What Is Mary's Intent In Lamb To The Slaughter

(#1)In the short story, “Lamb To The Slaughter by Roald Dahl, the character Marry kills her husband, but due to her intent to kill, her crime is second degree murder. (#2) This is proven when Mary’s husband informs her that he wants a divorce, as well as by the way she holds the frozen lamb leg and hits her husband’s head. (#3) Mary's husband, Patrick, comes home from work and notifies her that he would like to get a divorce, saying, ‘and I know it is a tough time to be telling you this but there simply wasn't any other way,’ (12) also after the fact Mary was in disbelief to what happens, “ her first instinct was not to believe any of it she thought perhaps she’d imagined the whole thing,” (13). (#4) Mary admits that her husband wanting a divorce was a complete surprise to her, this means that prior the announcement Mary would have no reason or intention to plan and commit her husband’s

This leads it to be second degree murder because Mary didn't craft a plan for murdering him but she still had the intent caused by act Patrick wanting a divorce. Mary is going through a tough time and even Patrick recognizes that saying, ‘I know it's a tough time,’ and as a result this gives Mary intent through her anger and confusion of her husband unexpectedly, wanting a divorce. (#5) Mary’s charge of second degree murder is proven when she goes down to get a frozen lamb leg for dinner, “she carried it upstairs, holding the thin bone-end of it with both her hands,” (13) Mary additionally hits her husband with the lamb leg as, “ hard as she could on the back of his head,” (13). (#6) The way Mary holds the frozen lamb leg indicates that she is ready and wants to strike Patrick with it. Mary holds it at, “the thin end,” sort of like a club, this demonstrates that there was the motive in the way that she held the leg because she strategically held it at the thin end so that the big end would useful when she would hit