describes Mary Maloney in the first paragraph when she is waiting for her husband.
There was a slow smiling air about her, and about everything she
did. The drop of the head as she bent over her sewing was curiously tranquil. 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.
Why does Roald Dahl specify she is six months pregnant? This is an
intricately plotted story in which every detail has a purpose. At six months she would be
visibly pregnant but not physically handicapped. She would be able to act quickly and accurately
when she swung the leg of lamb. Her pregnancy would gain her sympathy from all the policemen. It
would also add to the picture of a happily married couple and detract from any possible
suspicion that Mary could have killed her husband. If she hated him she wouldn't be having his
child. She was dependent on him for financial support and would be more so with a baby.
What Patrick Maloney tells his wife is not revealed in the story. The reader
is expected to deduce from the fact that he is drinking unusually heavily that it is hard for
him to tell his wife what is on his mind. This suggests, for one thing, that Patrick hasn't
talked to anyone else about it. He is a strong, silent type. It is better for Mary if no one
else knows Patrick wanted to leave her. Even the reader is only given suggestions of what he
says to her.
"This is going to be a bit of a shock to
you, I'm afraid," he said. "But I've thought about it a good deal and I've decided the
only thing to do is tell you right away. I hope you won't blame me too much." And he told
her."So there it is," he added. And I know it's kind of a bad time
to be telling you, but there simply wasn't any other way. Of course I'll give you money and see
you're looked after. But there needn't really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldn't be
very good for my job."
He knows it is a bad time to
be announcing that he wants a divorce. She is six months pregnant and the news is devastating.
It is important to the perfect-crime plot that no one should have any cause to suspect that Mary
had any grievance against Patrick. From his dialogue the reader can see that he is not a cruel
man, although he may be cold and selfish. He is not a heavy drinker, which is shown by the fact
that Mary is surprised to see him having two strong highballs before breaking the bad news. He
comes home regularly at five o'clock, so he does not appear to be having an affair with another
woman. If the police start asking questions about the marital relationship, they will be told by
everyone that Mary is a devoted wife and that Patrick is a conservative homebody who always
treats his wife with consideration.
The reader may wonder why Patrick wants
to leave his wife. The most probable cause is to be found in Mary's own behavior. She is too
needy, too clinging, too possessive. He must feel suffocated with so much affection and
attention. Her behavioir brings to mind John Collier's story "The Chaser," in which
the old shopkeeper who sells love potions and undetectable poisons warns his young
customer:
"She will want to know all you do. . . .
All that has happened to you during the day. Every word of it. She will want to know what you
are thinking about, why you smile suddenly, why you are looking sad. . . .How carefully she
willl look after you!"
No comments:
Post a Comment