Position Paper

Roald Dahl’s Lamb To The Slaughter

http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/lamb.html 

 I have chosen Roald Dahl’s “Lamb To The Slaughter” to do my position paper. I have read the story before and I read it for more than a few times (certain parts) to try to discover the thesis statement I can draw from it. So I misunderstood and thought that to write a position paper is as if I’m Mary’s attorney. Not attorney then. It is just me defending my belief about the story and my belief is that Mary Maloney is not as weak as she seems.

My heart fell out for Mary Maloney each time I read to the part where her husband told her that he’s having an affair and wanted a divorce. For, me too, is a mother, and just imagine how it feels when your husband declares a divorce while you are six months pregnant with his child! Mary Maloney is doing herself a favor by killing her husband, not only for herself but for her soon-coming child good too. She is losing her husband by hook or by crook, so better lose him with dignity. (sounds cruel?) I’m not encouraging people to kill their unfaithful spouses, but if I look from Mary’s perspective, since she has killed him and he’s dead, so better look at the bright side and look forward. She gets to inherit her husband’s property and she managed to get away from the law which will bring her a peaceful life with her baby in the future. I doubt if a part of her will always feel guilty for killing her husband. She’s such a strong woman, both mentally and emotionally.