The Works of Roald Dahl

By Penguin Books http://www.bookfinder.com/author/roald-dahl/15/

            Roald Dahl is a very accomplished writer of children’s stories.  However, he is also a well-known short story writer.  He has composed many short stories that make up three different collections.  All of these stories have an unusual and different details, however, they all seem to follow a similar plot line.  The main characters from “Man from the South” and “Lamb to the Slaughter” both let their inner emotions take over their common sense, and commit self-harming acts.  Both of these stories have a similar theme that all humans have an inner savagery inside of them that can be let loose if prompted (West).  Dahl uses an unexpected twist in these two stories in order to portray his feelings that people have an innate evil inside of them, show that readers can be tricked into siding with the character at fault, and to reveal that people often let their emotions get the best of them.

            In both “Man from the South” and “Lamb to the Slaughter,” the main characters are seemingly respectable, civilized humans.  Dahl, however, presents a pattern in his stories that show that he thinks even the most civilized humans can be savages (West).  The Naval cadet in the “Man from the South” accepts an outrageous bet because of his pride, and failure to deal with pressure (Man).  Mrs. Maloney in “Lamb to the Slaughter,” is a normal housewife whose husband is having an affair (Lamb).  Although she has manners and lives in a very civilized way, an innate evil comes out of her and she kills her husband in cold blood.

            Dahl also proves his point by tricking his readers (Bertonneau).  He presents the stories in a way, that you feel bad for the main characters.  He does this by putting the characters in situations that cause readers to pity them.  The old man is taunting the naval cadet, and the woman’s husband betrayed her.  Although their responses are not equivalent to the initial attack against them, readers have a tendency to side with them.  This shows that even the readers can possibly have an innate savagery in them, just as the characters seem to have.  Dahl is able to really get the reader emotionally involved by the surprise endings.  Dahl was very well known for his unexpected twists at the end of the stories, and both of these stories have this aspect (Levi).  Even though the young cadet and Mrs. Maloney may have deserved punishment for their actions, they did not receive any.  However, the readers seem to be relieved when they both end up without harm. The ending in each makes the reader relate to the main character, and sympathize with them.

            In Dahl’s two stories, he shows that he believes that people let their emotions take control of their thoughts.  The young naval cadet is so proud, so competitive, and so greedy, that he cannot turn down the bet.  Even though it may mean losing his finger, he does not care.  He loses control of his common sense because his emotions take over his thoughts.  Similarly, in “Lamb to the Slaughter,” Mrs. Maloney is so shocked, so angry, and so upset that she does something she never would have dreamed of doing before then.  She took her husband’s life.  This symbolizes the inner savagery that we all have, no matter what we know is right, and what we know is wrong (West).

            Throughout Roald Dahl’s stories, he delivers a message that has a noticeable pattern.  Through his plot lines, character development, and ironic surprise endings, he is able to convey his thought about society.  He believes that no matter how civilized each human society becomes, no matter how clear we distinguish between right and wrong, the savagery in humans will come out.  Their emotions will get the best of them, and the evil inside of them will surface.  In addition, the readers of these stories will also show their savagery by even agreeing or siding with the characters at fault.  Dahl shows his true feelings about people, and makes a very convincing argument for his case.

Works Cited

Bertonneau, Thomas. "An overview of “Lamb to the Slaughter”." Short Stories for Students. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.

Dahl, Roald. "Lamb to the Slaughter." Short Stories & Classic Literature from around the World. American Literature. Web. Oct. 2011. <http://www.americanliterature.com/Dahl/SS/LambtotheSlaughter.html>.

Dahl, Roald. “Man From the South.” Short Stories & Classic Literature from around the World. American Literature. Web. Sept. 2011.

Levi, Claudia. "Roald Dahl: Overview." Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.

West, Mark I. "Mastering the Macabre." Roald Dahl. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992. 36-59. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Thomas J. Schoenberg and Lawrence J. Trudeau. Vol. 173. Detroit: Gale, 2006. Literature Resource Center. Web. 12 Oct. 2011.