The Real Lamb - 'Lamb to the Slaughter' by Roald Dahl

Dear classmates of 1A4,

Like what is mentioned during the discussion, we get mutton from lamb.

I WILL TAKE A VERY CENTRALIZED POINT OF VIEW OF 'WHO IS THE REAL LAMB'.

So, in my opinion, who or even what, is the real 'lamb' in the short story 'Lamb to the Slaughter' written by the famous author Roald Dahl?

I feel that i have a very different perspective in the point of viewing this story as a reader. I think that ALL characters in the story, are 'lambs' with exception of Sam. Why do I say so? Firstly, let me introduce to you guys all the characters being mentioned in the short story. Mary Maloney, Patrick Maloney, the police, Sam, the unborn child and of course last but not least, the frozen leg of lamb. (: [you will notice that after every paragraph, i will end with the sentence "Thus i think that xxx is the 'lamb'." Hehe.]

Patrick is a police and of course, Mary Maloney is his wife.

Why do I think that all the characters are the 'lamb'? The phrase 'lamb to the slaughter' means that someone or something innocent is sacrificed because of the wrong doing of someone else.
Mary has to face the death sentence, that is if the case of murder is solved. Patrick has let her down and wanted to abandon Mary and the unborn child. In a state of shock and anger, she killed Patrick Maloney unknowingly of what she is doing at that point of time. If she is to be killed for murder, she would be sacrificed in a sense that she is totally innocent and committed a CRIME OF PASSION, which should not be accused for. Thus i think that Mary is the 'lamb'.

Very simply, i feel that Patrick is the lamb because he is slaughtered as in really SLAUGHTERED by a frozen leg of lamb. However, Mary Maloney should not act that harshly as I think that everything can be solved using words and actions could only worsen the problem in hand.

Well then , why is the baby the so-called 'lamb' in the story too? If, like mentioned in the first paragraph, the mother is is sentenced to a death sentence, she would definitely be killed after the child is introduced to the real world. And the father is slaughtered already. So, when Mary had given birth to the child, it would be an orphan. It is innocent as he did not do anything and yet received this type of "punishment' by not having any parents. Thus, i think that the baby is the 'lamb'.

Lastly, the police are the lamb too because they are like fools in the story as they are expeirenced policemen and detectives yet they do not know how to act in a situation when the murder takes place.

I hope evryone gets what i am tryign to put across. Have a good weekend! :D

Cleon Wong 1A4 (07)