Theme Of Deception In The Lamb Of The Slaughter

Nathaniel Hawthorne in his novel, The Scarlet Letter, says “If truth were everywhere to be shown, a scarlet letter would blaze forth on many a bosom.” This quote not only applies to this century, by explaining while one may be afraid of someone’s exterior, their heart may be even darker than anyone could imagine. Lies, Secrets, and deception are within everyone whether you believe it or not. “ Lamb of the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl reveals the events caused by the main suspect Mrs. Maloney herself. At first glance, Mrs. Maloney, was a simple-minded women who cares not only for herself but her husband’s as well. Behind the mask of deception, she is an unusually cruel woman with most cynical intentions. When the time comes for Maloney to face facts

Maloney knows without any factual evidence she can’t be convicted with any charges and becomes very clever and hides all proof that she is the killer. “The detectives hesitated, but they were hungry, and in the end, they went into the kitchen and helped themselves to supper”(Dahl). She outsmarted the cops into eating the very evidence that would prove her to be guilty. She was a very smart women and knew exactly how to get away with murder. “While she was crying and talking, Noonan found some dried blood on the dead man's head”(Dahl). With her sly attitude, Maloney is able to convince everyone that she is the innocent woman she tries to portray. With all the evidence hidden and no one being able to prove who the killer actually is, she continues with the lie and outwits the police into thinking the killer is gone. Mrs. Maloney is very good at hiding who she is and is able to trick anyone into believing she is not capable of such a horrible injustice,including the cops. Through the ruthless Mrs. Maloney, she shows her true inner capabilities by clobbering her husband right in the back of the head, so hard that the blow unfortunately takes his life. Maloney is sly and will do everything in her power to stay under the radar and try to portray the loving and caring wife that we all know she’s not. "Personally, I think the weapon is somewhere near the house...It's probably right under our