Lamb to the Slaughter Plot Elements

Mary Maloney is six months pregnant. She is a loving housewife and cares deeply about her husband.

She is peacefully waiting for her husband's arrival home.

Mary Maloney

Patrick Maloney

Patrick Maloney tells his wife some unfortunate news. His wife does not want to hear this bad news.

Person vs. Person

Mary Maloney creates an alibi to avoid being caught for her crime.

The police officers eat the murder weapon, ensuring the Mary Maloney will not be caught for her crime.

Mary Maloney insists on making her husband dinner, even though he wants to leave the house. She goes to the basement, and chooses a leg of lamb from the freezer.

Mary Maloney hits her husband on the head with the frozen leg of lamb, ultimately killing him.

Mary Maloney relays her version of events, insisting on staying in the house while detectives search for the criminal. A detective notices the oven is still on and Mary Maloney insists that the detectives nourish their bodies by eating the meal she had so lovingly prepared for her husband.

a suburban home

in the 1950s

The event that sets the story moving forward.

Without this event you only have background information about the characters.

This is the turning point of the story. It helps the story head toward the resolution.

This is the element of a story that gives the reader background information about the characters and setting.

It builds a relationship and investment between the reader and the characters, as well as the events that will happen in the story.

the problem in the story

The sequence of events in a story that lead to the climax. They take place after the inciting incident.

The sequence of events in a story that lead to the resolution.

They take place after the climax.

The time and location where a story takes place.

The end of the story where loose ends are tied up