Irony : Lamb to The Slaughter

And when it was all wrapped and she had paid, she put on her brightest smile and said, "Thank you, Sam. Goodnight." "Goodnight, Mrs. Maloney. And thank you."

Dramatic Irony because Mary is thanking Sam for providing her with an alibi but Sam doesn't know what Marry is doing so he think that Marry is thanking him for providing her a good service.

"Patrick's decided he's tired and doesn't want to eat out tonight," she told him. "We usually go out Thursdays, you know, and now he's caught me without any vegetables in the house." "Then how about meat, Mrs. Maloney?" "No, I've got meat, thanks. I got a nice leg of lamb from the freezer." "Oh." "I don't know much like cooking it frozen, Sam, but I'm taking a chance on it this time. You think it'll be all right?"

Dramatic Irony because Sam does not know what actually happened to Patrick. He believe what Marry told him that her husband Patrick doesn't want to eat out so she want to buy ingredient for cooking for her husband.

"It's the old story," he said. "Get the weapon, and you've got the man." Later, one of the detectives came up and sat beside her. Did she know, he asked, of anything in the house that could've been used as the weapon? Would she mind having a look around to see if anything was missing-a very big spanner, for example, or a heavy metal vase. They didn't have any heavy metal vases, she said. "Or a big spanner?" She didn't think they had a big spanner. But there might be some things like that in the garage.

Dramatic Irony because the police doesn't know that Mary used lamb leg as the weapon to kill her husband.

"Whoever done it, they're not going to be carrying a thing like that around with them longer than they need." One of them belched. "Personally, I think it's right here on the premises." "Probably right under our very noses. What you think, Jack?" And in the other room, Mary Maloney began to giggle.

Dramatic Irony because the police officer don't know that they are eating the lamb leg that was used as the weapon. Verbal Irony because what the police officers said is not what it actually is, and Mary's giggle doesn't mean happiness but it means her plan is successful.

"Would you do me a small favor-you and these others?" "We can try, Mrs. Maloney." "Well," she said. "Here you all are, and good friends of dear Patrick's too, and helping to catch the man who killed him. You must be terrible hungry by now because it's long past your suppertime, and I know Patrick would never forgive me, God bless his soul, if I allowed you to remain in his house without offering you decent hospitality. Why don't you eat up that lamb that's in the oven. It'll be cooked just right by now."

Dramatic Irony because the police officers don't know that the lamb leg is the weapon.

Irony

A contrast between expectation and reality

verbal irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

"I think it's a shame," she said, "that when a policeman gets to be as senior as you, they keep him walking about on his feet all day long." He didn't answer, so she bent her head again and went on with her sewing; bet each time he lifted the drink to his lips, she heard the ice cubes clinking against the side of the glass. 50 "Darling," she said. "Would you like me to get you some cheese? I haven't made any supper because it's Thursday." "No," he said. "If you're too tired to eat out," she went on, "it's still not too late. There's plenty of meat and stuff in the freezer, and you can have it right here and not even move out of 55 the chair." Her eyes waited on him for an answer, a smile, a little nod, but he made no sign. "Anyway," she went on, "I'll get you some cheese and crackers first." "I don't want it," he said.

Situational irony because I can see that her husband tries to reject her offers many time. It is clear that there is something wrong or unusual.

She carried the meat into the kitchen, placed it in a pan, turned the oven on high, and shoved t inside. Then she washed her hands and ran upstairs to the bedroom. She sat down before the mirror, tidied her hair, touched up her lops and face. She tried a smile. It came out rather peculiar.

Situational irony because I didn't expect that Cooking the lamb leg is the way that Marry used to get rid of the weapon

At that point, Mary Maloney simply walked up behind him and without any pause she swung the big frozen leg of lamb high in the air and brought it down as hard as she could on the back of his head. She might just as well have hit him with a steel club.

Situational irony because Marry kill her husband whereas at the beginning of the story, She seem like loving her husband so profoundly and she is pregnant. Killing her husband is beyond reader's expectation.

situational irony

The even that are opposite our expectation

dramatic irony

when a reader is aware of something that a character isn't