How Does Roald Dahl Use Irony In Lame To The Slaughter

Roald Dahl was a British author who wrote many children’s books over the time of his writing career. He claimed that children have a cruder sense of humor than adults, and he was trying to appeal that in his writing. In Roald Dahl’s short story “Lame to the Slaughter” Dahl utilizes verbal, situational, and dramatic irony to develop his comedic tale about a woman who murders her husband who plans on leaving her. Dahl uses two examples of verbal irony one being when Patrick Maloney tells his wife Mary that he must leave her. Mary is a six month pregnant woman who cares for her husband when he returns home from work. Patrick says, “This is going to be a bit of a shock to you, I’m afraid,” however, him saying this displays irony because him leaving her is actually shocking and random (Dahl). His irrational choice causes Mary to react in a harsh and disturbing manor when she decides to kill him with the leg of a lamb that they are going to have for supper. The police arrive soon after Patrick dies and Mary demonstrations a second example of verbal irony when she gives the police her alibi. She tells the police that she has become unsure if he

The moment Mary decides to attack and kill her husband creates an example of situational irony. She walked up behind him without any hesitation and she swung the frozen leg of a lamb against the back of his head killing him immediately. Her unpredictable act of anger portrays irony because she loves and cares for her husband which makes the reader believe she would not do anything to harm him. Having the murder weapon still in hand Mary decides to take the meat into the kitchen and place it into the oven to cook it. This action demonstrations another example of situational irony because she cooks the murder weapon to cover up her outrageous act. Having situational irony demonstrates the outcome and humor within the actions of the