Explicit Macabre in Roald Dahl's Pig

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Nalluri Jayashri MA in English University of Mysore, India Explicit Macabre in Roald Dahl’s Pig. Roald Dahl, a British novelist, short story writer, poet, fighter pilot and screenwriter, wrote works for both children and adults, and became one of the world's best-selling authors. Referred to as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century" (The Independent, Sunday, 12 December 2010), Dahl's stories are known for their unexpected endings, and his children's books for their unsentimental, often very dark humour. Pig. The story Pig contains explicit macabre, that leaves the reader in no doubt, what-so-ever, as to its gruesome ending. The story is divided into eight sections. One - A couple in New York City has a baby boy whom they name Lexington, and: No sooner had he mother returned home from the hospital carrying Lexington in her arms than she said to her husband, ‘Darling, now you must take me out to the most marvellous restaurant for dinner so that we can celebrate the arrival of our son and heir.’ (245) As such, twelve days after his birth, instead of staying home to care for the child, they hire a nanny to do so and go out on the town for lobsters and champagne, spending their time out discussing and “they recalled and discussed and admired each individual physical feature of their lovely newborn son” (245). When they return home the husband is without his key, so he attempts to get into the house by breaking through the front window. As he is lifting his wife through the window he stops there and starts kissing her. By the time the two are finished and he is pushing her through the window, a police car has pulled up and three cops run toward the couple, guns drawn, telling them to hold up their hands: ‘Stick ’em up!’ the cops shouted. ‘Stick ’em up!’ But it was impossible for the husband to obey this order without letting go

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