In Roald Dahl’s short story; Lamb to the Slaughter, Mrs. Maloney murders her husband after he announces that he’s leaving their marriage. At the beginning of the story, Mrs. Maloney appears to be living a normal, healthy life as a housewife. However, Mrs. Maloney does not react rationally after she hears the news of her husband’s departure. I believe Mrs. Maloney was fully aware of her actions throughout the story, but I think that her reasoning and idea of rationality was distorted. Mrs. Maloney acts out of impulse and rage, and she lacks empathy for her deceased husband after she murders him. To me, this lack of empathy comes across as somewhat psychopathic. She giggles when she succeeds in deceiving the detectives, another hint to Mrs.