Lamb to the Slaughter
What is the name of Mary's husband?
Patrick Maloney
What is the main conflict in “Lamb to the Slaughter”?
Mary must cover up the murder of her husband and try not to get caught.
What literary device occurs when the opposite of what is expected happens?
Irony.
In RACE, what does the “R” stand for?
Restate.
What does the word "tranquil" most likely mean in paragraph 3?
A. Excited
B. Relaxed
C. Angry
D. Confused
B. Relaxed
What does Mary use to kill Patrick?
A frozen leg of lamb.
What is Mary's motivation for covering up the murder?
She wants to protect herself and her unborn child from the consequences of the crime.
What type of irony occurs when the audience knows something that the characters do not?
Dramatic Irony.
In RACE, what does the “E” stand for?
Explain.
What is the primary purpose of Mary's trip to the grocery store after Patrick's death?
A. To buy ingredients for dinner
B. To find Patrick
C. To make her story seem believable
D. To ask for help
C. To make her story seem believable
What does Mary do with the murder weapon after killing Patrick?
She cooks the lamb and serves it to the detectives.
What event sets the main action of the story in motion?
Patrick says that he is leaving her.
Why is the ending of “Lamb to the Slaughter” ironic?
The detectives are unknowingly eating the weapon that they are searching for.
Which is stronger evidence for the claim “Mary is clever”?
A. Mary likes cooking.
B. Mary convinces the detectives to eat the lamb.
C. Mary is pregnant.
D. Mary lives with Patrick.
B. Mary convinces the detectives to eat the lamb.
How do the detectives' actions contribute to the irony of the ending?
They search for the murder weapon while unknowingly eating it.
Why does Mary go to the grocery store after Patrick's death?
To create an alibi and make herself appear normal and innocent.
What is one major theme of “Lamb to the Slaughter”?
Things are not always as they appear.
How does Mary create suspense after killing Patrick?
The reader knows Mary committed the murder, but we don't know whether the detectives will discover the truth.
Why is an explanation important after giving textual evidence?
It explains how the evidence proves or supports your answer/claim.
Which statement BEST explains how Mary's actions contribute to the suspense?
A. She immediately tells the detectives the truth.
B. She remains calm and creates a believable story while the reader knows she committed the crime.
C. She leaves the house before the detectives arrive.
D. She tells the grocer that Patrick has been murdered.
B. She remains calm and creates a believable story
How does Mary's careful planning help her avoid being caught?
She creates a believable story, gets rid of evidence, establishes an alibi, and convinces the detectives to eat the murder weapon.
How does Mary's character change throughout the story?
She begins as a loving, dependent wife but becomes calm, clever, and calculating as she plans how to hide Patrick's murder.
Explain how the ending combines irony and suspense to make the story effective.
The reader knows the truth while the detectives remain unaware. The detectives come extremely close to discovering the weapon but unknowingly destroy the evidence by eating the lamb, creating an ironic and unexpected ending.
Answer this using RACE: How does Mary's careful planning influence the outcome of the story?
Mary’s careful planning allows her to avoid being caught. For example, she creates an alibi by going to the grocery store and later convinces the detectives to eat the lamb. This supports the idea that her planning helps her destroy the evidence and escape suspicion.
Which TWO statements best explain why the ending of “Lamb to the Slaughter” is effective?
A. The detectives come extremely close to discovering the truth but unknowingly destroy the evidence.
B. The detectives discover that Mary planned the murder all along.
C. Patrick's death is revealed to have been an accident.
D. The ending uses irony to create an unexpected and almost humorous conclusion.
E. Mary finally admits that she killed Patrick.
A and D