70 pages 2 hours read

The Lamb

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2025

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Symbols & Motifs

The Lamb

The book’s title is an important symbol that alludes to Margot herself. Margot’s comparison to the lamb is a significant choice, as the animal on which Ruth, Eden, and Margot most often feed is rabbit. Eden compares Margot to a rabbit kit several times, foreshadowing Margot’s end, and Margot herself makes rabbit traps to catch prey. The lamb, in comparison, is mentioned less often, invoking the notion of the sacrificial lamb, referring to the ritualistic practice of killing an animal to atone for a sin or to placate a god. 


The title also carries Biblical allusions, since in Christian iconography the lamb refers to Jesus Christ. Christ’s crucifixion implies God taking on the sins of humanity and suffering to save them. Similarly, Margot’s sacrifice and pain saves future strays from the violence of Ruth and Eden. The image of Margot’s carcass hung from a ceiling has parallels with the image of the crucified Christ. The lamb also represents purity: Although Margot has participated in luring and eating strays, she questions her actions. Her compassion and childlike innocence thus mark her as a beacon in a grim world.

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