Other characters

A secondary character of “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl is Patrick Maloney, Mary's husband, but his active presence in the story is quite short, as he becomes the victim of his wife. The policemen, detectives, photographer and fingerprint man can be analysed together, as a collective character. 

Patrick Maloney

Patrick is Mary’s husband and a secondary character in the story. Because of Mary, Patrick’s active presence in the story is shortened, as he is killed by being hit with a frozen leg of lamb.

Outer characterisation

Patrick’s outer characterisation reveals nothing relevant about his looks, except that Mary found them charming:

… male glow that came out of him to her when they were alone together. She loved him for the way he sat loosely in a chair, for the way he came in a door, or moved slowly across the room with long strides. She loved intent, far look in his eyes when they rested in her, the funny shape of the mouth, and especially the way he remained silent about his tiredness, sitting still with himself until the whiskey had taken some of it away.

Patrick works as a detective and always comes home in the afternoon, at about five o’clock. His habit is to have a drink while waiting for his tiredness to disappear, so his wife always prepares him whisky when he comes home.

Inner characterisation

His inner characterisation is revealed as soon as he enters the house. Both Mary and the readers notice that he is silent and cold towards his wife. At the same time, the fact that he immediately gulps an entire glass of whisky reveal...

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