Quote Journal for Theme Analysis Essay

Short Story: LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER

Within ROALD DAHL'S Ironic

Thematic Idea: Betrayal

fictional short story LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER discussing how betrayal can lead to revenge.

, he shifts from Mr. and mrs. maloney betraying each other to Mary deceiving the police. in order to prove how
The feeling of betrayal within someone can be so strong that they act before thinking to reveal that it really was rather a shock. All the

old love and longing for him welled up inside her (7).

ASS 1 SENTENCE FORMULA:

Write your formula here using + signs and add in your information

ASS 1 SENTENCE FOR PARAGRAPH 1: Write your sentence here

ASS 2 SENTENCE FORMULA (w/adv. clause trans. @ beginning): Write your formula here using + signs
and add in your information
ASS 2 SENTENCE FOR PARAGRAPH 2: Write your sentence here

Thematic Idea: BETRAYAL

Assertion Sentence
Formula:
(Assertion Idea + Focus
of essay your themed
statement rephrased)

ASS1 Topic: Mary killing her husband

Assertion Formula Plug-in: put your formula here (use + and plug in your information

Ass. idea + focus of essay (theme)

Mary killing her husband + betrayal can lead to death and penalties

ASS 1 Sentence:write your assertion sentence here:

Mary kills her husband because he was going to leave her and realizes she could get in big trouble
which proves that betrayal can lead to consequences.

EV1 & Comm

1

Whats going on in this scene

before and after the quote

Textual Evidence
(your quotation)

4
Citation

Literary Element

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and

how it proves the assertion and themed statement
MULT. SENTENCES)

(4)
Her husband betrays her
and she was shocked
about it.

Mary Maloney simply walked up

behind him and without any
pause she swung... the big frozen
leg of lamb. high in the air and
brought it down as hard as she
could on the back of... his head.

Situational
Irony

This is an example of situational irony because

its something the audience didnt think would
happen.The audience didnt think that she was
going to kill him with the lamb;they thought she
was going to cook it for him.This is betrayal
because she betrays him by killing him with a
piece of lamb. Some people think that if
someone betrays you that its okay to betray
them back just to get even with them.

[She] [swings] [the]..Frozen leg

of lamb [and]...[hit] His head.

For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

She was in shock when her husband betrayed her, so [She swings the]...frozen leg of lamb [and]...[hit] his
head (4).This is an example of situational irony because its something the audience didnt think would happen. The audience didnt think

that she was going to kill him with the lamb; they thought she was going to cook it for him. Therefore this is an example betrayal because she
kills him with the leg of lamb. Some people think that if someone betrays a person that its okay to betray them back just to get even with them.

approved

EV 2 & Comm
1

3
Textual Evidence

she has killed her

That was fine.. It made no

husband because he

difference to her. In fact, it would

was going to betray her

be a relief.

wonder about the

penalty of it was.

Citation

5
Literary Element

(your quotation)

Whats going on in this scene before

and after the quote

and she started to

[It is going to be]..fine[and]...

[also] be a relief.

(5)

Indirect
characterizatio
n of mary
betraying her
husband.

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and

how it proves the assertion and themed statement
MULT. SENTENCES)

The author is telling the

audience that she is fine with
what the penalty was for killing
her husband. She thinks its
okay because he betrayed her
and she was just getting even
with him by betraying him.The
author used indirect
characterization to show the
audience how she felt about
what she did and what the cost
would be.This represents
indirect characterization
because the author is trying to
show the audience that mary is

fine with what she did to her

husband and what would happen
to her. The author is indirectly
characterizing Mary as a
dynamic character because her
actions are the reason for the
changes in the story.

