Lamb to the Slaughter

Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______“Lamb to the Slaughter”: Is it ironic?

The more you try to be ironic, the more difficult it is! Irony is ______. What is said or written is not what is meant. Verbal Irony This is the ______. Most ______comments are ironic.

For instance, the person who says, "Nice going, Einstein," isn't really paying anyone a compliment.

 The character is aware of the irony.  The reader is aware of the irony. Dramatic Irony This is the ______. Sometimes as we read we are placed in the position of ______. Because we know something the character does not, we read to discover how the character will react when he or she learns the truth of the situation.

It's when you know the killer is hiding in the closet, but the girl in the movie doesn't know that. You want her to get a clue and stay away from the closet. "Don't open that door! Get out of the house!" The irony is that the girl thinks she is safe, when you know she's in danger. There is that element of ______again.

 The character is not aware of the irony.  The reader is aware of the irony. Situational Irony It is the ______. Irony of situation is often ______, such as when a prank backfires on the prankster.

It's the equivalent of a person spraying shaving cream in his own face when he was trying to spray his best friend. Or a man surprises a woman with a huge tattoo on his chest with her name inside a heart, only to be told she doesn’t give out her real name until she’s sure she really likes someone.

 The character does not expect the outcome.  The reader does not expect the outcome. Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______

Types of Irony Found in Roald Dahl’s “Lamb to the Slaughter”

Directions: List at least 7 specific examples of irony from “Lamb to Slaughter.” Identify the type of irony (Verbal, Dramatic, Situational) for each of your examples. Evaluate and describe how the use of irony contributed to the effectiveness of the story.

Example of Irony From the Story Type of Irony It’s ironic because…

Name: ______Date: ______Period: ______