The Guilty Actions of Mary Maloney
Roald Dahl conjured from his imagination the character of Mary Maloney, a woman who murdered her husband after discovering he wanted to divorce her. A question exists in the story Lamb To The Slaughter asking whether Mary was insane or just plain guilty Jeffrey Dahmer, a man who was responsible for the murder, dismemberment, and even cannibalism of 17 men and boys went on trial and was still found guilty despite the thought that he would have to be insane to commit the heinous and sickening crimes that he did. Dr. George Palermo, a forensic psychiatrist says, “Jeffrey Dahmer knew what he was doing, he took precautions, and he knew the consequences of his actions but he did not want to stop.” (Washington tribune) Mary knew the consequences, and she took precautions, so why would she be insane? While Mary Maloney may have been an awful person, guilty of murdering her husband in cold blood with a leg of lamb but that doesn't mean that she was mentally ill.
One such bold indication of Mary's lack of insanity would be that she understood what she …show more content…
Mary Maloney's husband tells her in the beginning of dahl's story that he is leaving her. Her husband attempts to tell her that he will still take care of her and their child to be. This news broke mary, it gave her a motive for murder even. Mary was so upset that she might even hit her husband… with a leg of lamb. Most cases of the insanity defense where it actually worked have a little real motive for what was done. “she sat still through it all, watching him with puzzled horror.” (Dahl) The counter of these arguments would be that she heard the news and it made her go insane, they would use the fact that she kept repeating herself; However, that doesn't prove anything other than the fact that she was in denial. If it did then why wouldn't her husband have noticed it, he is, after all, a
Roald Dahl conjured from his imagination the character of Mary Maloney, a woman who murdered her husband after discovering he wanted to divorce her. A question exists in the story Lamb To The Slaughter asking whether Mary was insane or just plain guilty Jeffrey Dahmer, a man who was responsible for the murder, dismemberment, and even cannibalism of 17 men and boys went on trial and was still found guilty despite the thought that he would have to be insane to commit the heinous and sickening crimes that he did. Dr. George Palermo, a forensic psychiatrist says, “Jeffrey Dahmer knew what he was doing, he took precautions, and he knew the consequences of his actions but he did not want to stop.” (Washington tribune) Mary knew the consequences, and she took precautions, so why would she be insane? While Mary Maloney may have been an awful person, guilty of murdering her husband in cold blood with a leg of lamb but that doesn't mean that she was mentally ill.
One such bold indication of Mary's lack of insanity would be that she understood what she …show more content…
Mary Maloney's husband tells her in the beginning of dahl's story that he is leaving her. Her husband attempts to tell her that he will still take care of her and their child to be. This news broke mary, it gave her a motive for murder even. Mary was so upset that she might even hit her husband… with a leg of lamb. Most cases of the insanity defense where it actually worked have a little real motive for what was done. “she sat still through it all, watching him with puzzled horror.” (Dahl) The counter of these arguments would be that she heard the news and it made her go insane, they would use the fact that she kept repeating herself; However, that doesn't prove anything other than the fact that she was in denial. If it did then why wouldn't her husband have noticed it, he is, after all, a