Comparison of The Withered Arm and Lamb to the Slaughter Essay Example

reason that implicates Rhoda in the cursing is her jealousy and possible underlying hate towards Gertrude due to her position in society.

Rhoda was unaware that she was cursing Gertrude, mistaking it for a dream. She awoke in her bed after the dream, but Farmer Lodge can be held responsible for her feelings towards Gertrude. Had he not abandoned Rhoda during her pregnancy, and neglected their son, Rhoda would have had no reason to be envious of Gertrude. The curse and jealousy she felt towards Gertrude only arose due to the pain caused by Farmer Lodge. The death of Rhoda's son was a tragedy, but not anyone's fault - he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Set in middle-class America, "Lamb to the Slaughter" revolves around Mary Maloney, who learns of her husband leaving her. While unaware of why he is leaving, Mary declines to believe it and continues with her regular activities until she reaches a breaking point and kills her husband.

The relationship between Mary and her husband follows stereotypical gender roles - Mary is a homemaker who greets her husband, serves his drinks, cooks his meals, and does the shopping while also being pregnant. Her husband expects her to fulfill these roles. Their relationship seems content, characterized by regularity and routine. Mary appears to be fixated on her spouse, causing her disbelief upon hearing certain news.

After receiving the news, Mary, once a happy housewife, was shaken and turned into a robotic-like figure while continuing her daily routine without acknowledging what she heard. Nevertheless, she appeared to be considering her actions for the future. While resembling Gertrude in her desire

to create the perfect environment for her husband, there are similarities to Rhoda as both women are pregnant and abandoned by their partners during their pregnancy. The murder of Patrick Maloney is the tragedy of this story, and although Mary intentionally caused it, it was not a premeditated decision. Patrick also holds responsibility as he was leaving Mary, causing her inability to manage the situation.

Both "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Withered Arm" feature ambiguous culpability for their tragic events. In the former, Mary is not entirely responsible for killing her husband as she is unable to cope with the news he delivered. Similarly, Rhoda Brook cannot be solely blamed for the curse she puts on Gertrude in the latter story. Society shoulders part of the responsibility in Rhoda's alienation and rejection that leads to her feelings of being an outcast. The husbands in both stories are also integral to the tragedies: Patrick's approach to sharing difficult news with Mary exacerbates her emotional turmoil, while Farmer Lodge's abandonment of Rhoda leaves her resentful and ultimately leads to Gertrude's downfall through Rhoda's actions.