY ROALD DAHL
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How is Mary Maloney
feeling as she waits for her
husband to come home?
2. Why does Mary feel
blissful when her husband
comes home from work?
3. What does she say she
loves about her husband?
4. What unusual thing
does the husband do?
5. What job does her
husband have?
6. What does the husband
tell his wife which shocks
her?
7. How does Mary feel
after the husband gives
the bad news?
8. What does Mary do
with the leg of lamb?
9. What happens to
Mary’s mind after the
incident with the leg of
lamb?
10. Where does Mary
leave the house to go?
11.How do the detectives
behave towards Mary?
12. What drink does she
Curiously peaceful
He didn’t want to speak much,
loved luxuriating in glow of his
presence
Way he moved & loosely sat in
chair, shape of his mouth, the
intent faraway look in his eyes
while resting on her & his silence
re tiredness
Drained drink in one, fixed another
very strong one
Police officer
Implied – he’s leaving her – maybe
having an affair???
Disbelief & rejection of it; if she
carried on as normal with super
she’d wake up as if it never
happened
Took paper off went upstairs saw
him back to her by window and
bashed him over the head killing
him
Came slowly out of shock feeling
cold & surprised, stared unblinking
at body & leg of lamb in her hands;
realisation she’d killed him
The corner grocery shop for veg
Very kind and gentle towards her,
they know her & obvs like her
Whisky – in text not audio, asks
ANALYSIS QUESTIONS
14. How does Mary’s
pregnancy affect how the
reader responds to her
character?
15. Why do you think the
exact words Patrick uses to
say he is leaving her are not
included in the story? What
impact does it have?
16. Why is the fact Patrick is
a police detective important
in the story?
17. Why does Mary insist
that the police detectives
consume the leg of lamb?
18. Why is the title of the
story ‘Lamb to the
Slaughter’ ironic and
humorous?
19. How has Mary
Maloney’s character
changed at the end of the
With sympathy, the way her condition is described makes her
seem a warm and loving person.
More understanding of her violent response.
Knowledge of hormonal upheaval in pregnancy accentuates this.
Makes reader listen & relisten carefully to work it out, read the
following words to understand that he’s leaving her.
It puts the emphasise on her more and her reaction.
She knows just what to do to avoid detection; she could
manipulate the situation.
The police know and like her so are less likely to think she did it.
It’s the murder weapon, when gone it’s less likely blame will fall on
her.
Implies he is the lamb maybe.
Leg of lamb is used to kill him.
She is no longer the soft, gentle pregnant woman, but becomes
calculating and logical in order to throw suspicion away from
herself.
serve the policemen and Jack to pour her one then for him story compared to the start?
detectives? and others to have a nip.
13. Why at the end of the She hears them talking in the 20. Is Mary a hero or villain?.
story does Mary begin to kitchen while eating the lamb, Justify your answer.
‘giggle’? saying that the weapon will be
close, prob just under their noses