For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

Mary starts to wonder about what the penalty of killing her husband is going to be and believes [It
is going to be]..fine[and]... [also] be a relief (5). The author is telling the audience that she is fine with what
the penalty was for killing her husband. She thinks its okay because he betrayed her and she was
just getting even with him by betraying him.The author used indirect characterization to show the
audience how she felt about what she did and what the cost would be.This represents indirect
characterization because the author is trying to show the audience that mary is fine with what she
did to her husband,what would happen to her and showing that she is an evil and mean person.
The author is indirectly characterizing Mary as a dynamic character because her actions are the
reason for the changes in the story.

approved
Thematic Idea:
Assertion 2 Sentence
Formula:

Assertion 2 idea:

ASS2 Topic: MS. MALONEY DECEIVE THE POLICE

Assertion Formula Plug-in: put your formula here (use + and plug in your information)

(Adv. Trans. phrase +

Assertion Idea + Focus
of essay your themed
statement rephrased)

adv trans phrase + previous ass. idea, + ass. idea + focus of essay (theme)
While betrayal can lead to death and penalties + Mary deceiving the police + betrayal causes people
to make it look like they did nothing wrong

ASS 2 Sentence: write your assertion sentence here:

While bad actions can lead to consequences, Mary deceiving and betraying the police causes her to
act like the death of her husband was a surprise to her.
EV1 & Comm
1

3
Textual Evidence

Whats going on in this scene before

and after the quote

Mary called the the

cops and they have
been searching the
whole house for any
clues or weapons.

4
Citation

5
Literary Element

(your quotation)

Personally, I think it's right here on (10)

the premises.' 'Probably... right
under our very noses What you
think, Jack?' And in the other room,
Mary.. Maloney began.. to
giggle[ING].

..[the weapon is]... right under

our very noses

DRAMATIC
IRONY

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and

how it proves the assertion and themed statement
MULT. SENTENCES)
Only the audience knows why she is
giggling so that represents
dramatic irony. The author used
dramatic irony to show that the
cops are suspicious and she thinks
its funny that they are eating the
weapon used to kill her
husband.She is betraying the cops
by not telling them the truth about
what really happened to her
husband. She is also betraying
them because she is not telling
what the murder weapon is and
why she is laughing.

For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

The cops are searching for the weapon and they still havent noticed ...[the weapon is]...right under their
very noses , so Mary starts to laugh (10). Only the audience knows why she is laughing so that
represents dramatic irony. The author used dramatic irony to show that the cops are suspicious and she
thinks its funny that they are eating the weapon used to kill her husband.She is betraying the cops by not
telling them the truth about what really happened to her husband. She is also betraying them because she
is not telling what the murder weapon is and why she is laughing.

approved
EV2 & Comm
1

3
Textual Evidence

Whats going on in this scene before

and after the quote

(your quotation)

4
Citation

5
Literary Element

Commentary (explains how the T.E. is the L.E. and

how it proves the assertion and themed statement
MULT. SENTENCES)

She killed her

husband and she
went to the store.
When she came
back she acted like
she didnt know
what happened to
her husband;so she
calls the police to
come.

(7)

and she fell right into Jack

Noonans arms, weeping
hysterically He put her gently
into a chair, then went over to join
the other one, who was called
O'Malley, kneeling by the body, 'Is
he dead?' she cried.

Indirect
characteriza
tion
of mary lying to the
police

Mary is putting on a scene for the

cops, so that they dont think it
was her who killed her
husband.This represents indirect
characterization because in this
quote the narrator did not
specifically state that she is putting
on a scene but we can infer it. She
is betraying them by not telling
them what really happened. She is
also betraying the cops because
she is making it look like she didnt
have anything to do with the death
of her husband.

[she starts] Weeping

hysterically.
For your evidence sentence, combine boxes 1, 2, and 3 into one sentence. . For your commentary sentences, combine boxes 4-5 (this should be multiple sentences).

Mary is acting like she doesnt know what happened to her husband when she calls the cops, so as soon as
they got there [she starts] weeping hysterically. (7). Mary is putting on a scene for the cops, so that they
dont think it was her who killed her husband which is indirect characterization of Mary.This represents
indirect characterization because the author did not specifically state that she is putting on a scene. The
author used indirect characterization to let the audience infer that she is betraying the police. Therefore
we can infer that she is betraying them by not telling them what really happened. She is also betraying the
cops because she is making it look like she didnt have anything to do with the death of her husband.

approved