Short Story Essay

Mrs. Mary Maloney was a loving wife who took good care of her husband and made sure that when he came home from work every day, he had everything he needed to relax after a hard day at work. This all changed when Mr. Patrick Maloney came to Mrs. Maloney one day with some very hurtful and disturbing news. Even after receiving the news without thinking Mrs. Maloney was continuing with doing her daily wifely duties.

In the “Lamb to Slaughter” it suggests to the reader to think before acting because one never knows what could happen. Being smart is thinking before reacting. If Mrs. Maloney had been thinking ahead and being smart, she would have kept the kitchen cabinets filled with vegetables even though they usually go out on Thursdays, just in-case Mr. Maloney changed his mind about going out for dinner.

Mr. Maloney was not being very smart at all when he decided to cheat on Mrs. Maloney, neither did he think before he reacted. He did not consider what this would do to his marriage or how it would hurt Mrs. Maloney. He sadly broke the bad new to Mrs. Maloney telling her what he had done. She was shocked and upset all at the same time. He tried to minimize the situation by telling her that he would give her money and make sure that she is well taken care of.

Mrs. Maloney, at first did not want to believe that she was hearing any of this. She quickly said to Mr. Maloney “I’ll get supper” as she normally does as if nothing has happened. At this time Mrs. Maloney is still in shock and disbelief, she even started to feel sick to her stomach. Mrs. Maloney did not seem like herself anymore everything started happening automatically with realizing that it was taking place. She continues her process as if she were about to begin preparing dinner before Mr. Maloney said to her “for God’s sake, don’t make me dinner, I’m going out”.

At this point Mr. Maloney had started being mean and rude to Mrs. Maloney so she just without warning hit him in the back of the head with a frozen lamb leg as hard as she could. Before this all took place Mrs. Maloney is a loving person who shows her love by preparing a calm and soothing experience for her husband every day when he come home from work each day. She cleans the house daily and makes sure that Mr. Maloney has a glass of whiskey when he gets home from work.

Mrs. Maloney should have thought about what she did before hitting Mr. Maloney in the back of the head with the frozen lamb leg. However, she did attempt to think quickly by cooking the lamb that she had used to kill Mr. Maloney when she hit him across the back of the head. Even though she thought quickly she did not think very smart when she offered Mr. Maloney’s friend to eat the lamb that was cooking in the oven.

It is always important to talk out any problems or differences that you may have with others. It is just as important to talk it out before acting out. Mr. Maloney did not attempt to talk to Mrs. Maloney, but he really did not give her the opportunity to talk about it when he said to her that there really did not need to be a fuss because it would not be good for his job. When talking out important stuff each person should be allowed to speak.

When Mr. Maloney said to Mrs. Maloney that he knew it was kind of a bad time to be telling her, but it was known other way, he really should have told her this kind of new well before now. You should not wait for a good time to tell someone the truth because telling them at the right time could make a really big difference. But then sometimes there is right time or a wrong time to say something just depending on the time, place and who is around. So, in the “Lamb to the Slaughter we can now see why it is always important to think quickly and be smart in every situation. Most importantly think before reacting to every situation that you may be involved in and do not allow anyone, or any situation change who you are or change the way you handle situations.