Lamb to the Slaughter
This is the literary device Roald Dahl uses when the police officers eat the leg of lamb, unaware it is the murder weapon.
What is irony (dramatic irony)?
This type of irony is shown when Jim sells his watch to buy combs for Della’s hair, while Della sells her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch.
What is situational irony?
Bradbury describes the house as if it were alive, giving it human qualities. This is an example of this literary device.
What is personification?
Anna’s decision to remarry after losing her first husband shows this trait of her character.
What is resilience (or strength/adaptability)?
THe Four Houses you are sorted in are
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw
This word best describes Mary Maloney’s shift from a devoted, loving wife to a calculating killer.
What is transformation (or change in character)?
O. Henry uses a warm, humorous narrator to tell the story in order to create this effect on readers.
What is to engage the audience with sympathy and lightheartedness (or to emphasize the theme of sacrificial love)?
From the story, readers can infer that Bradbury warns humanity about the dangers of this.
What is relying too much on technology (or nuclear destruction/war)?
Anna’s bravery during the lightning strike at the circus foreshadows her later ability to do this for her daughter.
What is rescue her from the burning house?
Restate, Answer, Citation, Explanation and Summary
From the story, readers can infer this message about appearances and deception. (theme)
From the story, readers can infer that true wealth is measured not in possessions but in this.
What is love or selfless sacrifice?
Although there are no human characters present, Bradbury develops meaning in the story by focusing on this “character.”
What is the automated house?
The narrator admires Anna because she not only risked her life for her in the fire but also gave her this gift from the very beginning.
What is life (surviving the trapeze accident while pregnant)?
In an explanation you must explain these two things
How your citation proves your thesis and WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT
The author chooses not to reveal Patrick’s exact words when he tells Mary he is leaving her. This creates this effect on the reader.
What is suspense (or mystery/curiosity)?
The story’s twist ending is an example of this narrative literary device, which emphasizes the theme.
What is irony (or surprise ending)?
The story reflects concerns from Bradbury’s time, such as the Cold War and nuclear threats, which connects to this historical context.
What is the fear of atomic war (or post-WWII nuclear anxiety)?
The story reflects a universal theme about the sacrifices parents make, which connects to this personal or cultural experience.
What is the idea that parents often put their children’s lives above their own (or “family sacrifice”)?
Restate and Answer are also known as
What is THESIS
“She carried the meat like a torch… then placed it in the oven” shows what of Mary?
What is she intended to hide the murder?
The struggles Jim and Della face with money and sacrifice connect to this universal theme that is still relevant today.
What is the idea that love matters more than material possessions (or “sacrifice is a true expression of love”)?
Bradbury structures the story around the hours of the day, which emphasizes this idea.
What is the routine and fragility of human life (or the persistence of technology without humanity)?
The setting of Anna’s career as a trapeze artist connects to this popular form of entertainment in early 20th-century America.
What is the traveling circus?
Character traits include