The Lamb

Analyze the novel’s use of setting. How are the woods or Margot’s school described? How does the novel use setting to create different kinds of atmosphere?

The book is told from the first-person perspective of Margot. How does this narrative choice shape the novel’s plot, characterization, or exploration of key themes?

The Lamb closely examines the question of agency and guilt. How do Margot’s ideas around agency and responsibility change over the course of the narrative? How do her conceptions compare to those of the other characters?

The novel contains several types of parental figures: Ruth, Eden, Margot’s missing father, the game keeper, the bus driver. Select one and closely analyze them. What kind of parental figure or parenting style does the character represent? How do they illustrate or subvert the problems of parental control or parent-child dynamics more generally?

While Margot lives a very isolated life, she still forms meaningful connections with other people from time to time. How does The Lamb explore the nature of friendship and community?

Ruth and Eden are presented as doppelgangers, but there are also some nuances between them. How is each woman characterized? How are they different or similar to one another?

Cannibalism is a key motif in the novel. What is its deeper meaning and significance in the narrative? How does it function as a symbol of other kinds of “consumption”?

The novel features different types of abuse and violence, such as child abuse, violence against strangers, and peer bullying. How does the novel convey some of the common ties between these different types of violence?