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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. From what narrative point of view is “Lamb to the Slaughter” related?
2. Mary is described as loving the way that Patrick remains silent about his what, in the beginning of the short story?
3. The narrator's description of Mary and her husband’s home leads the reader to assume they fit into what economic bracket?
4. What is a literary technique used to develop suspense in “Lamb to the Slaughter”?
5. One of the police detectives asks Mary if anything in the house could have been used as a weapon and if she will take a look around to see if anything is missing. What items does he suggest?
Short Essay Questions
1. Whose point of view does the narrative of “Lamb to Slaughter” revolve around?
2. Where in the story does the exposition take place? What important information is revealed through the exposition?
3. How does the author establish and develop tension through using sound in the beginning of the story?
4. In examining “Lamb to Slaughter” from an anthropological view of identity, what do you think Dahl’s statement is about mankind?
5. What symbolism surrounds the murder weapon in “Lamb to Slaughter”?
6. What crucial information to the story is omitted? Why do you think the author omitted these details?
7. What central injustices mark the narrative of “Lamb to Slaughter”?
8. What transitions did American culture (and European culture) and society make in the 1950s?
9. What is the central example of dramatic irony in “Lamb to Slaughter”?
10. What conversation between Mary and Sergeant Noonan leads to the destruction of the evidence in “Lamb to Slaughter”?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The climax of the story could be said to be when Mary kills Patrick. What indications show that this might be the case? What indications show that the climax happens elsewhere in the story? What risks does Mary face by calling the police? How are her actions justified?
Essay Topic 2
Discuss the character of Sam in the story. What role does Sam play in Mary’s plot? How important is Sam’s character to the narrative? How frequently do you think Mary sees Sam? Is he a good witness as to her character?
Essay Topic 3
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?
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This section contains 917 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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