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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Sergeant Noonan asks Mary if she would like to go somewhere else and suggests going to whose house in the story?

2. What color is Patrick’s second drink that he makes for himself described as?

3. Where is Patrick standing when Mary reenters the living room with the meat from the freezer?

4. What beverage is sitting out as Mary waits in the opening of “Lamb to the Slaughter”?

5. Mary tells herself as she walks home from the store, “That’s the way. Do Everything” how?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Mary’s discussion with Sam regarding “dessert” an example of verbal irony?

2. At what point in the story is Mary’s sense of identity shattered? What does she do to regain her sense of identity?

3. Where in the story does the denouement take place? What happens in the denouement?

4. How does Roald Dahl demonstrate black humor through the act of murder in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

5. When does Mary appear the most emotionally vulnerable in the story? Is this emotion true or a performance?

6. What symbolism surrounds the murder weapon in “Lamb to Slaughter”?

7. What transitions did American culture (and European culture) and society make in the 1950s?

8. How would you characterize the tone and mood of “Lamb to the Slaughter”?

9. What is black humor? When did black humor rise in popularity in literature and entertainment?

10. What actions does Mary plot on her way home from the store? How do these actions play out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss Mary’s response when she “discovers” Patrick’s body after returning from the store. Do you think that Mary’s emotions are legitimate or performed? In what ways does her behavior exhibit the qualities of performance? In what ways does her behavior seem to be legitimately driven by emotion?

Essay Topic 2

Define “conflict” in literature as well as the subcategories of conflict such as “internal conflict,” “external conflict,” and “relational conflict. What are the internal conflicts that Mary faces in the story? How are these resolved? What relational conflict is established between Mary and Patrick in the story? What is the resolution of this conflict?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the historical context of “Lamb to the Slaughter.” Consider how the story relates to its time period in terms of societal, political, cultural, and technological aspects. Do you think the story effectively reflects the time period in which it is set? Why or why not?

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