In ","
we can find an example ofafter Mary has murdered Patrick and is sitting in front of the mirror,
trying to regain her composure:
"The smile was rather
peculiar. She tried again€¦That was better. Both the smile and the voice sounded better
now."
This line foreshadows the alibi which Mary
creates (by going to the grocer's) and the lies that she tells to the police detectives who
investigate Patrick's death. This is significant because it lets the reader know that Mary has
no intention of admitting to the murder; instead, she plans on getting away with it.
As for the setting, the story takes place in the marital home of Mary and Patrick
Maloney, a typical suburban, middle-class house in England. While the opening description of the
home suggests that the setting is peaceful and idyllic (as Mary waits patiently for Patrick's
return), the heinous murder which she commits turns this idea on its head. It becomes, instead,
a place of violence and deceit.
Finally, here is an example of direct ,
employed by Dahl when describing Mary's physical appearance:
"Her
skin--for this was her sixth month with child--had acquired a wonderful translucent quality, the
mouth was soft, and the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger darker than
before."
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