" Lamb to the Slaughter " is primarily set inside the home of the Maloneys. As the story opens, Mary Maloney is occupying herself while anxiously awaiting her husband's arrival. Her actions indicate that this is a typical day for her; she knows the routine well and seems to perform rather cyclical actions after Patrick arrives.
These trends included increasing: "<span>focus on commercial success instead of literary merit (although this wasn't universally the case)" and "</span><span>treatment of serious social problems"</span>
