What influenced Roald Dahl to write lamb to the slaughter?

Answer 1

In Lamb to the Slaughter, a woman's pregnant husband comes home from work as a police officer. He tells her some distressing news, though the audience never finds out what it is. In a state of shock, she goes to the freezer to find something to cook for dinner and takes out a leg of lamb. She goes back upstairs and, without really thinking, bludgeons him with it. He dies instantly. She knows that the penalty for murder is the death penalty. This worries her, though for the sake of her unborn child rather than her own. She decides that the best thing to do is to carry on with the evening as though nothing has happened. She puts the leg of lamb into the oven and goes to the supermarket. She buys potatoes and cheesecake. She gets back home and discovers her husband's body. She is genuinely mournful; she really did love him a lot. She calls the police. They arrive at her house and investigate the crime scene. They determine that the cause of death was blunt force trauma but are unable to find a weapon. Her alibi of going to the supermarket checks out. One of the officers smells something burning. She rushes to the kitchen and takes the leg of lamb out of the oven and offers it to the officers. They hesitate but accept. While they eat, she stands outside the door listening to their conversation. An officer states that if they get the weapon, they can get the killer. Another says that he can't shake the feeling that the weapon is right under their noses. From the next room over, she begins to giggle.

The main idea is that a pregnant woman with no criminal record commits the perfect crime off the spur of the moment while in an almost complete state of shock.

Answer 2

Roald Dahl was primarily influenced by his experiences as a pilot in World War II, his background as a British spy, and his quirky sense of humor. These contributed to the dark twist and unexpected turns in his writing, such as "Lamb to the Slaughter."

Answer 3

Go to the link below for excellent themes for the story Lamb to the Slaughter:

http://www.answers.com/topic/lamb-to-the-slaughter-story-4

Answer 4

there is a dramatic irony when we know that Mary murderer her husband but the detectives don't

Answer 5

Betrayal, innocence

Answer 6

Betrayal.

Answer 7

revenge